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 live 10 minutes from brighton and have so since i was 5, i have my own children too who love it here.

Im shocked at some comments about it being a shithole and drugs etc, yes there are homeless right in the city but you get that most places like that. We live walking distance from the sea, the kids have great schools, i love it you can hop on a bus and be in the center busy shopping or go another way and be secluded.

I must admit i wouldn't want to live right in the central of brighton as its busy and expensive but just outside i think is lovely

@Muddlebubble can I ask where your kids go to school? Or I can PM you if you'd rather not say.

We were swimming in that this morning with the dog! Blooming lovely wasn't it!! Not an addict in sight either (although I did walk past some awful uncollected communal bins🙄)

Witterings, cheaper? I don't think so.

I'm in danger of sounding like a Hove campaign but you could consider somewhere like this
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/124577996#/?channel=RES_BUY as you could add a loft conversion to get to 4 bedrooms. Could do that and the modernising for the £200k leftover after purchase. Location location location....

Anyway I'll stop now. Do PM if you want, or if when you make it to Brighton&Hove.

I can assure you Brighton is NOT a shithole 😆
In fact it's one of the best places I have ever lived and would chose to live here any day.
Yes, of course there is crime and homelessness but the positives outweigh this by far.
My kids go to a local secondary which is outstanding IMO. You'll be fine in Patcham, depending on your kid's age RE primary you might want to look at the 'golden triangle' (if that's till a thing) which is closer to Fiveways.
Moved to Brighton from London 12 years ago and never regretted the decision.

@Zarzuela thanks for the link, and feel free to send links, it's all very much appreciated! I think we need a slightly bigger garden than that for the kids, but we would be up for extending so its a good point about looking at cheaper places and going into the loft. We might need to do that to secure a house I think.

@Decisionsdecisionsss check out Southsea.

That Hove house could be made into your dream home OP! I had to move away from Hove after divorce but would move back like a shot if I could afford it.

To those Brighton and Hove dwellers, do you think the seaside and other things on offer in the area make up for a lack of garden for the kids?
At the moment we don't even have a garden as we live in a flat so I'll be happy with any outside space at all, but I did always imagine an ideal family house having a big garden for trampolines and football etc, and worry that as they get older, it will feel claustrophobic otherwise.
Do you find that kids don't expect it as most of their friends won't have them either?

What about Saltdean/Telscombe Cliffs/Peacehaven?

I live around the Fiveways area of Brighton and have a v small garden. However, several times a week this summer we have popped to the seaside so it hasn't really been an issue and tbh my kids have never known any difference- we were in a flat before too. I would like a bigger garden though- however, if I lived in Poets Corner and was in just walking distance to the sea I think I'd mind even less! Life in Brighton can be wonderfully outdoorsy. I know people who live in Poets Corner and also near the sea in Portslade and they are rarely off the beach it seems! Even in winter. Down that way Hove lagoon is a great place too...with watersports, a park, a public paddling pool and Fat Boy Slim's Big Beach Cafe.

And yes, in terms of kids' expectations- it's likely that friends they make will live in a similar area and many people in Brighton and Hove have small gardens. You usually have to either pay the big big bucks or live in the suburbs to get a big garden here- although I guess that's probably the case in many cities if you want to be in walking distance to 'stuff'. But yes, it's v normal in Brighton/central Hove to have a small garden and no driveway- even in expensive houses eg the famed period Victorian terraces of Fiveways/Preston Park/Hove.

This is sold
But as an idea of you come into Hampshire www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123838997

Oh I love Catherington, just up the road from me. OP seems totally set on Brighton though.

Yeah most people have small gardens but there are so many parks it’s not really a bother. Ours is big enough for a garden office and job done.

to the pp who said there were always needles on the beach ‘bollocks’! I go at least once a week and always do a mini litter pick and have seen one needle in ten years.

I've never heard of Catherington, that house is lovely and its huge! Definitely makes me think.

I'm not totally set on Brighton, we are struggling to find a house we want that ticks all the boxes. If a place has good schools and I can get into London from there, and it's a lovely place to live it's not off the cards. Hampshire is good as it's a quick drive to my parents and my brother in law is in Hampshire too. We've considered Chandlers Ford near family but DH felt really meh about it and thought it would be too big a shock after London.

Chichester or look at Wiltshire.

I do think having parks near by reduces the need for a large garden. I'm the sort of person who wants to be up and out at the weekend. We don't spend much time at home, but during the week I'll be at home with the baby and toddler so having a garden for them so I don't need to keep packing bags of nappies and snacks just to step outside is important, and somewhere for them to let off steam after school.
At the moment my son let's off steam in the flat, and its too much sometimes!

@Decisionsdecisionsss

Try petersfield. Not as much for your money as catherington . www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/125074031

But train to London in 1 hour. South Downs on your doorstep. Lovey market town. Good schools. Southsea/hayling island/west wittering all 20-30 mins drive and fab clean water. Close tk Heathrow, Gatwick, Southampton. We love living round here.

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

Yes same here. Quite dramatic post from that user!

I have two primary age children and moved out of Brighton 10 years ago. I still work there so visit four days a week and hate it as a place now. Noisy, crowded, can’t go five minutes without being asked for money. I really dislike the seafront and wouldn’t spend any time on the beaches. We looked west of Brighton but I wasn’t a fan so went for the outskirts of Eastbourne in the Meads area and love it. We are a few minutes from the beach and it doesn’t get crowded, and have easy access to the Downs. We spend a lot of time on and in the sea. The kids are in a sailing club and really enjoy the lifestyle.

I’ll keep an eye out for those Eastern European Criminal gangs that previous poster mentioned though…. In the 10 years we’ve been here we’ve yet to encounter them.

@Decisionsdecisionsss if you're not set on Brighton then do look at West sussex/Hampshire border and Hampshire in general. You'll get loads more for your money and still surrounded by beautiful beaches with direct links to London etc and easy to get to Surrey too. You're seriously missing a trick if you don't. Avoid Southampton/chandlers Ford etc, you need to look more eastwards than that. Southampton area is a dump really (sorry!) Good luck with your search.

I have lived in Brighton for 12 years now - Patcham and Shoreham are both nice. My partner worked in Patcham high school for 5 years and has very positive things to say about it. We have friends that are happy to live in Patcham and if you can afford it it is seen to be a very good place to live. There isn’t a huge amount going on in the immediate area to walk to and It is a bit further from the coast but very easy/regular buses into the city centre and you can be there quickly driving or on the bus.

I think that the catchment schools are better in Patcham than they are in Shoreham. But, our friends in Shoreham love living there, their children go to primary school there and personally I would choose to live there myself over Patcham as there’s more going on in the area itself. You still have the option of getting the bus into Brighton centre. There’s also a lovely beach in Shoreham and a good community.

so there’s pros and cons to both, but both are lovely!

And in terms of the garden - like others have said, most people living here don’t have big gardens / many no garden at all so I think the children must be used to it. There are a lot of parks and indeed the beach. I’ve moved over to the east side now I have a child as there are many parks and lovely beaches and I now have a garden. But the schools are not as good this way apparently.

Yeah, steer well clear...such a shithole 😜