DFL to AFBs to St Leonards/ Hastings

[mrsdafox]

Hello! I'm new to all this but we are looking to move to Hastings/ St Leonards and wondered if anyone can give me some pointers?

We will officially be "Across From Brightoners" (Hove actually) having already made the move "Down From East London" a couple of years ago.

We had a look round yesterday and were really taken with West St Leonards, around Norman Rd, and the area around Alexandra Park (although I fear this might be a bit out of our price range!). We both work from home so finding a house with as much space as possible pretty much rules out the Old Town, although it's also lovely. We have really fallen for a quirky mid terrace on Alexandra Rd but I've read a few other forum posts recommending to stay away from the area around Warrior Sq and the station. I'm wondering if this is still applicable as they are from 2012 and I know a lot has changed in the last couple of years.

We have a one year old girl so would ideally be looking for an area with a good primary school, but this is still a bit in the future to worry about. Near to the sea or a park would be ideal as we currently live one block from both and would miss not being able to get out so easily every day.

We don't need to live 'in the thick of it' but some local shops, somewhere to grab a coffee and a local boozer would be nice.

Any advice welcomed- areas or roads to look at/ areas to be wary of/ nice things to do with a toddler/ playgroup recommendations/ music groups and other such activities/ any exercise classes that can be done with a toddler in tow (we are really spoilt in Brighton with a myriad of these kind of things on our doorstep)/ pubs that sell good ale/ pubs with gardens/ pubs that are basically not football pubs (not to paint a picture that we like to spend a lot of time with the bub in one hand and a pint in the other...)/ anything fun that is happening in the next few months that we can come back over for to get a feel for the place.

Oh, and is it always as windy?! (it was even windier than B'town yesterday!!)

Really looking forward to hearing your thoughts x

[Nicnox69]

Sounds like we are in the same boat as you Mrsdafox- It would be great to hear from anyone in the Hastings/St Leonards areas please? And in fact as far as Bexhill and Battle. Thank you

[Muddle2000]

Good idea. Most of the hospital facilities have moved from Eastbourne to Hastings eg maternity and elective surgery so you are in the right place

[NikkiHB]

Hi
We moved to St Leonards in January and found it such a minefield of information of great roads, roads to avoid etc....but despite all of that I couldn't really comprehend it until we got here. Without a doubt you can get more beautiful architecture for your money in St Leonards but in comparison to the Old Town it is still 'up and coming' (!!) although definitely changing fast. St Leonards itself covers quite a big area and I really don't know it that well yet, but definitely the 'Burton St Leonards' area is the bit you want to be in if you want a nice looking period property. I don't know where the boundaries for this are but some names of roads I know that are nice: Dane Road, Brittany Road, Charles Road, bits of Pevensey Road and others that run off these, all a few minutes from Norman Road. A lot of these properties are seriously huge and for that reason are often split into apartments....which might not be what you are looking for, but it's worth having a look as you might be mightily surprised by what you find. We have been renting so far whilst we decided if we definitely wanted to swap St Leonards for Hackney and now the decision is made we will start looking for somewhere to buy and definitely want to stay in St Leonards. There is a nice community here, lovely open green spaces and close to the sea of course, you can get a nice breakfast and great coffee but it s still way behind either Brighton or London with not many offering wifi for example ( important if you are trying to work from home....) the Old Town is nice too although maybe a bit twee....I have met a few people that live there and the houses are quirky and interesting but often dont have gardens and the dimensions are generally smaller. We have looked at a couple around Alexandra Park which is probably the only bit of Hastings I would want to be, but the problem with those is that although you have an amazing park as your front garden the back gardens are often quite steeply stepped...fine if you don't mind that, but not so great maybe if you have kids. In fact Hasting generally is very bloody hilly which has changed how often we jump on our bikes for example! We have seen a lot of nice 3 storey town houses for sale around Hastings that look great on the details but when you get to the road they are amongst roads and roads of 3 story town houses and it all feels a bit hemmed in. St Leonards feels spacious, with wide avenue style roads and lots of trees. As far as stuff to do with toddlers I'm not sure as mine are 7 and 9 .... But I did find it quite hard to find out what was going on for them as there doesn't seem to be a website or similar that offers all of that info. As I have slowly met people I've found out about loads of cool stuff going on but it wasn't immediately apparent. Not sure if I've told you anything you didn't already know....
X

[NikkiHB]

Oh and it's not always windy! There is beautiful light here and amazing sunsets! I think there's an event going on in Alexandra Park next weekend ( can't remember what it us) which might give you a good indication of who else lives here. My boys go to Robsack Wood which is a nice school but its a drive away rather than a walk. Blacklands is supposed to b a good school ( close to A.park) and if you don't mind a church school I think there are a couple of others in St Leonards.

[LoveMyKidsLoads]

Appreciate you asked a while ago - wondered if you still want advice?

Basically St Pauls is by far and away the best school in the town. Oversubscribed constantly, and I imagine it will be even more so, due to the fact that so many primary schools are now in special measures, or turning into academies.

Yes - still avoid Warrior Square. West St Leonards is fine in most parts. If you do go to that area, West St Leonards school better than St Leonards CE.

Pubwise -there aren't really that many with nice gardens for kids - you'll need to drive out of town for that. As for good ales, there are loads in the Old town like the FILO (with its own brewery). No garden though.

Silverhill is considered as having quite a community feel with Asda being the monstrosity in a number of local shops and pubs, and if you pick the right house, you are a 5 minute walk from Alexandra Park via the back route and within the St Pauls catchment.

The only toddler group I know of is at Hastings Centre, opposite the hospital. Very big, very fun apparently. Not having had toddlers living here, I don't know whats available, but it won't have the access to the range you have in Brighton. The coffee shop at Hastings Centre is VERY good - it has a large outdoor play area so you really can relax with a coffee with a clear view of your kids having fun outside in an enclosed area.

There is something fun most weekends in town - this weekend is the storytelling festival, last weekend was the herring Fair.

Battle is a lovely town with a huge community spirit, but you do pay a premium - small 3 bed semi in south battle (ie not as nice) is the same price as the large 4 bed house we bought in St Leonards.

Bexhill is definitely worth a good look these days. Edgerton Park is lovely with a huge play area, the shops are mostly small independents and the schools outside Sidley are all pretty good. I know little about living there though.

And on one of your visiting weekends, book a table at Maggies. You will never taste better fish and chips in your life.

[PruneCat]

Hi, I know this is an old thread, but if anyone sees this, can you let me know why 2 of the posters above suggested avoiding the Warrior Square area? It seemed ok to me, walking around. We are thinking of getting a place in St. Leonards as well. Thanks!

[whattheactualfuckery]

Why avoid the station too?

[Boozeless]

Not good areas. Central St Leonards, by the station, is a no go area, as is Hastings station & Ore. The only station & area I would want to move near in that locality is West St Leonards. The unadopted roads near St Leonards c of e school, Cavendish Avenue, Essenden road etc. Plus Filsham road is also nice.