Sandy Highfield, General Manager, of the Hope Anchor Hotel in Watchbell Street hosted a reception for neighbours and residents last weekend to launch the refurbished restaurant and collaboration with Art and Soul gallery. Prior to the Hope Anchor Sandy’s family previously run businesses in Rye for more than 40 years including the White Vine Hotel and Fletchers Tea Rooms but only the Hope Anchor now remains in the family.
The anchor is the Victorian symbol for hope. Early Christians used the anchor as a disguised cross, and as a marker to guide the way to secret meeting places. The anchor was a key Christian symbol during the period of Roman persecution. The first century symbol wasn’t the cross; it was the anchor.
The Hope Anchor has a special place in a lot of people’s hearts with many stories told of when locals used to work at the hotel, held their wedding receptions or special family occasions there. In collaboration with Emma from Rye’s Art & Soul, Sandy has big plans to turn the whole hotel into a huge art gallery supporting local Rye artists along with hosting art lessons during the day.
Image Credits: John Minter , Neale East .