Campaign to save historic Hastings fishing boat from being demolished

The clinker built boat Dorothy Melinda has been on display on an island outside Hastings railway station for the past 15 years. It is the first thing visitors to Hastings see when they arrive in the town by rail.

But now the Council has said its is planning or removing the boat later this month as vandalism and its deteriorating condition have caused it to become a safety hazard.

A campaign has been launched to save the boat, which is part of the town’s fishing history, and restore it to its former glory.

Peter Carney, a member of the Hastings Old Town Fishing Community Facebook Group, said: “I had an email sent on behalf of Terry Drinkwater, Parks and Open Spaces Manager, Hastings Borough Council which said ‘The RX53 boat sits outside the Hastings Railway station on the roundabout owned by South Eastern Railway, the boat was originally placed there for an agreed lease period to Hastings Borough Council. That lease has now expired, and the boat has become beyond reasonable repair. Despite ongoing maintenance, over the years the boat has been a continuous victim of vandalism and weather penetration. The boat now provides a potential health and safety risk to the public and passing cars and buses.Sadly, later this month, the old fishing boat will be removed. The removal has not been an easy decision, but due to its poor condition and the roundabout needing to be returned to South Eastern, this removal is now necessary.’”

Peter said: “I have replied begging for a stay of execution and offering to arrange to remove her for restoration at no cost to the council. Fundraising, sponsorship, and volunteers will be needed. She looks decidedly rough but can certainly be restored if the will is there.

"She wants tender loving care not a wrecking ball. After the destruction of RX134 Stacey Marie last year, Hastings now has only seven full-size wooden fishing boats left and it could very easily be only four before very long.“I have messaged Old-Town Councillors James Bacon and Julia Hilton to ask them to try to prevent the destruction and have received positive responses.”

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Former Hastings Council tourism chief Kevin Boorman confirmed last year that the boat was to be removed, saying: “It has been badly vandalised, unfortunately, and beyond economic repair. It has been there for around 15 years, longer than we'd expected.”

Supporters on Facebook have suggested a Go Fund Me page be set up, with many saying they would contribute.