Great Storm of 1987

The storm which hit Hastings in October 1987 was described as 'The worst storm to hit Hastings in over 250 years' by the The Hastings & St Leonards Observer in a special edition published during November of that year. With wind speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour, the storm left a trail of devastation during the early hours of October the 16th 1987. Ancient woodlands and parks were decimated and the destruction included houses, cars, churches and many prominent buildings in the town.

The Queens Hotel suffered severe damage when a chimney dislodged by the winds fell through four storeys, killing one visitor in his bed.