Would I be making a huge mistake by moving to Hastings?

leveller2911

VioletBaudelaire wrote: »

Thanks Leveller. I've been to all those places (only very briefy though), but haven't given them a lot of thought (I've heard negative things about Northiam though. I know someone who lives in Peasmarsh)
The thing is, since I don't drive, I do need to be fairly near some amenities, and I definitely need a doctor and hospital fairly near, so that's something I have to consider.

Wouldnt be Paul Mc Cartney would it?:D


Great Doctors at Northiam, buses are pretty regular too.Parts of Rye are fine too live, inside the Citadel is over priced, Rye Hill area is fine, Fair Meadow,Mill Rd etc, easy walking distance ...

VioletBaudelaire

leveller2911 wrote: »

Wouldnt be Paul Mc Cartney would it?:D


Hehe, no! Not a Beatles fan. Probably WOULD be a useful acquaintance though!
Thanks for advice.

Just wanted to make it clear to all, I was using the term "chav", not to mean someone with a tracksuit and hoop earrings! But actually dodgy antisocial types.
Where I live now, expensive and "trendy" as it may be, there are some awful people. On a bus journey home the other day, there were not one, but THREE separate incidents of passengers shouting, swearing at and threatening the bus driver (who was doing his job really well, and was a nice polite guy)
Two were girls about my age, early 20s, and one was a man in his 60s. This is the sort of thing that happens all the time and makes me so sick of living here, it's depressing that some people haven't got any respect for anyone else.
I know you get rude sods everywhere, but in a smaller place, there ought to be less of them!

millym

If you're thinking about Glastonbury, you've got to check out my favourite estate agent:

http://www.ralphbending.com/index.html

22225

i know in your post you said you didn't really want a list of nice places to live in that you weren't familiar with, so sorry because you won't really appreciate this, but I've heard nice things about deal, whitstable and broadstairs??!! they are the smarter, artier seaside bits of east kent. just so you know!

in surrey cobham and dorking are small and nice. but quite expensive...

BitterAndTwisted

I second the Kent coast suggestion. The Walmer/Kingsdown/Deal area is fab. A proper small town with proper, old-fashioned shops with a friendly village feel. The last time I was in Deal I counted three fresh fish shops. I have friends who live down there and I''d love to live there myself.

Debt_Free_Chick

I've lived here (Staplecross/Ewhurst/Bodiam area) for nearly 10 years now. Hastings is like any other town - yobs, druggies, alcoholics etc tend to gather with like people and if you happen across a group like this, it can taint your view of the whole town. I've never seen any of these groups although a first time visit to Tesco in Hollington on Saturday was a bit of an eye-opener. I thought they were filming an episode of Shameless!!!

Anyway ..... other than the gatherings of those we'd rather not associate with, the pace of life down here is generally much slower. East Sussex is far more rural than West Sussex - it's more wellies & cowsh!t here and certainly not "gentrified" rural.

OP - I think you need to consider very carefully the services you want from the area you live in - especially if you don't have a car. "Access to Services" is a big challenge here due to an undeveloped transport system. There is no motorway in East Sussex and practically no dual carriageways (with the exception of the bypass around Tun Wells and the Queensway, which "almost" links North of Hastings to Bexhill).

Train services are poor; buses even poorer.

So ... without a car, you really want somewhere very self-contained. I doubt you'll find that in either Winchelsea or Fairlight - both are lovely places, but have you thought about where/how you would shop? (Online may be an option, but check that your desired supermarket actually delivers to what are essentially "far-flung" locations, in supermarket delivery terms. Sainsbury only started delivering here about two years ago!).

It's also important that you really find out what it's like to live in these places - as opposed to simply visiting them.

It makes me laugh when I see comments about how lovely Rye is - yes it's lovely to visit, but locally it has the most appalling reputation ... far, far worse than Hastings. The biggest challenge for Rye - and it's typical of the whole of the Rother area - is employment. There are no significant employers here. Very many commute to London (and some to Tun Wells). Unemployment always results in a certain degree of "social deprivation" and there's a stark contrast between the standard of living of those who commute to London to earn a decent wage and those who either don't work, or work locally. Work locally is generally unskilled, with few in "professional services" positions. Working in retail, agriculture or "tourist services" probably applies to the majority - that or "not working at all".

