Hastings' new shops: These are the businesses that have opened since 2020

Recent data has revealed how the high street has changed in Hastings since the start of the Covid pandemic in 2020, with the full extent of changes to the UK's high streets after two years of lockdowns due to the pandemic and trading restrictions being covered in data from Ordnance Survey.

For Hastings in March 2020, there were 106 eating and drinking businesses. Two years later in March 2022, here were three more in town, which was an increase of three per cent.

Over the same two-year period, there were 209 retail shops in Hastings. But by March 2020, there were eight fewer – a decrease of four per cent.

Almost two years ago Debenhams in Hastings closed down, with Owens moving in afterwards.

A number of independent businesses have also opened up shop since 2020, such as new takeaway venture, Thai in Town, in Queen’s Arcade, as well as Coastal Cocoa and Old Scratch Tattoo.

The new butcher's shop, Beak & Tail, opened its doors only last week in Robertson Street, and outdoor clothing company Trespass opened its latest branch at Priory Meadow Shopping Centre in December last year.

We take a look at some of the new shops, which have opened in town since 2020.

This is how the high street in Hastings has changed since the start of the pandemic in 2020