Relocation advice please! Brighton, Patcham, Hollingbury?

[Cakecrusader]

Evening Everyone!

I'm looking to pick your brains about our potential move to Brighton. We've started looking at houses and have realised that to get the space we need (DH, DS, DD and dog!) we need to look a bit further out. Areas like Hollingbury, Patcham have been mentioned to us but I'd like to find out more from people who live there or have insider knowledge. What attracts us to Brighton is the overall feel. DH lived in Brighton a few years before we met and loves it. We've visited a few times - people seem friendly, open and interesting. Are the areas I've mentioned a bit too far out to "feel" like what's attracting us to Brighton? Are they diverse or full of people who've moved there to get away from the diversity of central Brighton? We're currently living in Kent and although it's picturesque we've never quite settled here.

We're not wedded to being anywhere in particular - would consider Hove way as well. Are there any other areas that we should look into that would have fairly decent schools? I'm pretty terrified about the whole school situation - I've read countless posts about the lottery system already! We're mainly focused on primary schools for now but as I'm hoping this will be our last move for a while I know I'll have to keep secondary schools in my sights as well.

Any advice gratefully received x

Ok well just to follow up. We've done a fair bit of research and paid many visits to Patcham since the last post here and talked to various friends of friends who live there - nice people of various nationalities and it's been a universal thumbs up. They're all very happy there including their kids in the local schools. I've timed the drive from Brighton Dome and it takes between 12 and 14 minutes and according to Google it's a 20 minute cycle into town and 20 minutes on the bus although I suppose it depends on the time of day. There are a couple of alternate routes that would avoid the heavy traffic at rush hour. So.. after all that we've put an offer in on a house there which has been accepted. My thinking is that you get a lot more for your money including a large garden and yet central Brighton in 15 minutes away so it seems like a good compromise.

Ooh! I love living in Patcham! How old are your children?

Thought I'd already commented on this post but I hadn't. I moved to Patcham 18 months ago after first spending 5 years in Hanover then 10 in Westdene. I love living in Patcham it's a great place for families

I'm Hove born and bred so would always recommend it as a great place to live and bring up kids. Great schools. So close to the sea but also a stones throw from the gorgeous downs. Lovely restaurants and cafes. Loads of buses to take you all over the city. Keep it as a backup if Fiveways or Patcham don't work out. Good luck with it all and welcome to our fabulous city!!

5 and 7. Good to know you rate it, thank you!!

Thanks JosieJasper. We drove through Hove on our last visit and it did look lovely!

Hi @Cakecrusader ! Where did you relocate to in the end? I hope it's worked out well for you, just reading through some of these old threads as we're planning a similar move :)