Is there a smaller Brighton anywhere?!

[donttrythisathome]

I live in Brighton and love it, but want to move somewhere a lot smaller and more rural. I've realised that my dream is somewhere like Brighton. Not, as in, for example, lots of drug deaths and hen parties. More the sea, open-mindedness, lots going on. Just smaller, and greener. Somewhere you can walk to countryside easily, and hear owls at night.

Stop laughing, you over there....!

So, is it an impossible dream?

A small seaside place, that is vibrant and progressive, with a great community. And noticeable owls, or at least easy access thereto?! Oh and work for a future childminder and current carpenter/furniture maker?

[Hullygully]

crazy golf and chips?

How about a stroll round the art galleries (including the new Jerwood), the vintage shops, a splendid dinner in one of the individual little restaurants and then a dance?

Just have to watch out for all the low life poor people who might get in the way.

[TuftyFinch]

Ok, it's a date. Your idea sounds better. We can do mine at 4am when we're pissed.
I hope there aren't any of those people from Brighton in the gallery, they're so loud.

[Hullygully]

[Hullygully]

Which of us can say...? etc

[TuftyFinch]

The seagulls'll have 'em. Shall we go up the funicular too?

[Hullygully]

GO UP THE FUNICULAR?

Oooo Missus

[Takver]

Saw someone recommending Abersoch / the Llyn - I really wouldn't go there if you want lively and not to struggle with being an outsider. It's beautiful, and busy enough in the summer, but a lovely couple I knew who lived there (one Welsh and both Welsh speakers) really struggled with isolation in the winter.

Aberystwyth is a different cup of tea, mainly because of the uni, and definitely sounds like it might tick your boxes.

If it weren't for being by the sea, the really, really obvious answer is Lewes! DH comes from that area, and we discussed moved to Brighton for ages and then realised that what we actually needed to do was live in Lewes (we didn't move there for other reasons, but I still think its a great place to live, ILs are still there).

The other really obvious answer that only misses out on seaside (but is in Wales) is Machynlleth.

[TuftyFinch]

East or West? If we go up the West one we can come down the back passage

My train is being very slow this morning.

[ArielThePiraticalMermaid]

I second Appledore in North Devon, or Instow over the estuary. Bideford has had a lot of investment too I believe. I adore North Devon and it's way easier to get to than it used to be.

Further west, Truro, or even Penzance?

[ArielThePiraticalMermaid]

Though this suggestion is at odds with the rather uncharitable comment I made about Cornwall yesterday

[donttrythisathome]

Takver, we could only afford a small place with tiny garden in Lewes. What is it you like about it?
While tis lovely,and a fair amount going on it seems, I don't know what it would have over Brighton for me besides being smaller. I still don't think I'd get the owls. Maybe I'm wrong! Maybe too there is maybe something too middle class about it. God I am fussy. But the last time I went a woman working in a kids clothes shop left my mother and I standing for 10 minutes waiting to be served (right next to her) as she chatted on the phone. Then she told us by way of apology that her horse had the sniffles and she had been checking on him. Ha ha. It was such a cliche. It is ridiculous of me to let one rude woman put me off.

Nowhere is obvious to me, especially as I'm not from here (am Irish) so ta for recommending Machynlleth. Do you think there's work there or Aber?

Ariel Would you say there is a fair amount going on in those places including in Winter? How about work. Thanks by the way.

[SoozyWoozy]

There are loads of beautiful villages in the South Downs with easy access to the beach when you fancy a day away from the countryside. Depends on your budget, I suppose.

And I guess if Peacehaven is out then you won't fancy Worthing much either LOL :)

[donttrythisathome]

Soozy would def consider some of the villages, but the cost of property puts me off a bit. But we have been looking. But would there be much going on there. Anywhere in particular you recommend? It was someone else rules out Peacehaven, although it doesn't really appeal. Worthing maybe, but got a bit of a dirty beach/hostile young men vibe. I could be wrong (often am).

[ArielThePiraticalMermaid]

Truro, yes (though it's expensive). Penzance less so, sadly, but it's very arty and vibey, for want of a better word. If you are self employed it's a bit different though - there is work for those who make it.

Don't know about North Devon as I only ever lived there in the summer!

[iseenodust]

Puts Whitby back on the map.

It has harbour, cliffs and sandy beach. It is a year round community. Plenty of creative types eg artists, jet jewelry. The abbey attracts the goths once a year for a festival (you said open-minded req). Carpenters selling to tourists dotted around on nearby NY Moors.

3 bed house

[ArielThePiraticalMermaid]

Plenty of vampires, that sort of thing...

[iseenodust]

Ariel we could call them tiny black owls, they whizz so fast OP wouldn't realise for a while

[donttrythisathome]

Love that house, iseendust. Have no issues with Goths, dabbled a (very) little when young.
ariel we're carpenters and (future) childminder. Maybe work then in Cornwall you think?

[EdlessAllenPoe]

"it's in Surrey, so maybe there's a limit on how alternative it could be"

:) wonders if there is a nationwide 'map of alternativity allowance'

e.g. Southampton: hot bed of conformity
Eastbourne : moderate difference allowed
Haslemere : black hole of non-tolerance? looks very nice.

there could be conformity forecasts....

[ArielThePiraticalMermaid]

Hi donttry, most people in Cornwall seem to be public sector workers, work in tourism or are self employed. There's not a huge amount else.

[EdlessAllenPoe]

well Cornwall...
not sure about how it looks for carpenters - house building seems to have slowed there (though you can get such a nice house for yourself compared to Sussex)

childminders - i'd imagine in demand everywhere?

[donttrythisathome]

Thanks ariel

Edless now there's an idea... Where are you moving to?

[EdlessAllenPoe]

other problem with Cornwall is then you are a long drive from the rest of UK..if you'll still have friends in Brighton you aren't going to see them much..

[donttrythisathome]

Yes that's true.

So much choice I am paralysed!

[EdlessAllenPoe]

i am not going far really - work binds us to Worthing area.

if i had my choice - previously, given the money, Brighton.
though our life has changed since our younger pubbing days, and now for the kiddies a countrysidey place like Fulking, steyning, Billingshurst.. etc ..somewhere they can have lots of open space to muck about, and good schools. don't want to leave the South really - i lived OOp North and got rained on much of childhood.

so we have sacrificed 'vibe' on the altar of 'owls' :)

to be fair we have been very lucky and our neighbours and others on our road are lovely. (though i think our forecast is 'mild conformity, with occasional showers of difference' )