Living in Hastings...low down please

[movingmumma]

Hello, does anyone live in Hastings, or St Leornards that could give me the low down on what it's really like? DH watched location, location the other night and got all excited that we should move there... we've heard so many mixed things about it. Wonderful, love it, wouldn't live anywhere else to dreary, no employment, underskilled workers, full of addicts... what is it really like? We will of course come and have a look but it would be great to get some MNetters opinons please )

[movingmumma]

bump... anyone out there??

[aDad]

sorry can't help - dont know it!

But we saw that program too and it made it seem v attractive as £200,000 seemed to buy you a beautiful period 4/5 bedroom house with garden in a nice looking street in a quiet seaside town.

I can see the appeal!

[aDad]

the downsides must be on the employment front, and train links to London. I am guessing here though!

[movingmumma]

Hi ADad, tis quiet out there eh! Not many Mnet Hastings people... or perhaps should have posted this in other stuff.
Hmm, it did seem too good to be true right? we live in London and a 4/5 bed house is just out of the question.

I guess a lot of people must be thinking the same though so where is everybody? Or is Hastings so fantastic there's no time for browsing MNt? Answers on a postcard please (preferbably from Hastings. thanks anyway though.

[golds]

I used to live in tunbridge wells, and knew that Hastings was the least popular costal area, alot of people used to have to travel to Twells to work and the A21 could be a right pig at times, however I know that a lot of things were starting to improve with the area.

not much help I'm afraid

[movingmumma]

Thanks Golds... not exactly sounding like its somewhere good to live but it must have some really good things about it! Come on MNetters of Hastings, speak out! )

[movingmumma]

Any more info on Hastings?

[SpeccieSeccie]

Used to live in East Sussex, but I'm afraid we avoided Hastings - at the time it had one of the worst per capita murder and crime ratings in the UK. I'm certain things have improved (that was 14 years ago) but I remember preferring St Leonards. This is, of course, probably way out of date but I thought I'd pass it on.

[noddyholder]

It is much cheaper but definitely 'dodgier' than Brighton.Although 2 close friends of mine were viewing houses there last year and they were amazing tbh.The schools are on the up and lots of Brighton families are heading that way as Brighton is such a rip off.It seems to be on the up popularity wise so probably won't be cheap for long!

[movingmumma]

thanks Noddyholder and SpeccieSeccie. It's silly that I'm wondering if it's dodgy as I live in a bit of London that is well, pretty dodgy at times... actually it's lovely and leafy but has its downsides - we have drug problems in the area... some poor schools... etc etc. I still love it here, just can't afford London any more housing wise and as the family is expanding we need to find somewhere else. There's nothing like spending time in a place I guess... your comments appreciated though. No one from Hastings it appears will post about it though which is strange! They must be silent types those Hastings MNetters ;o

[SparklePrincess]

DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT MOVING TO HASTINGS!
I was born in Hastings (well st leonards) & finally escaped from there 18 months ago. Problem is the wall to wall chavs druggies, drunks, drop outs, criminals & general losers that make up around 80% of the population. (The rest of them are quite nice) Its not their fault, they dont know any different, but it doesnt make me want to bring my children up amongst them.
I came out of school in Hastings with nothing despite being quite bright. I found it impossible to learn in an environment where most of the class simply didnt want to know & spent the entire lesson disrupting things for others. Part of my problem was also no support at home. My mother had what I call "the Hastings mentality" where they dont see any point in bettering themselves or leaving the area because as far as they are concerned its all the same everywhere & theres no point in even trying. In the end I just switched off.
There is no way my children were going to be allowed to grow up in chav on sea & watch their school friends either, A, Get pregnant/get someone pregnant before their GCSE`s B, Become drug addicts & maybe die from a drugs overdose, C, Get into crime, D, Leave school at 16 (or earlier) & just claim the dole with no intention of ever working, or E, A combination of the above
The reason most people from Hastings dont post on MN is because half of them cant read or write.

[Lizzzombie]

The houses are cheap for a reason.
We have friends who left Brighton to the lure of big cheap houses in Hastings. Brought a lovely house, then 2 years later (now) have just moved back to Brighton as the area is just not very nice.
If you are looking for cheap(er) houses by the sea come to Eastbourne. Its great here!

