“The idea, in its early stages, is part of the £24.3 million government grant to support regeneration in Hastings. But any of the many schemes being considered would probably involve the demolition of the well-used Priory Street car park and ESK store. “Priory Street was created in about 1850 when the railway system was set up in the Hastings area. Until then, what is now the town centre was agricultural marshland. The digging of the railway tunnel from Warrior Square to Hastings produced a huge amount of surplus soil and rock. This was deposited on much of the marshes, turning it into building land. “Havelock Road was built on this new ground as the gateway to Hastings Station, and by the late 1860s was lined with shops, offices and good-quality residences. At the same time, Priory Street became a service road for Havelock Road and neighbouring streets, with many workshops, plumbers, carpenters, stables and working class houses. A Sunday school and the Holy Trinity Parish Hall were built near the south end of Priory Street. In 1930 a new central post office was constructed on the corner with Cambridge Road. The building is still there, unused for several years. In 1932 the town’s Employment Exchange moved from 37 Havelock Road to Priory Street, with Cornwallis Terrace. Today it is the Xtrax Young People’s Centre. “By the early 1960s Priory Street had deteriorated, so in September 1963 a large-scale clearance was started. The photo shows the street in 1964, looking towards Cambridge Road. The only building in the photo that still exists is the post office, top left. “The large building on the right in the photo is the big ABC cinema, which opened in March 1938 as the Ritz. It was the best cinema in Hastings, with 1,984 seats, and a mighty Wurlitzer organ. This was dismantled in 1964 to make way for a new heating plant. The ABC closed on 6 October 1971, with its last film being Le Mans starring Steve McQueen. After that, the town’s only cinemas were the Classic 1 and 2 (now the Odeon) and the Orion, above what is now Yates pub, which closed in 1978. “The ABC was demolished during winter of 1971-72 to make way for a new Sainsbury’s supermarket, which opened in August 1974. This replaced the store which had been at 14 Wellington Place since 1933, with over-the-counter service. In 1992 Sainsbury’s built the present supermarket on Sedlescombe Road North, opening in November 1993. ESK bought the Cambridge Road Sainsbury’s store in May 1997. Many fixtures and fittings date from the early days of Sainsbury’s. Priory Street multi-storey car park opened in May 1969. Have you read? Looking at when the George Street pedestrian area in Hastings Old Town was once a busy road Have you read? Take a look inside new Hastings town centre pub