News

Information about the period of mourning for Her Majesty in Lewes

The ten-day period of mourning for the late Queen has caused some events to be postponed or cancelled as a mark of respect.

On the day of the Queen’s funeral on Monday 19 September, Lewes Town Council’s offices will be closed for the Bank Holiday, and several planned events have been cancelled.

Please see below for details of events and meetings in the next week, and on the Bank Holiday, as well as information about other services in and around Lewes.

Lewes Town Council events and meetings

  • The Lewes Proclamation of the new King was made by the Mayor at Lewes Town Hall on Sunday 11 September. The Mayor also attended the East Sussex Proclamation made by the High Sheriff Jane King at County Hall earlier that day.
  • The Town Hall Foyer will be open this weekend, 17 and 18 September, as well as the Bank Holiday Monday 19 September between 10am and 4pm for members of the public to sign the Book of Condolence for Her Majesty. For more details on the Book of Condolence, please visit our page about Books of Condolence.
  • A Civic Service has been organised for Sunday 18 September. For more details please see our page about faith services.
  • The Mayor, along with Councillor Adrian Ross, leader of Lewes District Council and Councillor Peter Pragnell, Chairman of East Sussex County Council, laid a wreath of flowers at Lewes House on Saturday 10 September, and residents are invited to lay flowers at this location, or make a tribute in a different way. To learn more, please see our dedicated page about flowers and tributes
  • The Town Hall’s flagpole has been flying the Union flag at half-mast as a mark of respect since learning of the Queen’s passing (excluding during Proclamations) and will continue to do so until 8am on Tuesday 20 September
  • The Buildings Working Party meeting on 12 September was cancelled and an Advisory Group was held instead
  • The Mayoral event, a celebration of the life of Mabel Lucie Atwell on 14 September has been postponed, with a new date to follow
  • The Grants Panel meeting has moved to 21 September
  • The Planning Committee meeting has moved to 23 September
  • Other meetings have been postponed or cancelled on a case-by-case basis

Events organised by external hirers at Lewes Town Hall

  • The Lewes Town Hall Indoor Market will go ahead on Tuesday 13 and Tuesday 20 September
  • Blood donations will be taking place in the Corn Exchange on Wednesday 14 September
  • The Oktoberfest celebrations organised by Commercial Square Bonfire Society on Saturday 17 September are going ahead
  • LOS Musical Theatre are selling tickets to Betty Blue Eyes in the Town Hall Foyer each weekday afternoon
  • Regular hirers of Town Hall rooms including the U3A, Keep Fit class and Bridge Club are keeping to their scheduled programming during the week of the 12 to 18 September.

Events organised by external hirers at the All Saints and Malling Community Centres

  • Both regular hires and one-off events are continuing to take place during the week of the 12 to 18 September, this may change for Monday 19 September. Please see the What’s On Guide for the All Saints Centre and Malling Community Centre for more details for each individual group or hirer if you wish to contact them.

Monday 19 September

  • The day of the Queen’s State Funeral has been declared a Bank Holiday
  • The Foyer of the Town Hall will be open between 10am and 4pm for the public to sign the Book of Condolence for Her Majesty. However, Lewes Town Council offices will be closed. If you wish to contact us please email info@lewes-tc.gov.uk or leave a voicemail on 01273 471469 and we will get back to you the following day.
  • External hires will be greatly reduced at Lewes Town Hall, the All Saints Centre and Malling Community Centre with several groups choosing to cancel (for which the council has not charged a cancellation fee due to the extenuating circumstances). Please contact group organisers for details and updates
  • All Lewes District Council services, except emergency services (eg homelessness, emergency repairs for housing tenants), will be suspended for the day, and reception in Southover House will be closed
  • Supermarkets in Lewes: Aldi, Tesco and Waitrose will be closed
  • Royal Mail deliveries will be suspended for the day
  • Foundry Healthcare Lewes will be closed and GP appointments will be rearranged
  • The Household Recycling Centre on Ham Lane will be closed
  • Several local buses will be operating a Sunday service
  • Several shops and businesses around Lewes will be closed or alter their opening hours.

Travelling to pay your respects

  • Sussex Police have published information about travelling to Royal Residences and to London to pay your respects
  • For those wishing to attend the Queen’s Lying-In-State in Westminster between the afternoon of the 14 and the early morning of the 19 September, the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have published this guidance. It notes that “Large crowds are expected, and there are likely to be delays on public transport and road closures around the area. You should check ahead, plan accordingly and be prepared for a long wait. If you wish to attend the Lying-in-State, please note that there will be a queue, which is expected to be very long. You will need to stand for many hours, possibly overnight, with very little opportunity to sit down as the queue will be continuously moving.”
  • If you wish to pay your respects locally, there will be a National Moment of Reflection at 8pm on Sunday 18 September. In Lewes the Mayor will lead the reflection at St Anne’s Church, Western Road, following the Civil Service of Thanksgiving, but residents are invited to stand at their doorways to mark the occasion, and a template for organising a gathering for a community group, club or other organisation can be found on our website.

Other service provisions taking place this week

  • Bus stops in Lewes are changing from 16 September, please take notice of the new locations of the temporary bus stops
  • An East Sussex Adult Health and Social Care survey is taking place to gain an understanding of what really matters to local people. The information gained will then be used as a starting point for creating a new Adult Social Care Strategy that will set the direction of adult social care for everyone who has – or will have – care and support needs within the county, the projects and services that support them and their carers and families. This closes on September 18, and is available online.
  • The Household Support Grant scheme has closed to those of working age, but older residents can still claim a grant of up to £250 by 30 September. Additionally, many older residents are yet to claim their £150 Energy Rebate. More details of how to claim can be found on Lewes District Council’s website