I am "fortunate" enough to commute to London (although that takes four hours out of my day!), so I'm reasonably comfortable. I'm able to live in one of the most "sought after" villages (sorry for the EA speak) - however, it has absolutely NO services (other than the Church on a Sunday ), but then I drive. If I had to work locally, I couldn't afford to live here and if I didn't drive, I'd starve!!!

So ... be clear about what you want - and if you post back, there are a number of us who live in the area and we can suggest places for you to consider.

HTH

VioletBaudelaire

Thanks for the new posts!
millym - Yes I know about Ralph Bending and his website, it's very funny!

22225 and BitterAndTwisted (love that username!) I do know Deal, Whitstable and Broadstairs. I have friends in the last two. All very nice, but not seeing myself living there. I've been to lots of places I love to visit, but can't quite see myself living. Another place I was considering for instance, is Canterbury, but decided it wasn't quite right.

Debt_Free_Chick I'm glad to hear someone else say that Rye has a worse reputation than Hastings - people look at me as if I'm mad when I say that. But I have spoken to people to live there/near there and have told me things.

I suppose I was thinking of getting food online. I know there's Jempsons in Peasmarsh as well, and an infrequent bus service to Rye. I admit, I hadn't checked out which supermarkets deliver there. This Fairlight/Winchelsea thing is a new idea brought on by being worried about, well what my original post said!
The idea of living somewhere I could get into Hastings fairly easily for the shops etc, but quieter to live in was appealing (I know the buses aren't every 5 minutes like in London!)
The original choice of Hastings or Glastonbury was because it seemed more sensible to live somewhere with a supermarket/doctor/access to hospital, as you say, somewhere "self contained" I know my fantasy of living somewhere very rural will have to remain a fantasy for a while, but I can always move again in time!
I haven't actually seen any yobbish behaviour in Hastings, and from what I've heard, the majority of it is in the new bit and I would most definitely be living in the Old Town if I did move there. In fact, I've met some really lovely people there who are very positive about the place. One of my friends there actually gave me the ideas about both Fairlight and Winchelsea as he goes there to paint (he runs an art gallery) and he was saying how quiet Winchelsea is.
When you live in London (and you're like me) you yearn for silence!)

leveller2911

VioletBaudelaire wrote: »

. One of my friends there actually gave me the ideas about both Fairlight and Winchelsea as he goes there to paint (he runs an art gallery) and he was saying how quiet Winchelsea is.
When you live in London (and you're like me) you yearn for silence!)

A fair amount of my work is around Winchelsea.Its a very quiet Town, it has a small shop currently being renovated, theres also a tea room and deli too and not forgetting a pub(not been in there for a while so wouldnt know if its any good).Buses are not as bad as some are saying on here, they are pretty regular and do turn up.The people are pretty welcoming too.Just steer clear of the local politics,lol

IMO Rye has got issues(Police station shuts at 5pm,not helping) but know where near as bad as Hastings, Worrior Sq area is terrible, Hollington can be too.Hastings will suffer more than most Towns with regards to funding.Apparently 43% of people employed in Hastings work for the Public sector, which is a bit worrying with the cuts coming.

VioletBaudelaire

Oh thanks Leveller, that's really useful!
I do want somewhere quiet, and if I can get into Hastings/Rye on the bus without too much trouble that sounds ok.
I don't drink, so not bothered about the pub, tea rooms are more my kind of thing!

I was supposed to be going to have another look at Winchelsea yesterday, but couldn't. Hope to go on Friday though.

Do you know, is there a big difference between Winchelsea and Winchelsea Beach? I know Winchelsea is the older, presumably a lot more expensive bit!
I know for instance, that Rye and Rye Harbour are quite different in character.

SouthCoast

Sussex's single parents owed £86 million by absent ex-partners

According to the Department of Work and Pensions the county’s biggest blackspot is the Parliamentary constituency of Hastings and Rye, where more than £9.1 million is owed by non-resident parents. It is followed by Crawley (£7.6 million) and Eastbourne (£6.5 million). The area owing least in child support is Mid Sussex, at £3.6 million.

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/8320605.Sussex_s_single_parents_owed___86_million_by_absent_ex_partners/