Hastings under the microscope: local authors expose gritty reality of modern resort

A powerful new social critique mirroring George Orwell's The Road to Wigan Pier has adjusted its retail distribution schedule. Released by Red Saint Publishing, The Slope to Bottle Alley, co-authored by local writers Travis A. Wolf and S.C. McHugh, will launch strictly on schedule via Amazon on 27th November 2026, with wide bookshop distribution to follow.

Written under pseudonyms, this highly anticipated and likely to be controversial work offers an uncompromising look at class, culture, and economic decline in the iconic South Coast town of Hastings, while also turning its lens onto neighbouring Bexhill.

Just as Orwell documented the bleak realities of the industrial North in 1937, Wolf and McHugh turn their lens on a modern British seaside community grappling with post-industrial decay, austerity, and rapid cultural shifts. Because it directly tackles raw local tensions - from the friction caused  by gentrification to a scathing critique of modern puritanism across Hastings and Bexhill - the book is expected to spark intense debate both locally and nationally.

The book is structured into a compelling series of thematic chapters:

• Introduction & Welcome to 1066 Country: Setting the stage across the historic yet struggling coastal region.

• Hastings Heading Down The Slope: A deep dive into the decline of the local fishing industry, the erosion of the traditional seaside resort, the decay of town-centre retail, and the loss of local nightlife.

• Changing Demographics: An examination of gentrification and the friction surrounding DFLs (Down from London).

• Hastings in the British Consciousness: Exploring the town's eccentric identity through Aleister Crowley, Pirate Day, Jack in the Green and local witchcraft.

• Life in Hastings Through the Prism of Class: A raw look at modern inequality on the Coast.

• Call Centres and the Climate of Fear:  Unpacking the gruelling reality of modern low-wage employment.

• A Prescription for the Future of Hastings: A forward-looking manifesto for local renewal.

• Orwell With Hindsight: A critical re-evaluation of Part 2 of The Road to Wigan Pier.

• Performative Outrage and Extremism: A searing look at modern puritanism, censorship, and political polarisation on the South Coast.

• Reflections: A concluding chapter capturing the core thesis of the work.

Pricing and Availability

* ebook £4.99 (Available for Kindle pre-order now); launching on Amazon on November 27th and other eReader platforms shortly afterwards.

* Paperback £11.99 Launching November 27th exclusively on Amazon; bookshop availability delayed.

* Hardback £19.99 Launching November 27th exclusively on Amazon; bookshop availability delayed.

Published by Red Saint Publishing, the book will be fully available in all formats directly via Amazon on November 27th. General availability to order on demand through independent bookshops and Waterstones online has experienced a temporary supply chain delay and will follow shortly after.

ISBN for the books:

Hardback: 978-1-0655286-0-9

Paperback: 978-1-0655286-1-6

eBook: 978-1-0655286-2-3