Move to Lewes area or Bath area?

[Daisyroseandhyacinth]

I am trying to decide between moving to one or the other. I know the Bath area to some extent. Thinking of Corsham or Frome possibly, or one of the villages with good transport links to Bath.

I don’t know Lewes but a family member has just moved there and we have family in Hove , Birmingham and London. Important things are being able to get to London within a couple of hours for family reasons, good public transport

Moving with adult son who doesn’t drive and will need to find work, probably in Universities and FE Colleges. Otherwise we aren’t constricted by other considerations. Good public transport, cultural activities, a good community and friendly people very important. We have a budget of up to around £750,000. Which doesn’t go far these days!

Things we want to avoid are heavy traffic, air pollution , noise and crime. Hopefully a house with character and a nice garden , detached preferably. I know that’s a big ask in Lewes area in particular.

I live in Keynsham between Bristol and Bath. It's 10 minutes on the train to either city and about 25 minutes by bus to the bus station. However Bath has s clean air zone and Bristol is about to get one, so check if it's going to cost you to drive in.

@Daisyroseandhyacinth
The bus takes the scenic route!
Approx 25 minutes drive

Ringmer is nice?

I love Clevedon in Somerset. www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/Clevedon.html

Interesting choices! We are planning to move to Corsham or Frome next year. DH grew up in Frome but I love the feel of Corsham (and train links from Chippenham).

Keep me posted!!

@Daisyroseandhyacinth there are buses, but they still have to travel on roads. There is a small section of bus lane on the way into Bath, but usually you get caught in the same congestion as the cars. I drove in on Friday (because I was stopping elsewhere too) and it was hellish.

Lewes is very picturesque but not built for vehicles and traffic can be a problem. You'd struggle to get detached in town with snh real garden. Loads of lovely villages and towns in the area between Brighton and Eastbourne to consider.

I’m near Chippenham but don’t have to rely on trains regularly. I do get the train into Bath rather than drive.

Corsham is lovely, as is Frome (my DP lives there).

Bradford on Avon is lovely, some of the villages around Bath are too.

You could get somewhere reasonable in Bath for that money, around Oldbury park?

Sorry Oldfield park!
Midford, Twerton, Bear Flat all have nice houses.

I think Lewes is being portrayed in a horrible way so here goes with some positives…

it’s a beautiful scenic area, the castle is lovely and some of the older parts of town are picturesque. Anne of Cleaves house is a really nice place to visit and they have an outdoor pool which in the summer Is a wonderful family place to enjoy.

The pubs are fantastic, full of charm and a nice pint of Harvey’s local Ale ( which is brewed) in Lewes is a popular choice!

lots of independent shops to browse in the high street as well as the usual chain shops.

They do a lot of community events one of the most popular in the country being bonfire night.
Although some people see it as an inconvenience it is a fantastic night which is supported by locals. The bonfire society’s put on a spectacular show and if you embrace the closures and travel restrictions, plan accordingly and just try to enjoy it, it’s a once a year spectacular firework display and bonfire.

transport links are great, buses and trains connect with Brighton regularly. This then opens up journeys to London and beyond.

Buses also connect to other seaside towns and villages and are fairly priced with weekly/ monthly tickets available.

I am completely aware that the comments above are also true. There are some odd characters in Lewes but there are also some wonderful community minded families who will always lend a hand and club together when needed.

They have recently refurbished the community centre and it’s a hive for events and local clubs for all ages.

The traffic is busy, but I believe most places are these days, you learn to adapt to the busier times and work out which ways are best to avoid etc.

They have recently completed some road works on a busy junction to ensure it flows better and it’s improved dramatically.

Parking can be busy and a lot of it is on the road/ permits needed but local knowledge on best places to park will grow if you move to the area. I soon picked it up.

Even though Lewes has a lot of good parts, it’s become increasingly expensive.
As others have said, the neighbouring towns are more fairly priced.
The closest village is Ringmer and it’s a very popular place to live. Very scenic, small set up of local shops but importantly the scenery and surroundings are outstanding.

