Moving to Clacton from London- am I mad?

[Elouera]

OH & I need a change. We've lived in a vibrant part of Central/East London 15+yrs, but would love a garden and to live near the sea. We are looking at Holland-on-sea (very near Clacton). Its near his parents and although we have spent time with them, we have never lived or worked in the area. We don't have kids, so schools aren't an issue, but in our early 40's and I realise its a rather aged population. Living near the sea is lovely, but I do wonder if maybe Chelmsford or Colchester might be a better choice? OH works from home and I'd hope to find something local, and not be commuting back to London. Any honest thoughts or experience appreciated.

I find Frinton and Clacton really claustrophobic mindset, in different ways. Clacton Is grim and druggy, frinton is narrow minded and restricted in outlook.
If His parents are north Essex, you could look at Suffolk, it’s much much nicer.

Harwich for the continent
Frinton for the incontinent

Tollesbury is very well thought of by people I know who live there/have gone back there, as are parts around Mersea Island.

Lived in Manningtree...beautiful, but was extremely glad to move somewhere larger. Plus, a large proportion of its population leaves silence as it commutes out and back every day. Clacton usually given a wide berth. A long time ago I worked in a college which had a Clacton campus as well as another (with transport laid on between them) and couldn't fill Clacton class places even when the other campus was running wild waiting lists for the same courses.

The demographic in Holland on Sea is similar to Clacton. Might be nice to pick an area with more of a mixture of people.

maps.cdrc.ac.uk/#/geodemographics/iuc18/default/BTTTFPT/12.636450180076576/1.1666/51.8055/

Hop over the border into Suffolk! If not then definitely go for Colchester or even Ipswich over Clacton.

I was going to add Cracktown, I work with teenagers and even they don't like it!

PIL lived in Clacton for 4 years before FIL passed, don't do it. MIL moved back to London within 9 months because she no longer felt safe in Clacton on her own. It's not too bad in the summer holidays with a lot of families around but the rest of year...

I have friends in Leigh on Sea, mid 40s with 2 daughters, it seems a lot nicer and they're very happy there so that could be a better option.

Have you ever lived in Clacton?
There are lots of nice areas in and around Clacton
Holland on Sea is now a pretty expensive area, especially if you want a house on the seafront. A girl I follow on IG recently sold her house in Holland On Sea for over £600k

Did you end up going to Holland or Frinton? Both nice areas I have to add. I see you were from London which like a lot of places have some very undesirable areas where there is a lot of drug use and stabbings.
Jaywick is out the way and a small pocket so doesn't cause an issue. You don't have to drive through it to get anywhere either.
Frinton is considered very upmarket but obviously property there is expensive.

Oh I posted and lost it! Gist was Leigh on sea will be more familiar if you’re coming from London, lots of youngish creative types. Nice community there.

Or Maldon if you don’t have to be by the sea (it’s on the estuary). Nice cafes and shops, a bit more buzzy. A lot of the Essex coast isn’t very pretty and is quite deprived. Patches of niceness, of course, but I suspect you’ll find it very sleepy (read: dull) coming from the capital.

Oh no, zombie thread! Did you move in the end @Elouera?

@Mandyjack and @AtLeastThreeDrinks - No, we didn't move to Clacton! We visited during the daytime and that was scary enough with some very deprived looking areas.

We bought in a lovely village 25mins away. Quiet cul-de-sac, friendly neighbours, open fields at the end of the road and peaceful! Hedgehogs in the garden, a resident owl in a neighbouring tree and plenty of space for my veggie garden. I don't regret the move at all. I also landed a good job WFH, so no commuting at all.

How about Frinton? Much nicer.

Oh that sounds lovely, congrats on your new home!

That's sounds perfect.
Would love to know where but understand people like anonymity on here.

I lived in Clacton for 18 years and I can honestly say I have never known a more horrible place to live. Around 60% of people there are truly nasty, prejudiced bigots and around 30% could do with learning a few social skills and basic manners. I would NEVER move back I don’t even like visiting. There was a pub with a sign outside saying ‘friends and regulars only’. Not normal behaviour and definitely not welcoming to visitors. I also lived in Harwich for 13 years, definitely a much nicer place to live though very small. Moving back to London was one of the best things I ever did.