To move to Brighton and Hove

[Decisionsdecisionsss]

I've name changed for this as I'm giving away lots of info but I am a regular poster.

We made the decision to relocate to B&H from Bromley (South East London suburb) but we are now at the stage of offering on a property and I'm getting really cold feet.
I've been told the secondary schools are too risky due to the lottery. We would be moving away from an area where the schools are consistently good with the option of grammar school (probably wouldn't go to it but it's an option) so it's important that we don't sacrifice a good education for our three boys (currently under 6). We have seen a property we like in Patcham, which would mean our children going to patcham infants, juniors and secondary school but I've heard mixed things about it.

Has anyone made a move like this and was it worth it?! Does anyone live around there they can give some advice?
We wanted to move to be close to the sea and the downs, and we love the vibe and atmosphere particularly in hove and more relaxed lifestyle than London, but we can't afford a big enough house with a garden in the part of Hove we like, so would be looking at Patcham. We are also considering Shoreham.

Any views on these areas would be great. Im wondering if this dream of mine is a bit selfish and whether the kids would be better off staying put, but I've wanted to be near the sea forever, so I'm so torn, and Id also love the opportunity to get into water sports for ourselves and the kids, but would that even happen if we are further up from the sea!?
So. confused! Help!

I should add before I get lots of other seaside suggestions, that we are limited in terms of where we can go. Has to be within a shortish distance of parents in Surrey, need to be able to commute to London once a week, so places like Dorset, Cornwall and the Kent coast are out unfortunately.

The seaside towns on the south coast are horrible now including Brighton, I lived round there for years. Everywhere is packed with people, all the roads are jammed. people are rude, Brighton is full of homeless drug addicts as is Newhaven, Peacehaven and Hastings.
Eastbourne is full of violent eastern european criminals.
I moved to Somerset to get away from it all. It was lovely when I first went there 30 years ago but is now changed beyond recognition.
I'd rather Shoreham personally or Chichester.

I made the reverse move from the coast to the Surrey / Kent border

lots of positives about the area, relaxed and fun vibe, having the beach on your doorstep is lovely

but it’s SO busy down there now. Lots of new houses being built (big blocks of flats in shoreham for example) but little infrastructure to support. The roads are busy, hospitals / dr surgeries / schools busy etc. There isn’t enough to support the number of houses being built.

maybe you could move a bit further down the coast to Worthing but it’s not a move I’d personally make, I’d probably head for mid Sussex and know you can drive to the beach in 30 mins

@McOrange this is what I'm starting to hear. We nearly offered on a house in the Goldstone area of hove and someone told us they are building 900 houses near it but there are no definite plans for a new school.
It's all making me quite nervous. We have spent days and days and days looking round and viewing properties so I feel so emotionally invested in this move, but I don't want to make a big mistake which would impact our kids.
I've considered Haywards Heath but it doesn't have the same appeal as the sea, and I feel like I might as well just stay put if that's the case.

HAMPSHIRE! B&H are lovely to visit but sod living there. Loads of cheaper amazing places in Hampshire,- short commutes to London and Surrey too. What's your budget?

God worthing is a shit hole don't go there!

Worthing is dreadful these days, so much crime. I would look in Shoreham, closer to the sea, still accessible by train, has more of a village atmosphere. Snd the river on top for bike rides further afield all off road. Or boating.

*And the river .........

Hello!

I grew up in Brighton and have friends still there (in particular Patcham). It's a really nice area and has good family houses. The children can go and knock on each others' doors and play down on the green.

The friends in Patcham spend a LOT of time at the beach (my friend is really into open water swimming). If you are in Patcham it is easy to get onto the South Downs.

The schools in Patcham are good. I've heard of people not getting into Patcham infants because they live just a bit too far away. Like most schools, they won't suit absolutely everyone. Please go and have a look at them.

A PP has mentioned the homeless drug addicts in Brighton. Yes, there are a few (and there were when I was growing up - I am properly middle aged). Liberal towns with a mild climate will tend to attract people living a bit on the margins. If this will shock you then please don't move to Brighton. A town or city with a heavy counterculture has real advantages but also some challenges.

Good luck!

Just to add, Chichester is 15 mins from where I live in Hampshire. I have a large 4 bed semi with a big garden worth approx £490k. It's amazing down here! Come and join us. I'm 20 mins from Southsea beaches and 10 minutes from the country parks and downs. I'm also 10 minutes from Hayling beaches and 20 mins from the perfect West Witterings sandy beach which is like being in Spain at the moment it's gorgeous.

Shoreham. Brighton has always been and always will be a shithole

Valid experience: lived in the area for 20+ years

As a Worthing resident I shall try not to be offended!!! It's not a shithole by any means but I can see reasons why people wouldn't want to move here.

Have you looked at Chichester at all? It is a city but a lot less chaotic than Brighton. Not sure about schools but there are lots of nice areas in and around Chichester. Shoreham is also nice although less going on in and around.

It seems everywhere around here is undergoing a massive new housing boom so I don't think you'll avoid that.

There was a TV program not long ago about this area and the London councils housing the homeless in these communities - which would be fine if they backed that up with work/training/job opportunities.

