Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Worthing, West Sussex

17 replies

Mumtum123 · 01/10/2023 20:29

We are looking at moving from Surrey to worthing. Kids are both in primary school and I’m apprehensive about moving but ultimately we spend so much of our free time in worthing and we both have parents who live nearby which would be good to have local support.
whats it like to live there?

OP posts:
imho99 · 01/10/2023 20:51

I’ve been here 5 years, have a mixed opinion really. We bought a great house on the edge of the downs / near the sea with great neighbours. Primary and high school have been positive experience and lots to do for DS15. The high street is pretty grim, full of drunks and junkies but not unsafe - and not many decent shops. People are generally nice. I tend to go to Brighton for shopping. We also moved from Surrey and I don’t miss it at all.

Original poster
Mumtum123 · 01/10/2023 21:17

Thank you. That’s really helpful. The drunks and junkies part worries me as every time we visit we see more of them.

OP posts:
Doggymummar · 01/10/2023 21:19

There was a post about six months ago about Worthing if you search you might find it. I think it's a dreadful place personally, but better than Brighton tho

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General education
Mayhemmumma · 01/10/2023 21:37

I like Worthing, it's been a lovely place to bring a up young children - beach and parks, cinemas, it's walkable and good cafes and restaurants.
Nursery and Infant school - Springfield is really lovely.
Junior schools variable. High school some really good some not so good.

There are street drinkers like all seaside towns and I guess now my children are older I'm more aware of risks to them. But I've not felt unsafe myself.

You could buy more for your money and lots of families moved from Brighton - Not sure about prices now, I've moved further afield but Worthing is still my closest town. Brighton is close enough for better shopping.

TheThingIsYeah · 01/10/2023 21:37

The high street is pretty grim, full of drunks and junkies but not unsafe - and not many decent shops.

That sums up most seaside towns, sadly.

LiftyLift · 01/10/2023 21:42

We visit every few months as we enjoy the beach there. Last time we went, there were kids swearing at each other and other kids in the park while their drunk parents looked on. I don’t think it is short of its socio economic problems there.

debbrianna · 01/10/2023 21:58

Stick to West Worthing if you can. I didn't realise the town had become so bad. Maybe this happened after the Debenhams closed. I would advise Chichester and Brighton for shopping.

Doyouthinktheyknow · 01/10/2023 22:03

I live a little along the coast from Worthing. The area is not bad, schools are a bit mixed, West Sussex schools in general not amazing at secondary level but my dses did well at their local comp and both are now at top universities.

I work in Worthing and we do tend to visit there more than Brighton where we lived many years ago now. I like it and living by the sea is just the best thing ever. Brighton is just not for me now, I’m too old and it’s far too busy.

Pinkflamingopants · 01/10/2023 22:13

I love Worthing. Lovely community, great housing stock, lots of families and A LOT of schools. West Worthing is the nicer part, but east is also nice if you’re near the beach.

PinkRoses1245 · 01/10/2023 22:16

I think Worthing is lovely, we live nearby and visit often. All seaside towns have some drunks etc. don’t know about schools. Nowhere is good for shopping nowadays, don’t base it on that criteria.

roseopose · 01/10/2023 22:20

I mainly hated the 4 years I spent living there, the traffic was horrendous and if one main route out of the town was closed due to an accident or there were roadworks, it was gridlock everywhere for hours.
Agree with PP re the street drinkers, youth crime/ASB is rife in my experience, and there seems to be ever increasing serious violent crime such as stabbings. I was once in the town centre for work at 11am on a weekday morning and witnessed a phone shop being robbed by 2 men. If we had stayed there I wouldn't have felt comfortable letting DD go to the park on her own at primary age, or into town as a teen.
The positives were the seafront walk along the prom and the pier is nice, also there are some good restaurants/cafes in town. Houses are cheaper than Brighton.
That said, I have friends who still live there and enjoy it, as do lots of young families. I think it depends a lot on which area of the town you live in, we were in the shit bit of Goring.

TheBeesKnee · 01/10/2023 22:24

Is the family support guaranteed or wishful thinking? Sorry to ask but I feel like I see threads quite regularly about grandparents backing out of childcare arrangements.

Sorrytomoan · 01/10/2023 22:26

Feel nostalgic I grew up in Worthing but haven't been back for years as family all moved away too. Really miss living by the sea.

seasidedweller88 · 15/08/2025 15:52

I can comment well having lived all over London and Brighton too. Can confirm Worthing is a great place if you want:
-A lovely quiet beach
-Beautiful countryside and walking nearby
-Friendly safe community, quite diverse and queer friendly
-Very good cafes restaurants pubs and bars (both traditional and also natural wines bars and small plates etc, craft breweries for a bit of pizazz)
-Good schools
-Leafy parks
-Decent town centre with walkable shops
-Three train stations(!) and an easy enough commute straight to Victoria/East Croydon/Clapham, and Brighton of course
-Decent parking (especially compared to Brighton)
-And affordable homes! I bought my three bedroom house in a good area for only 30k more than my one bedroom flat in Brighton-For us it's been a no brainer and we love it, we're in our 30s and lots of our friends are following suit.
-Best areas: Check it out in person. Personally we're near the station on a leafy nice street, Tarring (West) is also desirable. But the best way to ascertain is to go and walk around.

turtletum · 15/08/2025 16:04

I live just along the coast in a smaller town/big village. I like Worthing, Itake my DCs there a fair bit for swimming, parks, cinema, theatre type stuff. It's not perfect and it's not leafy, middle class Surrey. It definitely has a tired, working class feel. There are some drunks, but not overwhelmingly so for a seaside town.

That being said, I think it's actually got better over the last 10 years, more young families are moving in, there's a better and improving food/cafe scene. There is enough for kids and teens to do, and transport is good to Brighton and London.
It's a walkable, generally welcoming place. Some good schools. Definitely check out the different areas before choosing where to live though, as a PP said. Some parts are great, others less so. I'd happily live there but I have a realistic feel of the place.

Original poster
Mumtum123 · 15/08/2025 21:14

This is an old thread. We have moved to worthing and LOVE it! X

OP posts:
Sbink · 27/01/2026 13:57

Where in Worthing did you move to?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page