To move to Folkestone - tell me all!

In the mid - late 2000s I lived in a block of flats in Folkestone that was nicknamed ‘The Crack House’ and the town centre was grim as …

But I left in 2009 so my experience could be very outdated

Omg I so agree with this I lived there mid - late 2000s

I live in Bexhill and often visit neighbouring St Leonards and Hastings. St Leonards has recently become an amazing buzzing area full of artists, musicians etc and definitely a vibe. Hastings also voted green like Brighton. Historically Hastings has been a very deprived town and still is in many areas, but it's really coming up. Bexhill is quieter but still becoming more arty etc. If I were you I would consider looking Round here. Xx

Where did you move to, OP? Being very nosy!

Hastings is a fantastic place to live but not if you have school aged children. The schools are really bad. Also the council is about to be put into special measures which will have an impact on services

This might be useful for more information on the town: https://rebeccamasonneon.com/thingstodoinfolkestone

@ folkestonegirl thank you that’s my feeling it ticks a lot of boxes outside of the beautiful one
I’ll keep looking to see if I can find something in my price range

Lived in Kent for nearly 25 years.
Some of it is absolutely gorgeous, but there are still some dodgy bits, like many counties.
I'm afraid that I wouldn't put Folkestone in the gorgeous bracket. Or even the lovely bracket.
It's ok for a day trip but I wouldn't live there.
Yes it's started some regeneration but it'll take time to re-establish itself.
There are plenty of other lovely places in Kent... Deal, Canterbury, but have a look at some of the villages and smaller towns more inland.

Kent has always been described as 'The Garden of England' but it's not because it's been beautifully gardened, it's because it's where crops grow. The landscape can be rather bland.

There is a lot of deprivation in Kent, much of it along the coast.

Personally, I'd move further along the coast towards Sussex or even , in it.

I'm from Folkestone @BeeeMac, it's perfect for children. You have beaches (pebbles and sandy) an old fashioned fun fair (Dymchurch) two wildlife parks, water sports, several forests and woods, the kent downs,, hythe canal for fishing rowing and kayaking , quaint shops in the old Hythe Street, Hythe and Canterbury, local food festivals along with the excellent seafood stalls in the harbour and a venitianfete every other year in Hythe, which is just down the road
Hopefully the air show will return soon too
You can go from the deepest country to the beach in half an hour
Schools are generally good, the east end schools pastoral care in very good I my experience the teachers genuinely care about their pupils
There are of course problems wherever you go but it depends on your perspective. I wouldn't live in the direct harbour area for instance
There are lots of social groups that arrange meet ups and walks which would help you get to know people
Loads of people move from London and love it

that is meant to read I currently live in London but am from N Ireland !

Dear Putthedammlidonit
I have read this thread a few times and wondered if you ever moved. Im also thinking of moving to folkestone for a myriad of reasons(im not afraid of edgy) I currently live in N London (not the nice bit)but am originally am from N Ireland countryside where towns are generally not great in general. Im looking for sense of community, countryside and quirky as im not the twee or jam and scone kinda gal! Im just wanting to hear if your deicision was to go to Folkestone and if in fact its going well
Any of the pro folkestone threaders want to reply that would be great Im not at the point of wondering why I made this decision....and needing some encouragement to get my s**t together. I have 2 kids and a3 third big huschild and I work ft in an east London tertiary hospital which I will aim to commute

Thanks BeeeMac

I too grew up in a village nearby, went to FSFG. Had a great time at school but could not wait to escape. We used to get the bus to Canterbury a lot for shopping and going out. The regeneration is great though. The old high street always did have the arty shops. I wouldn’t move there but that’s just because I am from there. If not I’d move to the west or sandgate.

I think the town centre is a bit rundown and shitty as others have stated but with your budget you can get something nice in one of the surrounding villages.

I love Kent. I am very jealous.

I grew up in Capel-Le-Ferne, absolutely beautiful little village on top of the cliffs, although that was 20 years ago so it may now be different. I have siblings in the Folkestone area who say it's terrible compared to 10 years ago, lots of crime, shops going out of business, all rundown and the only thing going for the area is the beach and views but apparently it's gradually improving. I'd move back if I had a chance.

