Where's nice between Brighton and Southampton?

[Thornyrose7]

Hi,

I wasn't sure where to post this, but we are looking to move to the South coast , probably West Sussex or Hampshire. Anywhere on the West Coast Way train line.
Dd is 6 so we would like a nice junior school. Somewhere with good links where the traffic isn't too bad. Somewhere with a nice pub and a bit of life but not too posh or pricey!
Any South coast dwellers would love to hear from you.

[magimedi]

Brighton to Portsmouth is the A27, including the Chichester bypass & it is a pig of a road. Past Portsmouth it is motorway to Southampton but that is the minority of the journey.

Until recently I was driving from Eastbourne to Portsmouth on a regular basis (about 70 miles) & it usually took 3 hours. On a bad day it could take 4/5.

If you are looking at commuting in this area I would think very hard about your distances to & from work.

[Mummamayhem]

Worthing! Lovely easy town, with some nice restaurants and pubs, brill cinemas, swimming pool, parks etc all you need with children. Good primary schools too.

[Thornyrose7]

Thanks magi. Dh will have a mobile job that is over a wide area, but not necessarily along the coast itself. I will either be home based or working locally, depending. We have parents in London and Surrey so don't want to be a million miles from them. I have seen how bad the A27 can get especially in the summer! Just hopeful we can find a good place to settle as I don't feel happy and settled right now.

[ICuntSeeYourPoint]

Yes to Worthing, there's so much on your doorstep there. Chichester is very lovely but very expensive. Portsmouth has a lot to offer but it's big and there are nice and not-so-nice parts to it, and the traffic isn't good. Where would be closest to work?

[Thornyrose7]

Thanks Mumma. Do you live in Worthing? If so, are Lancing and Sompting also with a look? I will put Worthing on the list to check out.

[JustCallMeDory]

We were looking in this area 2 years ago, but ended up buying much further inland than we'd hoped as the secondary schools along the south coast are not great (or at least the ones within a reasonable commute of work). Depending how long you plan to live there for, consider secondary school as well as Junior schools.

[Thornyrose7]

That's interesting JustCall, I want this to be a proper move where we can be for many years., so yes, all schools will have to be considered. Out of interest, which area did you go for?

[PigletJohn]

Chi is a real town. Lancing and Arundel are IMO just for visiting.

Try to be near a station.

the A3 is quite good for getting up to the M25

Pompey is on an island so traffic is troublesome.

[PigletJohn]

You might look at Winchester but I don't know it much.

Decline in seafaring has left areas of depression along the coast.

[GraceGrape]

For living, Chichester. (Or somewhere like Midhurst if you were prepared to go inland?)

[RockinHippy]

Worthing is definitely worth a look, also look at Seaford where old punks go to die we've had several friends move there recently & it would tick all your boxes, some lively property there too.

Alfriston if you fancy a lovely village & Lewes are also lively places to live

[RockinHippy]

Personally I would avoid Lancing, Sompting looks okay though

[RockinHippy]

Lovely, not lively damn you autocorrect & numb fingers

[RockinHippy]

Southwick is worth a look too, we have family there & DD has friends living there who moved from Brighton, they all love it

[Mummamayhem]

Lancing is pretty dire except the posh north bit but expensive. Sompting...not much there, near a town and station might be easier. Chichester is a beautiful place, well over my budget sadly as is lovely lovely lewes. Happy hunting

[ICuntSeeYourPoint]

Lancing is nice, the town is quite small though, so for decent shopping trips and entertainment you'd always be going to Worthing or further afield.

[user1471531631]

Emsworth is a lovely small town just west of Chichester, and with easy access to the A27. Right by Chichester Harbour with good shops, pubs, schools etc.

[scaryteacher]

Winchester lovely but expensive. You'd never have to pay school fees though as the state provision is excellent there.

Botley seems quite nice, schools OK. Titchfield nice, primary school, good pubs, great butcher. Wickham, Bishop's Waltham are good too.

[RockinHippy]

There is one outstanding secondary school in Lewes that we know well & would have been happy for DD to go there, several friends kids & parents really love it. One excellent one in Brighton itself, but hugely oversubscribed & a weird allocation system means that though you could apply, you will have no real choice. Nit sure about other areas though. Friends living in Worthing moved back to Brighton when their own DCs hit primary age, though that was a lot of years back

[RockinHippy]

When their own DCs hit SECONDARY AGE

[GreenGoblin0]

I'm originally from Portsmouth but now live in Brighton. have done a lot of travelling between the two!

wouldn't go for lancing or Sompting there's not much of a town feel to either place. Worthing is nice and I would say evolving as lots of ppl moving from Brighton as houses more affordable.

Southwick also nice - looked at a few houses there last year.

shoreham also worth a look.

Further towards Portsmouth- chichester also lovely but as others have said it's expensive. really depends on your budget.

Parts of Portsmouth are nice particularly southsea but as others have said it's an island and not great if you are commuting daily 70 miles away.
Hamble is a nice town near Southampton.

[Iguessyourestuckwithme]

Hamble, Emsworth, Winchester, Arelsford,

[Haggard1]

As PP said be close to a train station. Buses are irregular and you won't want to ferry DC and friends around as teenagers.

Also, check the flood maps! It's nice to be in sailing territory and the area is lovely but much of it floods.

[RockinHippy]

I nearly forgot about Shoreham, we have several friends that live there, all with small DCs & it is a great place to live. Its our favourite place to eat out too, lovely waterside pub food. Though its up & coming, so property there isn't as cheap as it used to be

[Thornyrose7]

I have just logged back in and chuffed to get all these responses. Thanks so much to all of you, sorry I cant reply to you all individually. Lots of places I haven't heard of too. I am poring over the map now v.excited.