[eandh]

My great uncle lives in st leonards - seems a nice place when we visit, however, also seems an 'older person' place or that may just be where great uncle lives. He loves it as has the beach nearby to walk dogs on, if I visit with the dd's some nice walks/play area but apart from that I dont know much about it sorry

[eandh]

However I live in Maidstone (Kent) half hour trains to london (40mins on fast train) lovely town/great schools and I'LL NEVER move from here, we have a 3 bed semi detached house decent size for 4 of us includes a playroom and it would sell for around £180k if that helps

[Maternaltouch]

Come to Derbyshire, its lovely here. We moved 18 months ago from Worthing because we couldn't afford 2 bedrooms and wanted to get away from the urban coastal strip, traffic and mentality.
It is really nice here and we got the 4 bed detached house we needed (4 kids) for under 200k.

[massivebigpantsface]

I lived in Hastings for 4 long, dreary years - its shit! Its true the property is reasonable but theres not much else going for the town if you want to live and work there. It does have a certain appeal for a visit - the old town is quite nice, old and quirky and has its roots in fishing and paganism
I too live in eastbourne and we are very happy here.

[massivebigpantsface]

sparkleprincess has about summed it up I think

[brimfull]

battle,near hastings is nicer

[SparklePrincess]

Eastbourne is quite nice, but still has its rough parts. I dont like Brighton. IMO it makes Hastings look good. Ive never seen so much graffiti. Battle is nice, but too close to Hastings. (Thinking ahead to where the children are likely to go socializing in their teens) Heathfield is lovely & well worth the extra 100k it cost us to move here.

[Sjveik]

Hastings/ St Leonards is a fantastic place to live. A great sense of community, a fantastic arts and live music scene, great restaurants, some wonderful historic buildings and a country park right on the doorstep. Sure it has its problems, but waht large town/ city hasn't? There are a lot of people with drug and alcohol problems, there are deprived areas, it needs some TLC and some well-directed investment. But none of that can detract from its many charms. And to be quite honest unless you're spending your days hanging out in some of the dodgier bars or bus shelters on the council estates, you're really not going to be face-to-face with Hastings' social problems that often. btw I've lived in Hastings/ St Leonards for the nearly twenty years now and love it more than ever.

[Booboodebat]

A close friend of mine moved to Hastings with her young family a couple of years back.

They've got an amazing house in a lovely area, and seem really happy.

It's crap for commuting (to London or Brighton), but I think it's a great place.

I know it's notorious for drug-taking, but as she moved there from Peckham I don't think she's too worried.

I think Hastings is lovely.

[FortiesCromarty]

It's fine, I like it better than here than London, and I grew up in Hastings. It's got some dreadful areas, and some beautiful property. Great countryside, great festivals like the bonfire, carnival and Jack in the Green, crap shops and crap train links. Loads of dossers and nutters and drunks. Rubbish schools unless you're catholic. I would go to Bexhill, Battle (good school), Rye, Eastbourne or one of the villages rather than Hastings or St Leonards, unless you can afford the old town.

[mopsera]

blimey timley or what. im in burwash a very pretty but insular conservative village 20 miles north of eastbourne.I have 2 possible swops to st leonards ;social housing exchanges & was considering one . they both have massive gardens, very tempting as im in a flat, but am concerned about the schools as they look pretty rough.lots of travellers ? in hollington area.My local nursery and school are outstanding rated and this puts me off massivley! i think im going to reconsider now !

[silverfrog]

I lived in Hollington for a while as a teenager - moved away (thank god!) 10 years ago.

I would not, in a million years, swap burwash for hastings. no way. never.

I understand the temptation of a large garden (especially coming from a flat) but honestly, it's not worth it. sparkleprincess was about right, imo.

[pollypoison]

Am orginally from up North but East Sussex really feels like home. I love it here and I live in one of the areas that people would consider a bit dodgy Hailsham...which is dead cheap! Check it out! Where I live in the town there is a low crime rate...the local schools have done my kids proud....so far. I know some people think it's awful here, but that is far from what I have found. A good sense of community too, and probably even cheaper than Hastings, though admittedly doesn't have ANY decent pubs or restaurants etc. Not sure Hastings does either though does it?