I was being polite in saying it wasn’t a move I’d make but yes, I agree

i wouldn’t move to shoreham now, the flats there will just have too many people living in the town and the traffic is ridiculous

Probably ok if you have a healthy budget and could move to the beach or the few nice roads between Buckingham road / Southdown avenue but I’d avoid the new build areas and up by the old hospital like the plague

A couple of people have mentioned Brighton being very busy. Yes it is (and it always was). People who live there will often choose not to go into town on a sunny Saturday because so many people choose to go down there for the day.

If you live in Patcham you will want a car (and you will be able to drive around). Many people who live in the centre choose not to have a car (like my parents). Like many old town centres, it isn't really suitable for a lot of cars and much of it has been pedestrianised.

It's easy enough to drive from Patcham to the Hove part of the seafront (just west of Waitrose). It isn't realistic to expect to park next to the Lanes.

Lived in Brighton for years; now in Eastbourne and a bit disappointed to learn it’s overrun with criminal gangs, sadly haven’t encountered any yet but all to play for.

I’d choose Patcham over Shoreham or Worthing simply for future sea level rises and floods: check the flood maps for everywhere along the Sussex coast, even as far inland as Lewes. There will be a managed retreat in future and house prices will start to drop, then become worthless.

I currently live in Patcham (no kids) and would second this opinion.
Patcham is a great place for kids to grow up, still as a good community feel and whilst you're within easy reach of the city centre, you're far enough out to not be as affected by the more troublesome issues.
School wise I've heard the high school has improved a fair bit since I went there, but you are a little limited on catchment areas if you don't choose Patcham high, unless you can afford private.

just have to say Brighton is not a shit hole.
lived here for nearly 40 years and love it.

This is 2040 with medium luck, moderate cuts to current pollution pathways, sea level rise + annual floods. You can adjust it to be more or less worried but I would think very carefully about where to buy and opt for a “drive to the sea” rather than a “sea view” location.

I love Brighton (to visit) it's not a shithole. Worthing is a shithole I said. Sorry Wothing-ites.

Patcham would be a bit of a trek to the coast along shit roads!

I don’t think Brighton and Hove are that family friendly any more and yes, the secondary school issues would be a concern, I’d prefer a bit more certainty.

Shoreham is much closer to the sea, has an arty vibe, lovely area. Lancing is fine but not in the slightest bit arty and Worthing is nice! Don’t get the hate for Worthing to be honest!

Schools are good at primary level, variable at secondary but I think improving and my dses have excelled at one of the comprehensive schools.

Name changed because it's outing.

We moved to Brighton 10 years ago with 3 kids under ten. Admittedly the city is a little rough around the edges in places, but I have not regretted it for one minute. I guess it's a bit of a marmite place in that you either absolutely love it or detest it with every inch of your being! Housing is very expensive and I don't know too much about Patcham so can't comment on that specifically.

Cons:
Parking is expensive & driving discouraged so it's better to get a bus to the seafront, but you have to be a bit more organised than if you live within walking distance

No decent department store

There are homeless people - it's attractive because there is quite a lot of support for homeless people and it's rarely extremely cold.

Housing is expensive.

There are hordes of tourists if you go down near the pier.

It's popular with drunken stag/hen idiots

Pros:
It's bloody lovely being near the sea and the South Downs.
There are a number of good schools and an excellent sixth form college.
People are generally friendly
It's very inclusive
There are nice restaurants & independent shops in a relatively small space
It's easy to go out and get a bus or taxi home in 15 mins
There is enough beach / coastline to get away from the very busy tourist hotspots
There are lots of free and paid for activities for children and adults
There are strong communities / interest groups
The eastern seafront is being regenerated slowly

My criteria was that I wanted to be near the seafront, and we are. I think that makes a big difference. The downside to that is that it takes 15 mins to get through the traffic and onto the A23.

Think about your needs - do you need to regularly drive out of Brighton? Will you take a train? Think about schools - would you be willing to move again for secondary? If you are Catholic there's Cardinal Newman which my friends have been happy with. Do you want to walk to coffee shops etc?

I'd say to look at Rottingdean / woodingdean / ovingdean but Longhill (the secondary school) doesn't have the best reputation but you could always ask to visit & see for yourselves.

Shoreham is lovely but I don't go there that often - I do know families who have moved to Worthing for a bigger house but traffic is hideous in and out.

We rented for a year before deciding on the area so in a way I would recommend that - but of course it's complicated by schools.

I go to Haywards Heath / Burgess Hill and the villages Hurstpierpoint / Ditchling / Hassocks regularly and all these areas have a very different feel. If I had to choose I would go to one of the above mentioned villages as there are some very good schools but it's a v different vibe from Brighton!!

We're in Haywards Heath. You get more for your money than Brighton, and it's 20 mins on the train to Brighton, 45 to London. Not a terribly exciting place, but good schools, lovely countryside around, and very commutable.

@CruCru this is just what I was hoping to hear thank you! It does seem like a lovely area up there. We are not put off by the social problems and homelessness in Brighton. We wouldn't be living in Brighton centre anyway, and we are used to London. It would be nice to be near Brighton for the restaurants and shops and bars etc but I can't imagine we would be there that much.

Does anyone know what the schools are like in Chichester?
We would need a primary place, and state schools for secondary.
Budget is 850 for a 4 bed house with a good size garden.