Pop band launch Bexhill and Hastings tourist trail (From The Argus)

Pop band launch Bexhill and Hastings tourist trail

2:40pm Wednesday 6th March 2013 in News By Peter Truman

A new trail will make people even keener to come to Sussex, tourist bosses hope.

In a bid to draw more people to the area, music from pop band Keane has been used to create a tourist trail.

The band shot to fame in 2004 with their hit Somewhere Only We Know but is now hoping their hometown of Battle, as well as nearby Hastings and Bexhill, is somewhere everyone knows.

The downloadable map features locations mentioned in the “international supergroup’s” five albums.

Entitled Strangeland, after their fifth album, the trail features a range of attractions named in the lyrics.

Among the highlights you could visit by following the interactive route are the East Parade in Hastings, the Bandstand in Bexhill and Battle Train Station.

Featured on a dedicated website, the band provided lots of input into the various landmarks that are intertwined with their back catalogue.

Liz Honey, owner of the prestigious Saffron Gallery in Battle High Street, said: “We are lucky to live in a beautiful part of the country and we wanted to share it in a new way with a new audience.

“Battle in particular is most often celebrated for its history but has so much more to offer than just 1066.

“The Keane Trail helps us demonstrate that, not only does Battle have a substantial past, but the present and future are filled with beauty, character, independent traders, contemporary arts, live music, unique events and its very own supergroup.”

A spokesman for 1066 Country Marketing said: “Keane’s status means that they have a wide international appeal and loyal UK followers too.”

The website for the trail includes postcodes for all locations so they can be entered into a sat-nav device.

For more information, visit keanetrail.org.uk

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