Can you tell me pros/cons of living in Portsmouth, Southampton or Chichester?

[Tellmewhyyou]

We are a family of 4 with 2 kids primary ages and are thinking of relocating to the south coast due to husbands work.

We'd like a city vibe and want to be centrally based on south coast with access to east and west south coast for visiting family in both directions.

Give me your thoughts and experiences :D

Portsmouth is a dump and the schools are crap.
Southampton - less of a dump in parts, schools still not great.
Chichester - lovely city, arty vibe, don’t know about the schools.

Chichester is pompous and up its own backside. Nothing going on, I was very happy to leave after 40yrs.

Chichester every single time. Hayling maybe. New Forest. Christchurch. Winchester.

Nah, on reflection, Chichester.

We are between the two in fareham/whiteley/Titchfield area. Not far from the sea ( 10 mins in car ), very good primary schools 🙂

Portsmouth - parts are crap but southsea/old Portsmouth are nice and there’s some regeneration going on (the hot walls are now small shops/galleries/cafes. It only takes 10min to drive in from just outside so consider Drayton/Farlington/Bedhampton/Langstone as they have easier access to the A/M27. Schools are ok but if you can afford it go private.

Southampton is a mixed bag, again the nicer parts are on the outskirts and again schools are mixed. The shopping is better than Portsmouth but the waterfront isn’t as nice. The people I know that work in southampton tend to live in the new forest, chandlers ford (excellent schools) or Winchester.

chichester is not as busy as Portsmouth and southampton and I’d argue has a nicer feel, but it depends what you’re after. Schools are slightly better from what I’ve heard and it’s an easy drive to Bognor or the witterings for the beach.

Not Portsmouth. Southampton has some nice spots that are popular in the city like Upper Shirley or Bitterne triangle that have good schools. Southampton is vary variable even street to street so do your research!
whiteley/fareham are popular with families as is hedge end/fair oak. Good schools and lots to do, particularly outdoor activities. Not a city vibe but close enough to Portsmouth and Southampton.
I only know about student life in Chichester!

What do you mean by (or look for from) a 'city vibe'?

Chichester is lovely (lots of history, old Roman walls, beautiful cathedral, fantastic theatre) but could be described as small and possibly a little sleepy. I personally like it and would choose to live there out of the three options.

Portsmouth and Southampton are larger and 'greyer'. More urban. I'm more familiar with Portsmouth out of the two and I know people who live there who are keen not to, because they'd describe it as a dump. I can't really find much positive to say if I'm honest... but I clearly have a strong bias towards towns like Chichester (which are completely different to Portsmouth/Southampton /etc).

@Coffeeandcrocs we must live in the same town

Oh I should also add there is a lot of historic rivalry between Portsmouth and Southampton so don’t be surprised if that colours some people’s opinions 😂

Portsmouth is a dive. High street has gone down hill too.

Southampton is rough as old boots. Good shops but wouldn't want to optionally live there again.

Traffic from Hedge End/Whiteley can be a nightmare, so I wouldn't choose either for that reason. Southampton is a dump, and I say that as someone born and brought up there. Too much in-fighting on the council and no cohesive long-term planning or strategy for the city. Some good primary schools if you pick your area but secondary schools not so much. You'll find much better schools in Chandlers Ford, if that's a priority, but you won't find the city vibe you're looking for, and house prices are much higher.

I agree actually. Not everyone that lives there are snobby of course but a lot are!

I live in Southampton. It's a shithole! Unless you are going to live in Bassett or Chilworth. But tbh there isn't really anything going for Southampton at the moment. We aren't really near any of the nice bits of the sea. Although it is interesting walking along the River Itchen and watching all the boats. But everything is so run down. The city centre parks which were once really lovely to walk through are now unkempt and full of druggies and have a pretty menacing atmosphere to them. Also traffic is horrendous, it takes so long to travel very short distances across the city. Education wise, none of the secondary schools are particularly great in terms of ofsted and exam results. The 2 that are , are oversubscribed to the point that even living in the catchment area doesn't gaurentee you a place.

However saying all this I have lived here all my life and have no plans to go anywhere else as I like being near all my extended family, so I guess it can't be too bad.