Other local areas to consider would be Eastbourne, Hailsham, Ringmer, Uckfield, Heathfield.

You can probably tell I’m local to the area ( not in Lewes) so if I can be of any help feel free to send me a message.

No way would I move to Corsham or Frome and be reliant on public transport for work especially if that work is in FE - surely walking distance to Bath with two Universities and a college and a train to Bristol with more Uni's makes sense?

And with your budget you will not need to look at Twerton....

Thanks. That’s very helpful!

I live in a city at the moment and want to get out of the city. I would prefer to live in the countryside ideally, but adult son lives with us and he doesn’t drive. So we are trying to weigh up all the different needs we have and find somewhere that works for us all.

Both pleasant but I feel bath and bristol might offer more employment opportunities to your son? Bigger cities than Lewes. There are lots of villages / small towns around Bath. Not cheap though.

I grew up in Wiltshire and live now in Sussex. I think either choices are excellent! But the West is Best!

Oldifeld park in Bath is full of HMO's for (predominantly) university students.
I live in Bradford on Avon - yes traffic can be bad but if you aim to live on the Bath side you can easily avoid it.

Depending how big the city is that you currently live in, I never think of Bath as being a city - the centre is small and contained and each locality has its own 'name' and identity. The villages are gorgeous- Freshford, Bradford on Avon etc but not walkable

Yes this is my thinking really.

I agree Lewes is getting a bit of unfair stick here. I grew up locally (village outside Lewes), and went to school in Lewes.

I agree there are some mad people who think Lewes is for Lewensians. Often associated with the bonfire societies. They are nuts. 99% of people are perfectly normal families. My parents moved to the village from Yorkshire, and got a perfectly warm welcome. Lots of people have moved into DMs village over the years and I’ve never heard anyone bitching about it.

Traffic is fine outside of rush hour. The town itself is very walkable - parking is awful but we usually park behind Tesco and walk in. Easy to ride your bike around, though it’s pretty hilly. Lots of buses and good train connections to London, Brighton and Eastbourne. Waitrose, Tesco and Aldi close to the centre. Loads of great places to eat. Countryside is lovely.

I was going to suggest Keynsham too. Not pretty like Bath, but great transport links, including a train to Bath and Bristol.

£750k will get you a decent house in Bath, though! Weston, Larkhall, Camden areas are quiet and close to town. Traffic is bad, though lots of that is due to ongoing road works on a main bridge and a central road, plus it was University open days this weekend just gone.

There's lots to do all the time, it looks stunning and I love living in Bath.

Twerton/ Whiteway areas have some cheaper housing, but I would recommend spending time around any potential homes because there are some rowdy households, problems with anti-social behaviour and crime/ drugs in some places.

Having said that, I’m not sure I’d move to a village outside of Lewes if I couldn’t drive. Can your DS learn? It’s much easier somewhere like Sussex.

You can get buses, but if he is going to work in a university, that basically means Brighton, and the bus (or bus and train) over there will make it about an hour’s commute, possibly longer in rush hour.

I went to sixth form in Brighton (BHASVIC), and before I passed my test I was cycling into Lewes, then getting the train, then walking at the other end. I used to allow 90 mins door to door, which was pretty painful when classes started at 8am.

I actually think Bath might be pretty hard for a non-driver too - I used to work in Gloucester, which isn’t a million miles away, and I definitely needed my car there, even though I lived in the town centre.

I live in brighton, lewes is pretty hit a bit odd and insular. I think Frome is terrific- very pretty and with a great independent scene.

I was considering Frome for some time but no one seems to have anything good to say about it on MN!

I have friends who moved to Frome a few years ago. They love it. We've visited a few times & seems very nice, lovely town centre, lots of community events etc. But agree that having a car/being able to drive will make things much easier for your son.