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OUTDOORS & FIELD SPORTS

Hailsham has an excellent recreation ground in Western Road, a short distance from the town centre, which provides facilities for cricket, football, tennis and the Sussex summer game of stoolball. In all of these, the matches are organised by local clubs, although there is opportunity for some public use of the tennis courts.

The 1909 cricket pavilion overlooks the cricket field, and the tennis club has its own clubhouse. Adjacent to the main field is the football pitch of Hailsham Town Football Club, complete with spectator stands, floodlights and clubhouse.

The Maurice Thornton Playing Field, with vehicular access from Vega Close off of Observatory View, provides additional facilities for football (junior and senior), stoolball, and athletics. There is also a pavilion with changing facilities, showers and toilets for the use of field hirers.

Potential hirers of any of these facilities should first enquire at the Hailsham Town Council offices.

Further outdoor/field sports facilities exist at the Hailsham Community College, including a floodlight all weather sports pitch and superb new sports hall, available for hire and the larger of the primary schools, and whilst these are essentially for school use, can be hired on occasions, by arrangement with the specific school.

Hailsham Bowling Club has 8 rinks at the rear of the Freedom Leisure Centre in Vicarage Lane, with their own clubhouse facilities, and extensive countryside views to the north.

Fishing is permitted, in season, at the Hailsham Country Park Lake, Gleneagles Drive on purchase of a day permit from MFC Supplies in Station Road, or a season ticket from the Hailsham Town Council Office. Fishing is not permitted at Hailsham Common Pond.

Further afield, the River Cuckmere, and several other local rivers and lakes, afford good fishing, but as various stretches of water are controlled waters - visiting anglers should make enquiries in the district (e.g. local fishing equipment shops).

Horse riding is popular and there are several livery stables in the area.

For walkers and ramblers there are numerous footpaths, woodlands, riverside and field walks. Information on suitable routes may be obtained from Hailsham Town Council offices. There is an active branch of the Ramblers Association in Hailsham, which organise a weekly series of walks.

The local authorities promote cycling, and there is opportunity for safe cycling along the Cuckoo Trail. Formerly the route of the now dismantled branch railway line (abolished following the Beeching review of railways of 1966), this has been converted, with the aid of government funding, for walkers and cyclists, and connects Tunbridge Wells through Heathfield and Hailsham, to Polegate. Entry onto the Cuckoo Trail may be gained via numerous access points along its route, especially where it meets or crosses roads and rural footpaths.

Within easy reach of the town, 2 golf courses are available at Horam, with others further afield at Lewes, Eastbourne, Seaford and Cooden (Bexhill).

INDOOR RECREATION

Hailsham has a fine leisure centre - Freedom Leisure, built in the 1970's, with fitness studios and gymnasium providing facilities for a variety of activities including martial arts, and yoga, etc., according to demand. Swimming is well catered for, in the adjacent leisure pool, which was added in the 1980's. The pool has a water slide, and separate toddlers' pool, with the whole complex being served by a pleasant social area and bar, serving snacks and drinks. A ten-pin bowling area, toddlers soft-play area and junior gym were added to the facility in March 2006 and continues to provide enjoyment to the many visitors and residents.

A large community hall and some smaller halls throughout the town provide adequate facilities for local and county organisations and clubs to stage a variety of community events. These include Hailsham Community Hall, Vicarage Lane; Hailsham East Community Centre, Vega Close; Summerheath Hall, Summerheath Road; Wealden District Council Committee Rooms at Freedom Leisure; Union Corner Hall, Hawks Road; Methodist Church Hall, High Street; Maurice Thornton Pavilion, Orion Close and Hailsham Pavilion in George Street.

In addition, a number of smaller meeting places or rooms may be available selectively, for gatherings or meetings of a smaller nature. These presently exist at - South View Community Rooms, in Western Road (above the Citizen Advice Bureau offices), Hailsham Community Hall (meeting rooms), Fleur-de-Lys Council Chambers (Town Council Offices), and St. Mary's Church Lounge (High Street).

These provide an economic and comfortable home for groups who exist to cater for various interests, which include short mat bowls, yoga and aerobics, and other active indoor recreations, dancing, amateur drama and light entertainment productions, flower arranging, horticulture, local history, choral, needlework, the Royal British Legion, pre-school play and learning groups, and as a venue for indoor markets, fairs and jumble sales.

CLUBS & INSTITUTES

The Hailsham Club at Vicarage Fields (High Street), and the Hailsham Memorial Institute, Western Road, are (membership only) centres for local indoor activities. Both have excellent bar and snooker facilities, and regularly organise club activities, competitions, bingo, or musical evenings and stage entertainment. Membership is limited, but residents of Hailsham are entitled to apply.

Age Concern has a day centre in the Vicarage Field precinct, providing assistance to the elderly, and a meeting and social centre where activities, designed specifically for our senior citizens, are organised.

Other facilities include “The Square” Youth Café, a facility funded by Hailsham Town Council for young people, catering for 11-18 year olds living in Hailsham and surrounding areas. Based in the centre of Hailsham, it is café style facility, creating a ‘drop-in’ feel. Young people can expect a friendly welcoming atmosphere, supportive, safe and a non - judgemental environment. Young people can come to chat and to be involved in various activities, which include pool; table football, music, cooking and use the Internet services. The young people can organise day trips that are either suggested by the staff or by the young people themselves. The Square provides a valuable service to the Hailsham community in assisting in life skills and supplies a much-needed outlet and social interaction for young people. The Square is open Monday to Friday for more information about this facility please visit the Hailsham Town Council website on www.hailsham-tc.gov.uk

CHILDREN’S PLAY AREAS

There are numerous play areas for children throughout the town. The largest areas are the South Road Play Area (adjacent to Western Road Recreation Ground) and Battle Road Play Area (adjacent to the allotment gardens).

All play areas are managed, regularly inspected, and maintained by Hailsham Town Council, and offer a variety of play value either for toddlers or young children.

CINEMAS & THEATRES

Hailsham Pavilion, in George Street, has been restored in recent years and was re-opened after a period of 30 years since the last film was shown. Although a listed building, having an ornamental classical façade and lavishly decorated interior, it had been allowed to fall into disrepair to the point of ruin. Due to the efforts of local enthusiasts, the property was acquired, funding was raised, and a comprehensive and inspired transformation has resulted in its rebirth. A varying programme of topical film releases as well as live shows and special events are presented regularly.

Summerheath Hall also serves regularly as a theatre to Hailsham, and has a long history of being home to the Conrose Amateur Dramatic Players, whose regular musical and drama performances have been presented there since the early 1930's.

A number of other local theatrical and drama groups use both these halls as a “theatre” venue for productions on less frequent occasions.

There are cinemas and theatres in the nearby coastal towns of Eastbourne, Bexhill, Hastings, and Brighton, and also at Tunbridge Wells.