I don’t think Chichester is pompous, I never understand why people say that. It is definitely sleepier than Portsmouth and Southampton with fewer shops in town. There are some good primary schools and that should definitely be taken into consideration when choosing which area. Secondary schools… my dd travels twenty mins by bus to a secondary school in another town. I also have no worries about dd(12) travelling into town to meet friends etc.

Southampton is a shithole - avoid. Portsmouth has some lovely areas, lots to do with the kids and loads of beautiful seafront. The schools are also very good. Chichester is more 'upmarket' but pretty boring.

Have a look at Hamble - between Portsmouth and Southampton.

Portsmouth is alright,
Pros-
Good public transport- trains buses coaches ferries and the hovercraft are all regular and there are always taxis and uber. There are decent links to other close cities- the isle of wight and London
Very walkable- as its a small city you can get everywhere on foot
Diverse population
Good if you like history and or boats
The beach is good for things like paddleboarding.
Decently maintained- parks and play equiptment is good and in most areas its pretty clean.
Lots of things do go on, there are regular farmers markets and "love southsea" markets, Victorious festival, other things like the international kite festival and horse shows, the venues are small but pretty good and often included in tours.
Lots of things for kids, soft plays, cinemas, bowling, flip out, etc
Some very good schools
Safer than a lot of big cities
Traffic is generally okay- especially compared to bigger cities
Lots of really good restaurants and bars
Fairly easy to find a job in the city or to commute out.

Cons
Very over crowded
Houses are overpriced and a fun mix of really good and awful
Parking is difficult
Poverty and deprivation are pretty high
Its very small so not a lot of green areas- but access to them outside the city is really good.
Football traffic is mad
It is a bit grotty in places
Some really shit schools- and they are all oversubscribed
Town center is a bit grotty - not dying and empty like some places but still.
It is definitely not pretty- there are lovely very old historical buildings squished between big concrete 60s towerblocks and massive modern highrises.
Like most cities- it smells like weed

@Coffeeandcrocs hi from a fellow fareham-er!

Portsmouth is a dump, Southampton also mostly a dump but not as bad. Winchester would be lovely but expensive.

Fareham/whiteley is nicer or slightly further towards the Meon Valley (wickham/droxford/swanmore) is beautiful, with great schools

Southampton - happy home to me and feels like city life, with easy access to coast and country. Some parts, like many cities, I would not like to live in. Other parts (upper Shirley, basset, Highfield, banister, parts of Bitterne and portswood) are great family places. Schools are good and there are family groups. The city centre is easy to access by foot, bike or bus. There is a good choice of shops, restaurants, theatres, cinema, leisure. Its less than a hour by car to the new forest and some beautiful beaches.
Portsmouth - work here occasionally. I would probably only consider living at the Southsea end. Retail centre is a bit run down, although Gunwhalf development is nice. Big downside is that it's actually an island with only 2 main roads on and off - so traffic is major consideration.
Chichester - lived here about 20 yrs ago and still visit for work. I would describe it more as a county town than a city. Its a nice centre, surrounded by sprawling new build estates. So much development that resources are a bit overstretched.

There is also a lot of new development all along the coast between S'ton and Chi - so there is plenty of variety, from city like to estates. I would recommend you explore as we all have different tastes! (So I don't agree with those who say Ston is a dump for example).

Trains are much more reliable towards London than along the coast. And most people find that commute time traffic is heavy all along the coastal corridor and m27.

I do grimace at people from Fareham calling Portsmouth a dump. Same as ALL large conurbations. You have good bits and bad bits. Nowhere is perfect, sorry.

And they say the best bit about Fareham is the road out again.

@DoneByWeds

Being pedantic, there are three roads out of Portsmouth. M275, Hilsea and Eastern road. I agree it does get bottled up if one is closed off, though.

Train gets you into Waterloo in 90 mins. 10 mins gets you into the countryside, or to the beach.

I like Portsmouth, but only the Southsea bit. Cute houses down there. I don't know Chichester or Southampton.

If I had money (£££) I'd move to the New Forest or down as far as Poole or Christchurch.

No way! What a small world

Ah hello to you too! Wonder if we've ever crossed paths!

What is your budget? I live in Eastleigh, but if I was looking now I'd be thinking maybe Totton, Sarisbury Green, Netley, West End, Bassett Green. You do have to be picky though and you definitely need to research thoroughly.

Southsea is lovely, no idea about schools. Parking used to be a nightmare and I can't imagine that has improved!