Is Hastings safe? How is compared to Hove?

[Soyyog]

Hi, my husband and I are thinking of moving to either Hove or Hastings. We live somewhere in Scandinavia so we are used to an extra safe environment. Anyone can give us an opinion?
Thanks!

The two don't compare apart from being by the sea. Hastings has some lovely properties and is starting to drag itself up but is relatively deprived in socio-economic terms. Hove is pretty much the preserve of the well to do, and has the attraction of Brighton nearby if that's your kind of city (vibrant, creative, great bars and restaurants counter-balanced by drug problems and homelessness). Spend minimum of a week staying in both places before you decide. You will soon appreciate the differences between them.

Neither are particularly safe but Hove has a significantly lower crime rate than Hastings.

I agree with Sparkle - spend a week in each, and also take some time to walk around, don't drive everywhere. They are completely different and also some distance apart.
I live near Hastings and can answer specific questions but I don't know Hove at all so can't compare them.

And yes as StickyProblem rightly points out there are very far apart geographically. Your budget for housing would be a big deciding factor. You can get a great place for a relatively affordable price in Hastings (at least for the south east) but your money wouldn't go far in Hove. You don't say whether schools are a factor? There's a significant premium on houses in the catchment of good schools in Hove and a hugely competitive market. Not such an issue in Hastings. Look at St Leonard's too.

Hi, just moved to the west hill and wondering what people thought of the local schools and nurseries. recommendations and ones to avoid. Thanks

Hove is great if you have the money, lovely seafront, loads of cafes, bars, restaurants, individual shops. Bus services in Brighton & Hove are very frequent. Loads to do in Brighton (10-15 mind bus ride). Parking is a nightmare in Brighton and gets a little better the further west you go. Lots of commuting potential to Cawley/Gatwick and London. I have lived there but wouldn't want to again but only because a) couldn't afford to b) prefer a quieter life these days!

Hastings has always had a bad rep. Very rough in certain areas, although there has been an influx of Londoners and others attracted by seaside location and cheap housing. It's quite artsy in places but mostly a bit run down. Little to no industry, commuting anywhere is a nightmare. Trains and roads are very slow. I wouldn't want to live there at all.

Conclusion, I would choose Hove over Hastings in a heartbeat.

Good luck!

Missed your comment about "ultra safe environment" - definitely not Hastings then.
Would suggest perhaps west Hove but stop before Portslade.

If budget is not a main factor, it would be Hove. Hastings has a reputation for being rough.

Bexhill is next to Hastings and has very low crime rate, low prices, small town friendliness. - Fab weather.

@Puffykins I went college there and hated it and this was about 16 years ago. The last time I revisited was probably about 8 years ago and nothing has changed apart from being more socio economically deprived than ever before. Yes the houses are beautiful, yes lovely beach, but the anti social behaviour, the town centre no no no.

I live in Holland Park now and maybe because I come from a seaside town myself, I just can't imagine ever going back there after experiencing west London. I wish I could take a Hastings house and the sea and put it in our borough :) it's totally a different community and feel. As you have mentioned you have been there many times and investigated it and have seen it for yourself and what it's like. Maybe your experience has been better than mine but this is how I felt when I was in college back then. The houses are absolutely stunning though.

Thank you @wellahair. I did clock the social deprivation - but I live in the Westbourne Park end of Notting Hill, there are homeless people asleep in our stairwell as I write this (I've offered them food.) Meanwhile, only two years ago pupil was murdered, I.e. stabbed to death; outside the (outstanding) secondary school my son would be going to if we stayed here, someone else was stabbed (and died) outside where my children do ballet at the end on last year (on Fernhead Road.) I volunteer at the North Paddington Foodbank, and have been for the past three years, and the problems of poverty are just getting worse and worse. On paper, the crime rate in Hastings is much lower, we can get a really lovely house (and I can carry on walking everywhere, ie school run/ shops/ beach), I like that there are galleries and cinemas, and I'll still be coming back to London 1-2 times a week for work. We couldn't stay in Notting Hill anyway - DD and DS are sharing a room and they're 10 and 8 now. I initially thought elsewhere in London but I think we'll have a much better quality of life in Hastings. I also think it's improving quite fast - Ark have taken over all the schools for instance, and only in two years they're already much better. I also love the sea. I mean, really love it. So that is a big draw. (I also love London - and decided that living by the sea was going to have to be the swap.) I looked into other seaside towns, but liked Hastings the most (because it's pretty!)

@wellahair I've lived in Kensington/ Holland Park/ Notting Hill for the past 20 years though - and it's a huge rench leaving. So I do know what you mean. If it weren't for really, really needing space... (and both DH and I work in the arts, so we aren't exactly high earners!)