Moving to Lewes

[Cherries590]

Our house is sold and we’re on the move, but alas we don’t know where to go! My husband is very pro-Brighton and I am ‘nearly’ until I go there. It’s, ahem, vibrant. I’m wondering about Lewes and am hoping there’s some people out there who’ll be able to give me a heads-up? Ive also thought about Worthing, Chichester, Newquay, Exeter… I’ll be homeless in 8 weeks, I need to make a decision! Thanks all :)

@Cherries590 I like it and the area surrounding it. Just be aware there's a lot of potential development and also a lot of opposition to that too. It's near Cranbrook.

TBH, if you can afford Lewes or Brighton I would go for it. Re: Worthing and Eastbourne, people priced out of Brighton have gotta live somewhere... Eastbourne doesn't have as much arts & culture as Brighton/Lewes - I really like it, but it's rough round the edges, more of a working class town

As @oneranksenior says, there is a divide between locals and DFLs in Lewes, but nothing I'd be concerned about really.

Rich hippies living off their trust funds, yes lots here. They are outside the Flint Owl bakery. Lots of what can best be described as faux socialists with turn ups, Breton tops and carrying the Guardian mooching about too. But then there are also lots of lovely nice down to earth ordinary people in Lewes who have lived here all their lives.

There is a lot to do, there are always classes, talks, exhibitions, live music and the Depot cinema is great. The Bonfire societies run fetes throughout summer to fund raise. Bonfire is fun and its a great way to meet people and make friends.

Lewes lacks useful ordinary shops, and after the initial excitement of small independent shops selling knitted vegetables, yak hair brooms and organic jeans I rarely go shopping here. The antique shops are brilliant, and I like the Cliff, but the mid section of the high street is mainly expensive niche shops selling stuff you rarely purchase.

@Greenspleen thanks for this, I’d like to be a bit nearer the sea.
@MrsLCSofLichfield Ha! My budget is OKish, 850ish, but that’s not a lot in Brighton.
@MiniTheMinx where I live now is heading that way a bit. When I first came here all the practical stuff was here, all gone now. I do like the thought of all the culture caper, I love all that.

@MiniTheMinx do you remember original Bills ? I loved it 25 years ago

What about Uckfield ? It's not so chichi as Lewes (which is tedious after the novelty wears off), better house prices, on the A22, Waitrose and Indy cinema

Funnily enough I thought of Hawkhurst - but the property prices make you cry lol.

Rottingdean, ovingdean and Saltdean are all nice villages/ burbs on the edge of Brighton but smack on their own beaches with nice shops and communities and the downs behind but very near brighton and Lewes.

Lewes is nice but quite pricy. It's got a reputation as being a bit 'posh' so think lots of nice antique shops etc.

Brighton honestly is just full of crime these days. I'd avoid as a place to live but it does have a lot going on so it being in easy reach could be helpful.

Seaford has a nice beach but it's pretty 'small town' minded.

Shoreham-by-sea may work for you. It has a pretty good town centre of it's own, and you can get to Brighton really easily for day trips and culture.

You’ll get a lovely house in Seaford for £850
Lewes - Rich Hippies yes but also a really nice place to live with plenty going on.
Seaford - not a small village £28000 residents but definitely trying to be a bit more progressive anc the seafront is lovely.
Newhaven - god no…
Hove - lovely
Worthing - I actually quite like it! Some parts are retirement central but it’s also quite up and coming in areas.
Brighton is fab for a visit and if you need everything on your doorstep but it is relentlessly busy

I’ve lived in seaford, lewes and hove so speak from experience.

Do you have kids? Worthing is a nightmare for secondary schools. Seaford has great Primary but shit secondary. Lewes is pretty solid school wise and local private too.

Uckfield is good, as is Sevenoaks love it, posh and lots of lovely haunts, I know I live just down the road in Tonbridge not so posh.
Tunbridge wells is ok, tho I’d go for Sevenoaks any day

Lewes is beautiful :)
I find Brighton quite chaotic to actually live in. Further afield, shore ham is nice and dare I say it, Eastbourne (God's waiting room).

[quote DaphneDeloresMoorhead]@MiniTheMinx do you remember original Bills ? I loved it 25 years ago[/quote]
Its far removed from its original concept now isn't it. The last time I went in I ordered a salad and got a beef tomato sliced, drizzled in oil with two slices of mozzarella. It was about £6. I don't know anyone who goes there now, and never recognise the faces outside at the tables so I assume its appeal is mainly to people from outside of Lewes.

The Swan serves lovely food. Its pricey but at least you don't leave there hungry. Its DFL central but its a beautiful old pub. Fuego is great too.

I'm from West Sussex originally and love Petworth but its no where near the sea. I could recommend lots of villages in Mid Sussex that are not far inland and I think offer a great quality of life. Cuckfield in particular is very friendly, as is Lindfield and Hassocks/Hurstpierpoint. I wouldn't live in Brighton but its great to be near by and all of these villages have great transport links.

Lewes had The Depot Cinema (not sure if it’s still there), and has a Waitrose, large Tesco & Aldi. Also a Waitrose in old town. Eastbourne, meads area is lovely. Newhaven - don’t bother, how about East Dean, in between Seaford & Brighton, lovely village, gardens may be sloping though. Bexhill is a also is a nice, De la Warr, arts, lovely seafront. Not keen on Hastings. We have relocated now but I know these areas well. Good luck in your search.

There are lovely parts of Brighton - Hove, Patcham, Westdene also Shoreham, you can be on the downs in no time or a bus ride from the city centre and beach. I wouldn't want to live in the centre but there is loads going on.
Lewes is very white middle class IMO. Older Brightonian hippies live there but they are rich ones.

Lewes is great, lots of pubs, lots of charity shops

people will be envious of you living in lewes on november 5th
you are close to brighton by train

Ised used to live round there, for 20 years. Brighton is a horrific dump, full of crime and drugs and the snottiest most entitled people on the entire planet.
No way would I risk any child of mine being brought up there. I have so many friends whose children get all of their drugs from Brighton and go off the rails. It's homeless tent city too, everywhere broken people on the streets, so depressing.
Lewes is much much nicer. Mind you don't buy anything close to the prison (I used to work there). Drones in and out of there all day.

Don't even think of Uckfield, Haywards Heath or even worse Burgess Hill - dumps. Lewes has a much better vibe.

I find it funny how much MN always hates Brighton. It's one of the most expensive places to live outside of London. There must be something good about it.
Personally I think it's probably about the people, MN people are generally pretty judgey, Brighton people don't seem to be. Or perhaps it's the trans thing, Brighton doesn't care. Or Caroline Lucas?
I like it there anyway and have the best memories of the absolute best parties there.

Thanks again, all. Lots to think about. Drone comment made me laugh, I can well imagine. Didn’t even know there was a prison there!

Have you been to Worthing? That’s where I’d move to, I’m half an hour from there at the moment and visit a lot.

If I moved back to East Sussex I would like to live in or near Lewes. It's got a great historical feel, nice shops and the pubs used to be good (disclaimer pub info 25 years out of date)...

This thread is really making me laugh, 'rich hippies pretending they're not rich' is absolutely bang on for Lewes.

I live in Forest Row, work in Lewes, am within spitting distance of a Seasons wherever I am. I'm not a rich hippie nor could I yoga my way out of a paper bag, but both seem to be quite key requirements for picking up your house keys in both locations...

They are lovely though. As long as you can take the local batshittery with a pinch of salt!

Lewes is lovely. Brighton is over rated I think.