Old Golden Cross
These premises in Havelock Road first opened during 1857 as the "Golden Cross". By 1866, however, the premises were up for sale[1].
Around 1899 the pub was demolished and completely rebuilt[2]. Three steps bearing a damaged mosaic reading 'Old Golden Cross' are all that remains of the original building.
Patrons were shocked on the 12th of April, 1909 when one of the patrons of the bar suffered a fatal heart attack whilst making a toast to his companion. The unfortunate customer - William Wall, a waiter at the Alexandra Hotel had met a friend for a drink of coffee and rum, and whilst raising his glass to toast his companion "Here's health", uttered a quiet 'Oh' then collapsed to the floor suffering a gash to his head. Thinking his friend had fainted, the companion - Horace Golding - also a waiter at the same hotel lifted him off the floor. Realising something was seriously wrong, a doctor was summoned who declared that Wall had expired and was probably dead before he hit the floor. An inquest held determined that Wall had suffered from having an abnormally large heart and died of heart failure[3].
Prior to WW1, in 1911, the first floor Lodge Room became licensed for cinematographic performances - thereby becoming one of the first cinemas to open in the borough.
Having become somewhat dilapidated, in 1995 two sisters, Joanne Sharpling and Margaret Keesling purchased the building from the Whitbread group and embarked on an extensive refurbishment[4]. In an effort to entice more customers in June of the same year, they started to offer meals prepared and cooked on the premises[5]. The late 1990s saw the first-floor function room operating as a nightclub. By 2002, however, the premises were sold once more - this time to Premier Pubs - who owned several pubs in the town including The Tubman, and the Pig in Paradise. The premises were boarded up, pending plans to refurbish the bar once more[6].
Renamed to "Hero's Venue Bar' in 2003, then "Laila" in 2008, "Flairz" in 2011 and finally, "Crowley's Bar" in 2018. Following the general decline in numbers of drinking establishments and closure, 2023/4 saw plans submitted to change the upper floors into four flats[7]. In 2025, plans were agreed whereby the local bus operator, Stagecoach, could utilise the ground floor as a rest area for bus drivers[8][9].
Images
- Images
Havelock Road 1863
What-was-the-Old-Golden-Cross-Hotel-on-Havelock-Road-in-1907-Customers-Staff-going-on-a-coach-outing.
Old-Golden-Cross-corner-of-Havelock-Road.-1957.
Station Approach c1967
Old Golden Cross exterior 1995
Old Golden Cross Function Room 1995
References & Notes
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 20 November 1866 Pg. 0002
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 8 October 1898 Pg. 0006
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 17 April 1909 Pg. 0003
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 13 January 1995 Pg. 0038
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 16 June 1995 Pg. 0018
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 15 November 2002 Pg. 0002
- ↑ Hastings Borough Council Planning application ref HS/FA/23/00589
- ↑ The Argus Stagecoach Hastings bus drivers get rest area in former pub Retrieved 21 Jan 2025
- ↑ Hastings Borough Council Planning application ref HS/FA/24/00804
