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Original poster

Moving to Queen's Park

21 replies

nrv0us · 28/08/2011 07:50

Hi All,

I'm the father of a 4-yr-old and a 7-yr-old, and in a few weeks my wife and I will be moving to Brighton. We currently live in Eastbourne, and so we're really excited about having access to so much more culture and general fun stuff to do (although Eastbourne does of course have its charms), and we will initially be renting a flat in the Queen's Park/Hanover area, which seems nice enough, but I'd love to have some input from residents about the neighbourhood's various pros and cons.

We've chatted with a few locals during our flat-hunt wanderings, and they mostly haven't got a bad word to say about QP and environs -- any other locals out there care to chime in, specifically on the kid-related aspects of life up on the hill?

Ta.

OP posts:

melodyangel · 30/08/2011 19:48

'tis the best place ever!

Park - fantastic
Beach - just down the road
Schools - great
pubs - everywhere

all this and in a stones throw of the town.

Original poster

nrv0us · 30/08/2011 22:21

Thanks, melody! The park is indeed amazing, and I have heard great things about the pubs, the Setting Sun in particular. Mainly i'm looking forward to shaving two (2) hours off my daily commute. Which school/s is/are particularly good, in your experience?

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melodyangel · 01/09/2011 17:47

To be honest they are all good but I guess St Lukes is the one everyone raves about...it is good.

Original poster

nrv0us · 01/09/2011 21:59

Nice to hear -- my kids are at the head of the waiting list there, and we won't find out til next week whether they're in or not. The school is about 200yds from our house (well, flat) so it would just be really amazing if they did get in.

I was up there wandering around today -- it seems like such a nice area. The little deli on the corner of Albion Hill has loads of great stuff, and I was blown away by the niceness of the Setting Sun (pub) and Wooden Belly (cafe type place).

The best thing is going to be the 10-minute walk to work every day. My current commute is over an hour driving/bus coming in from Eastbourne.

OP posts:

katiecubs · 04/09/2011 08:53

Hi there - am also thinking of moving queens park way (live in hove at the mo). Really don't know the area too well though - can either of you recommend the good areas/streets to live in?? also anywhere you can get a decent(ish) size garden?

nrvous - hope your kids get into st lukes!

Original poster

nrv0us · 04/09/2011 21:54

I don't know the area well enough to be able to suggest specific streets. I do know that if you stray over into Hanover you are suddenly faced with a whole different parking situation -- I don't think they have residents' permits over there, so it's more of a free-for all. As for gardens, they're pretty thin on the ground: it's rare to get more than a decent-sized courtyard or patio-type garden, unless you're willing to shell out the big bucks. We're going to be right on the park, as in facing it just across the street, so we're going to think of it as being like an extension of our garden.

OP posts:

Original poster

nrv0us · 07/09/2011 12:06

After a nailbiter of of week, the St Luke's places have materialised! I dropped my daughter off this morning for her first day, and her considerable nerves were quickly taken care of by a lovely greeting by the head, the deputy head, and her class teacher. In just a few minutes she went from clinging to me to grabbing a torch and heading down into the basement with her CLASSMATES (!) to inspect an Egyptian tomb that had been set up down there as an introduction to a term module about Egypt.

So, yeah, it all looks like it's working out. Phew!

OP posts:

melodyangel · 07/09/2011 13:12

Fantastic news nrv0us! Hope they both have a wonderful time in their new school!

Katiecubs - There are a few places with gardens but they are few and far between - well unless you have over a million to spend!

Hanover is very arty and has a great commuinty spirit but you need to avoid the areas where there are a lot of student houses unless you want noisy neighbours.

The St Lukes area is very nice and the houses are a reasonable size but with mainly patio gardens sometimes a little more.

The Sutherland Road area is cheaper but again a nice area, lots of kids and very freindly but parking can be a nightmare.

brightongirlnolongerdownunder · 07/09/2011 17:38

Hi nrvous! I live just by Wild Cherry, the deli I think you mentioned you liked on albion hill. We have lived here for 15 years, with a 3 year gap whilst we lived in Sydney and I wouldn't move anywhere else! Hanover centre has loads of things going on all the time and Queens Park is amazing. We are regulars at the Walmer Castle and Setting Sun too!
My daughter is starting St Lukes next Monday, so if you need anyone to chat to please get in touch. Its a great school and knowing kids who have been there, get real results. congrats on getting your kids in there - theplaces are like gold dust!

Original poster

nrv0us · 07/09/2011 22:14

Thanks for the nice message my daughter had a fantastic first day at St Luke's today ("I have eight new friends!") and she is really excited that she gets to go back tomorrow. Such a relief, and the staff were all so nice. Her little brother starts on Monday too he's dead keen to get in there and join his sister at Big School! We're moving in a couple of weeks, so once we're properly in, then it'd be great to meet up...

OP posts:

katiecubs · 08/09/2011 22:28

Thanks for the advice all!

nrvous glad your daughter is enjoying her new school :)

Original poster

nrv0us · 16/09/2011 10:41

Still haven't moved yet, but spent a lovely evening in QP yesterday went with the kids, picked up some food from Wild Cherry (which realyl does seem like an amazing thing to have in the neighbourhood I can tell I am going to end up spending a lot of time/money there) and then picnicked in the playground. The kids are loving St Luke's, and in general we're very keen to get moved in already!

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MrsWifty · 20/09/2011 21:55

Glad to hear you're settling in well - just to add, the Dover Castle is one of the most child friendly pubs around, and it also has an organic veg/health food market in its pub garden. The only thing the area is missing is a decent takeaway, most of them are pretty ropey - but that in itself is probably a good thing :)

Brightongirllovesgin · 28/09/2011 12:06

I second the Dover - does a lovely roast. The Greys is good but not so child friendly...
The Codfather is a good place for fish and chips, but other takeaways are better in Kemp town for thai, chinese etc...if that rocks your boat!
Glad the kids are enjoying St Lukes - my daughter skips to school every morning, I can't believe it!
This weather is perfect for Queens Park - we're virtually living down there after school at the moment, so maybe we'll bump into you on day!!

Original poster

nrv0us · 28/09/2011 14:50

I'll be down there, no doubt! Actually, we've all got varying degrees of the Back To School Bug at the moment, so just follow the sound of coughing. Or, even better, don't. sniffle, hack, wheeze

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Original poster

nrv0us · 01/10/2011 06:07

Last night at around 10pm there was masses of yelling/shouting/swearing on the road around the park -- anyone know what that was? Normal Friday night revelry? It sounded more like a mini riot.

OP posts:

jenniferturkington · 01/10/2011 07:01

Glad you are enjoying it so far. I have worked in lots of schools across Brighton & Hove and St.Lukes is the one I like best as a parent. I would love for my kids to go there but have to admit that lack of gardens in the area have so far put us off moving there.

melodyangel · 03/10/2011 22:35

It's freshers week!

privateprancer · 12/10/2011 14:19

Hi, sorry to gatecrash but am looking for a nice place for a pub lunch (child friendly) on sunday - i've been onto the setting sun's website but it says it's shut for refurbishment...?
any other suggestions?
thanks

Original poster

nrv0us · 13/10/2011 09:30

It's not a pub, but the Wooden Belly (opposite the big stone arches on the SW corner of the park) has yummy lunches and my kids enjoyed it last weekend.

OP posts:

MudandRoses · 07/11/2011 21:28

The setting sun is nice but not SUPER kid friendly. The Dover is good, and the Hartington has a garden. The Hanover's good for kids too and they have their own pizza oven.

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