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I've lived in Folkestone all my life and probably I'm not impartial about the place! I love it and wouldn't live anywhere else. You'd be happy here I'm sure but there is one thing_ lots of people move here from London and the services are struggling so finding a Dr, dentist or a place in a good school may not be as easy as you hoped.

Brighton area to Folkestone. I hope you like disappointment.

I live in a village near Folkestone. Been thru good bad and now good again
I grew up with the outdoor pool and the amusent arcades and the rotunda. My early adulthood it was definitely deprived and run down. I was by then living in Hythe and you’d not want to particularly associate yourself with Folkestone 😂
Was just nothing ness
However it’s back to being a bloody great place. My daughter dipped out but my grandkids will get all the lovely parks and activities.
We have so much culture and so many restaurants and cafes. Beautiful walks, hills and beaches, Sandy and pebbles.
It’s actually back to being nice. BUT I live in a house around your budget so I’m no longer in the east end where I spent my early adulthood.
That’s still a tad rundown

Definitely Whitstable, you'd get a lovely house for £700k. In most of these towns if you live in a nicer area of the town you can avoid the dodgy elements just like any town. I live in one of them. My DD goes to an Ofsted outstanding school, hopefully will go onto a grammar, does lots of extra curriculars etc, we have a quiet stretch of beach at the end of our road. It lovely.

Whitstable is not all that, OP. It really isn't. Someone has already mentioned the tiny cramped high street, hugely inflated house prices, nowhere to park if you live any where remotely near the town, (even out of season) and of late a big problem with street fighting and blokes using cars to race around the roads at night.

And it has only one secondary school so it's a bus or train ride to the closest alternatives. Very nice primary schools though. The Grammar in Faversham is the Queen Elizabeth.

What a coincidence , I’m in Beckenham too . I love TW , but my budget is quite limited to £180 and must have a private garden. Bit of struggle unless I move further out

Aww we got married near Hythe.. port Lypmne hotel!! Why don’t you move to tunbridge wells? Amazing schools there. We’re in Beckenham but planning to move to tunbridge next year

Hope not too late to write here. Went today to Folkestone, as I’m thinking to move down there and never visited before... The harbour very nice, people so friendly, High street indeed a bit down , but thinking I have all the shops I need ( food wise ) . I buy mostly on-line anyway.. Reading some negative comments about it, makes me wonder if I should reconsider another one place to live in Kent ?!🤔

We moved from London to Folkestone 6 years ago after reading an article about the regeneration and fell in love with the area. We originally bought our place for week-ends and decided 2 years ago to move permanently to save money and because we enjoyed the town so much. We live in the West End and our budget was half yours so I can tell you with 700K you can find some nice houses between Folkestone and Sandgate. Folkestone went downhill like many coastal town in the 70s-90s but the town has enormously changed the past 6-8 years thanks to huge investment. The top of the high street is grim and the East part of the town has loads of deprived issues, but again like many other towns. The food scene has exploded with plenty of nice independent restaurants. There are more private investment due to happen in the town which makes it even more exciting. We especially like the greenery of the town. From the Leas Promenade to the Warren and especially the Lower Leas Park, it s lush and you can go paddle boarding directly from your home as there is no main road on the seafront so the beach and the promenade are very quiet and unspoiled. People who choose to live here absolutely love it. Since we moved...4 friends (gays, straights etc) from London have joined us after visiting us the past few years and 2 more are now looking at houses especially after the Covid. One last thing: the high street can be depressing, but Canterbury is not far and we occasionally take the speed train (return off peak £24.00) to London in 54 mns if we want to do some shopping or to just hang out with friends.

www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/travel/a27583394/why-folkestone-is-kents-most-underestimated-seaside-town/

www.instagram.com/folkestoneisbeautiful/?hl=en

@BerthaBear - just to say I have found your posts extremely informative and interesting. You obviously know what you're talking about - thank you.
I'm glad the OP hasn't been totally put off moving here by people who visited once for a day trip when they were 7 and view Folkestone as a dump etc.