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Original poster

Arty towns in South/South east?

60 replies

downtothesea · 17/06/2011 08:56

We're still looking for a seaside special for under £200k but definitely struggling! Ideally, we need to be within 90mins drive of London but will look at anywhere with an arty/literary community.
Tired of driving into seaside resorts to see Union Jacks on flagpoles in front gardens and need to have something more 'sophisticated'.
So far I've identified all the obvious areas (I think):
Hastings, Margate, Whitstable, St Ives!, Brighton...
Being very blunt - can anyone think of any other places (doesn't have to be by the sea) where the educated quota is significantly higher than the chav/unemployed quota?

OP posts:
Portofino · 17/06/2011 19:48

I was born in Dover Grin

Paschaelina · 17/06/2011 19:48

Never mind.

EggyAllenPoe · 17/06/2011 19:50

see here tres bijou and change from your budget.

EggyAllenPoe · 17/06/2011 19:51

or you don't get more seasidey than this

EggyAllenPoe · 17/06/2011 19:54

lyme regis has a balcony even!

HappyAsIAm · 17/06/2011 19:55

Canterbury (would involve a drive to the coast)?

EggyAllenPoe · 17/06/2011 20:01

don't write off Brighton though that is Kempton strictly speaking (east brighton? wtf?)

Portofino · 17/06/2011 20:02

Canterbury is lovely. Paschelina, my dd was born in Margate - no choice

Though to be serious I have lovely friends in all these places. Life is what you make it.

fapl · 17/06/2011 20:25

I saw your other thread. I was reading with interest because we were thinking about a similar move, although we have a 1 year old so we probably have slightly different criteria to yourself. My husband would probably travel to London at least once a week. We focussed in on Broadstairs and visited there a number of times. We visited Ramsgate and Margate and ruled them both out pretty quickly. Too much deprivation.

I was going to suggest Sandwich. The village/town (seems a bit big to call it a village, a little too small for a town) is not right on the sea itself. Sandwich Bay is actually accessed by a private estate, you have to pay £7 for the day to drive your car there or £75 annually I think. I haven't actually been to see the bay (we were going to do a drive by and got put off by the £7 because we were just going for a quick look). Having said that it would probably put alot of other people off, and might be one of the quiter beaches in summer, if you lived there it would probably be worth getting an annual pass. The town is very pretty. It does seem quite small, I don't know how much action you are after, but it wouldn't take too long to drine to Broadstairs or Canterbury.

The only place I can really think of that seems to be what you want is Whitstable, and you probably already know it is out of your budget.

Portofino · 17/06/2011 20:35

The major employer in Sandwich is about to pull out. Good news - house prices will go down. Bad news - it will have serious knock on effects on the local businesses. I used to work there. They ran a shuttle bus into town every lunch time. The nice selection of bars and restaurants and delis etc will struggle in the future unless a rescue plan is put into place.

thecatatemygymsuit · 17/06/2011 20:40

I really like Deal, Sandwich and Rye, Margate is supposedly on the up but I find it a touch depressing. Brighton probably beyond your budget I would have thought. Sandgate may be worth a punt?

Portofino · 17/06/2011 20:44

Hythe is nice actually!

Paschaelina · 17/06/2011 20:45

Ah Porto, my ds was born in Ashford, we all have our crosses to bear Wink

Paschaelina · 17/06/2011 21:01

Hythe is very nice. Bit of oasis in a sea of seaside tat.

Original poster
downtothesea · 18/06/2011 08:33

Oh dear!!!

I keep coming back to Whitstable but it really is on the cusp of leaving us broke or living in a house we don't really like just for the sake of the location.

Deal is pretty but pricey, as are Kingsdown and Walmer

Is Ramsgate really that bad? The marina looks beautiful - was seriously considering it as a step up from Margate - step down from Broadstairs which is too rich for our blood.

Is Hythe really worth looking at? Certainly very good roadwise.

OP posts:
Original poster
downtothesea · 18/06/2011 08:37

Anyone been to Rochester?

OP posts:
fivegomadindorset · 18/06/2011 08:41

The Purbeck has a very strong art scene, although further than where you wanted to be, very good train links to London.

Original poster
downtothesea · 18/06/2011 08:49

Looks a bit too far west for us .... does it come under Poole? Rightmove has decreed that purbeck does not exist!

OP posts:
fivegomadindorset · 18/06/2011 08:56

wareham, swanage, lulworth, worth matravers that area, known as the Isle of Purbeck or the Purbecks, Corfe Castle. Just had our Arts Week, you could also look around Poole.

Portofino · 18/06/2011 09:44

No, Hythe IS nice!

noddyholder · 18/06/2011 11:49

I used to live in hythe it was very pretty but was only there for a year in school in folkestone so don't know much about it as an adult

bigTillyMint · 18/06/2011 11:56

Hastings and Margate are always quoted as on the up. Whitstable is more MC and arty. Deal is OK - not wuite Whitstable, but not Margate. St Margarets nearby is very nice, but small.

Leni75 · 19/06/2011 18:41

Agree Shoreham by Sea is nice, esp house boats and that area, also Lewes, not technically by the sea but not far, and very arty, I think its where the Brighton cool kids go when they grow up and have kids......

WindUpBird · 20/06/2011 18:50

Rochester's nice, and arty, a nice mix of people, but not really by the sea...

StillSquiffy · 20/06/2011 19:06

If you like Whitstable, then stick with Whitstable. It is arty and full of trendy shops and good restuarants.

Look for properties described as located in Tankerton. Tankerton used to be a separate village but is now a continuation of Whitstable. Much more bang for your buck.

Faversham is a very dodgy/hit miss alternative the other side of Whitstable. Cute square and nice working creek where they rebuild boats, couple of nice restaurants (one is michelin starred), but not very wealthy at all, gets a bit iffy at night and there are a few roughish areas.

Which, by the way is exactly how you would have described Whitstable 20 years ago....