New film promotes the light-hearted side of Battle

The group has launched a three-minute film promoting Battle as a thriving, unique town of culture, history, independent shops, restaurants, galleries and bars to potential visitors from within the UK and abroad.

It is already well known that Battle is a town of significant historic importance, the home of the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and for its part in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.

These images of historic Battle are already widely represented and so this film’s main focus is to complement the town’s remarkable past with a light-hearted, fly-on-the-wall snapshot of the town’s life as it is now, in 2013.

Battle is full of independent businesses and many of the characters who run these are portrayed in this feel-good film.

The film opens with music by international supergroup Keane, who hail from Battle, and who immortalised the town in their 2012 album Strangeland.

Featuring prominently are several of the town’s quirky annual festivals such as the bonfire festivities and the Good Friday marbles competition.

The carnival procession and Christmas gala night show the local community out in force and, of course, the townsfolk’s partiality to dressing up at the drop of a hat is also very well represented.

Filming wasn’t confined to Battle as one of the principal aims of the film is to encourage visitors to stay in the town and to use it as a hub from where they can visit 1066 Country and the south coast.

The film features attractions such as the Jerwood Gallery in Hastings, the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill and the Kent & East Sussex Railway at Bodiam.

The film is narrated by Battle actress Francesca Hunt.

Liz Honey of Battle’s Saffron Gallery, who led the project, said: “From the outset, this film has been about attracting a new audience of potential visitors to the town, augmenting what is already widely known about historic Battle and updating it for 2013 and beyond.

“The over-riding and lasting message to the viewer should be that Battle is a fun, friendly and varied place to visit and stay, with a little something for everyone. We’re thrilled to be able to include the film on the About Battle page on our website.”

Emma Wray, regeneration and tourism officer at Rother District Council said: “It has been a privilege to benefit from the services of the film-maker, Andrew Jenner (www.andrewjenner.com). He has been a true professional, having filmed Battle in rain, wind and sunshine, over a number of visits, to capture the essence of life in the town. We look forward to seeing local businesses using the film on their own websites to attract visitors to the town. Liz Honey of Saffron Gallery, who is a member of the Battle Marketing Group, which is funded by Rother District Council, has worked tirelessly to coordinate this project and deserves a huge amount of credit.”

The film can be viewed at http://www.visit1066country.com/explore-1066-country/battle or at www.vimeo.com/keanetrail/visit-battle.

It can also be shared on Facebook and Twitter and is freely available for use on all business and personal websites by embedding the file from http://youtu.be/Peij0LZOd40 and Vimeo link.

Click here to view the video.