The top ten most read stories on the Mid Sussex Times website for 2021

As 2021 comes to a close we’re taking a look back at the most popular stories on the Mid Sussex Times website.
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Here are the top ten articles that our readers clicked on from January to December this year.

For the purposes of this festive round-up we have omitted stories of a tragic nature.

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10) Jeremy’s Restaurant set to close in Borde Hill Gardens, Haywards Heath

Jeremy's restaurant at Borde Hill. Picture: Steve Robards, SR2109081.Jeremy's restaurant at Borde Hill. Picture: Steve Robards, SR2109081.
Jeremy's restaurant at Borde Hill. Picture: Steve Robards, SR2109081.

One of the most popular restaurants in Mid Sussex closed its doors in October after more than 20 years in the community.

Jeremy’s Restaurant, which was based in Borde Hill Gardens, Haywards Heath, served its final dinner on Friday (October 1).

But proprietor Jeremy Ashpool remained upbeat and revealed that he and his wife Vera would continue Café Elvira and would continue to run events in the Jeremy’s space and the marquee.

The clean-up effort begins in Freeks Lane.The clean-up effort begins in Freeks Lane.
The clean-up effort begins in Freeks Lane.
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9) Cuckfield land with permission for five-bedroom house sparks bidding war

This unexpectedly popular web story went online on July 3.

It explained how land in Courtmead Road, Cuckfield, which had planning permission for a five-bedroom house and double garage, led to a bidding war earlier that week.

The auction was held by Clive Emson Land and Property Auctioneers and the lot was just one of 112 lots at the event.

Tamasha in Lindfield is one of the most popular places to eat in Mid Sussex. Picture: Google Street View.Tamasha in Lindfield is one of the most popular places to eat in Mid Sussex. Picture: Google Street View.
Tamasha in Lindfield is one of the most popular places to eat in Mid Sussex. Picture: Google Street View.

However, senior auction appraiser and auctioneer Richard Payne said that ‘strong early demand led to sustained bidding’.

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8) Major roadworks mean months of diversions for buses in Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath

Buses in Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill were diverted during four months of major roadworks in spring this year.

The aim was to lay a new water main over the course of 15 weeks, starting on Tuesday (April 6).

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Residents were understandably frustrated but Metrobus apologised for the inconvenience, saying that South East Water’s plan to lay 464 metres of a new water main was essential work.

7) 21 pictures of Mid Sussex school reception classes from 2009

With the schools going back in September this year, the Mid Sussex Times decided to run a couple of picture galleries showing new pupils from 2009.

It had been 12 years since the youngsters were photographed at the beginning of their education.

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In September 2021 they would all have had their GCSE results and been looking forward to their next steps in learning.

See the first batch of photos here or the second batch here.

6) IN PICTURES: Burgess Hill homes and gardens flooded

It was a mostly scorching summer this year but Mid Sussex did not avoid the rain entirely.

On Friday (July 2), we published an alarming picture story about Burgess Hill residents in Freeks Lane and Dumbrills Close who had their homes and gardens flooded.

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Burgess Hill Mayor and Green Party councillor (Leylands ward) Anne Eves described it as ‘the worst flood in at least ten years’.

5) Haywards Heath takeaway owner turns up at customer’s house after review slams lack of free poppadom

One of our sillier police stories of the year, this piece from February was about a disgruntled Haywards Heath takeaway owner who turned up at a customer’s house to challenge him amid a row over a free poppadom.

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Inspector Darren Taylor of Mid Sussex Police said a man wrote an online review complaining that ‘no matter how much you spend you don’t even get a free poppadom’ after buying an Indian takeaway.

But after writing the review the takeaway’s owner turned up on the customer’s doorstep to take issue with it.

Inspector Taylor confirmed the confrontation was just verbal and said no further action was taken.

4) Covid-19 booster jabs at Clair Hall in Haywards Heath

Clair Hall in Haywards Heath has been one of the most important and successful sites for Covid vaccinations in Sussex, helping people get their first and second jabs throughout summer.

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As news came out of waning vaccine efficacy over time, Mid Sussex Times readers were keen to find out what the GP Federation Alliance for Better Care (ABC) had planned for their autumn and winter booster programme.

Where possible they said the team would administer both the flu vaccination and the Covid booster at the same appointment.

3) These three Mid Sussex neighbourhoods are almost covid free

After the lockdown was imposed at the beginning of this year, readers were keen to see the effect of restrictions in February.

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At a time when the vaccination effort was only just starting up and most people were still vulnerable to Covid, it was reassuring to read that East Grinstead West and South, Haywards Heath North East and Hurstpierpoint and Bolney each recorded fewer than three coronavirus cases in seven days.

2) 19th century Cuckfield home with its own cinema room and a stunning kitchen

Property prices in Mid Sussex went up this year and so did people’s interest in looking at the most unique and expensive ones.

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This stunning picture story from May showed a beautiful nine-bedroom home for sale in Cuckfield’s High Street, which boasted an enormous kitchen, as well as cinema.

1) IN PICTURES: The 21 best places to eat in Mid Sussex according to TripAdvisor

It seems that Mid Sussex readers were most enthusiastic about getting out for a good meal after Covid restrictions were lifted this year.

The most clicked on story for 2021 was a picture guide to the 21 best places to eat in the district, according to trip advisor.

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The story was published on June 29, more than a month after the government allowed people to dine indoors at restaurants, cafes and pubs.