Campaigners fight to save Hastings beauty spot hit by landslide

Valerie Myers from Save Old Roar Gill, said: “We are a group that want to see the restoration of the Gill and to preserve its future as a nature reserve and place for visitors to come.

"We have been shocked by the landslide. We came down here when we heard there were cracks in the path along Ghyllside Avenue. There were some cracks but we didn’t think too much of it. Tjat was just a day and half before the landslip happened. It just shows how quickly these things can develop.

"It's been so bad and we really feel for the residents that have been affected. That part of the Gill had been left to its own devices as it were an one of the things our campaign would like to see is for it to be restored so that people can walk along it and see the big waterfall that used to be a major tourist attraction in the Victorian era. It is not called ‘Old Roar’ for nothing – it is very big and makes a lot of noise and we would just like people to have access to it.

"We have put some plans into the Council suggesting what we think could be done by them and volunteers in the future and those plans have been accepted. Now we need to wait and see what happens.

"Southern Water have organised an ecological survey of the Gill and I think they are going to suggest various things that need to be done as well. This could be a turning point for the Gill.

"The path that is now closed off, until last week, was a very popular walking spot for people and their dogs. it went above the falls and was a great place to access them. We are hoping that once this is all settled this path can come back into use again because it is a lovely woodland walk within the town."

You can learn more about the campaign on the Save Old Roar Gill public Facebook group.

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