Hastings vs Folkestone, DH needs to commute, which would you chose...

[SarfEasticatedMumma]

DH will need to commute to work at Vauxhall, I will work locally. DD is nearly 8. I like Hastings, I find it interesting, quirky with lots of nice countryside around and art galleries too - plus the lovely Alexandra Park. Commuting time is 1hr 40 mins. Folkestone is near where I grew up, so am a bit put off by teenage memories, but better to commute to the smoke at 55 mins.
There are plans for a high speed rail link to Hastings but it's not a done deal and won't be for ages.
We have a budget of about ??360k

[QOD]

Something ... it's rough. ROUGH
Full of skanky people ... well, not full but lots. The east end of Folkestone, anything between to town and to the right of Blackbull Rpad is rough.
multi occupancy. Lots of immigrants. Lots of benefits
buy parts of it are beautiful
Anywhere around Sandgate is nice, Golden Valley is OK. DOWNS Rd Dolphins Rd type areAS

[Callmecordelia]

Wilberforce Road - it's been on a while. Parking is a nightmare and it's an uphill walk to the station and any schools. Personally (but I'm biased) I'd go up the hill a bit, which will give you more choice of primary schools, and a better walk to the station, however, I know character houses are harder to find up there.

This might be a bit of interesting news, if you are still considering Saltwood - lots of parents are actively choosing St Augustine's over Saltwood, because it has a less pushy, starchy feel. Not this September, because there was a spike in population, but last September, they weren't full after the reception places had been given out.

Sandgate was our first choice for this September, but DD didn't get in. We live a distance which would have been fine every other year, but there were around 40 siblings which scuppered us. Yes, it's a good school, but the school we got has some points which I felt they did better, and it wasn't an easy choice. Ofsted ratings aren't everything....

Something - the houses round the Harbour area and bits of the East End are cheap for a reason, but yes, Folkestone is a fantastic place to live, especially for families.

[SarfEast1cated]

something shall we start a commune? I need to you be a Guardian-reading lefty though.

In my experience of growing up in Margate in the 80s, places like Thanet/Folkestone/Hastings etc can be rough, you just need to know where to live to avoid those areas. Normally if you have enough money, you can insulate yourself from a lot of the trouble.

[SarfEast1cated]

How about here cordelia seems like a nice house?

[RatOnnaStick]

That backs onto Pent Valley school playing field...

[RatOnnaStick]

other than that, you could do a lot worse than surrenden road.

[SarfEast1cated]

Thank you for that Rat good to know :)

[Callmecordelia]

I agree with Rat. It's well worth a look.

[QOD]

Surrender road, that end is OK. And the roads behind the houses on the other side
there's a little church school primary by Cheriton rec that's nice
st Martins in horn st and Cheriton primary is t as bad as it was. The Nepalese have made a massive positive influence
just try to avoid pent valley as I said.
it's funny as 10 yrs ago it was the top school after the grammars

[BoboChic]

Canterbury is far better for families with teenagers than any of the coastal towns. Lots of schools and lots of HE make Canterbury a very young town. And the centre is super pretty with plenty of shops and places to eat and doesn't have that suburban-veering-on-bling vibe of T Wells or the provincial urban blight centre of Ashford or Maidstone.

[Callmecordelia]

St Martin's is outstanding now. All Souls and Harcourt are good - I'm pretty sure Cheriton is too. Personally, I didn't go for All Souls after visiting it, but I know two families who are perfectly happy with it. However, as I said I'm an ofsted ratings sceptic.

The Nepalese have been here for years, I don't think it's really down to them - but there has been a lot of hard work and LA support.

Canterbury is probably better for teenagers, but it's not too far from Folkestone and the bus service is excellent (wifi and leather seats, very nice). I grew up in a small Kentish market town which is often described as "lovely" on MN but it is shit for teenagers because the transport is so poor. Not that families can really afford to live there any more anyway.... I was determined not to do that to my children, and am happy with Folkestone for them.

[SarfEast1cated]

Thanks everyone! I have been frantically trying to get into the site to get back to the thread... happy now. I am making appointments to see these houses tomorrow, so will report back.
Hasborough Road
Wilberforce Road
Surrenden Road

I wish I didn't have what my granddad used to call champagne taste and beer pocket, or was fantastically wealthy!

[sleepyelectricsheep]

"champagne taste and beer pocket" great phrase but sush woman! Your budget for a house is literally twice mine!

Anyway of those links i'd say the first one by a long way. The garden is great, fabulous kitchen, and a lovely feel to it.

The garden looks pretty small on the second one (but maybe better in real life?). On "paper" I don't like it nearly as much as the first one, but there is something intruguing about it, it's quite unusual I think you'd need to visit it to really get a feel for it.

I'm not so keen on the last one. It's not got so much character and the kitchen is tiny. If I had your budget i'd want a proper family kitchen.

Let us know how you get on!

[sleepyelectricsheep]

*intriguing!

[SarfEast1cated]

It is intriguing though isn't it sleepy is has some really nice features doesn't it. The Hasborough gardens house has gone, and Surrenden Road appeals for the size of the garden. I will report in full 'pon the morrow.

We only have a big budget because we are selling in London and are old!

[somethingerudite]

SarfEast1cated, yes I fit the required description. My budget much lower than yours though, which is why I really have to rub my eyes at Folkestone prices. I get that there are rough bits, but I had quite a wander about and didn't really come across them, or even any sign of them, so assume (maybe naively) that the rough bits can mostly be avoided if you aren't living in the middle of them.

Whereas Margate when we looked seemed to be pretty unavoidably rough OR very very suburban with nothing in between.

I didn't visit Sandgate at all but that Wilberforce Road house looks fab!

[QOD]

You get a feeling of the roughness if you venture into town on a Saturday, or weekday.morning. I work shifts so I do pop in before work sometimes. Lots of .. unsavouries and unemployed and dossers and beggars.
But I'd live pick Surrenden out of those. You're near allotments a nd pent valley leisure centre. Most of the school.kids walk the other way or just literally go by twice a day

[Callmecordelia]

I'd live in Surrenden Road too. Best walk to the station, better schools a lot closer. Hasborough Road has some really rough areas closer to it. Wilberforce Road looks like a money pit to me.



I don't find the town centre that bad - it's no worse than Ashford High Street for example. I'm quite happy to wander around, nip to Sainsburys, Waterstones then a coffee at the Lavender Tea House.

[SarfEast1cated]

To be fair, you'd get the same feeling of roughness in Lewisham which is my nearest shopping centre. I can handle it, I'm Thanet Granite after all! :)

[RedNailPolish101]

If thinking of travel times..

Canterbury is lovely, and fast train into kings cross... Sandgate is also fabulous and you can still catch the fast train from Folkestone West.

[Callmecordelia]

Yes, exactly. I don't get the comments about Folkestone town centre. It's no different from countless other shopping centres up and down the country, and some bits of it are a lot better.

I wonder whether I'll run into you tomorrow Sarf. You'll be going right near me..... If I see a woman in Loaf with loads of house particulars, Mumsnetting on the free wifi, I'll say hello.

[QOD]

You're probably right, I work in Pokey but moved out 20 yrs

[Allbymyselfagain]

God just come back this sorry.

Yes capel is a fab village. I live there! Lots of lovely green spaces, primary is nice from what I hear and they have lots on in the village hall to keep everyone occupied. Plus Dover one way and Folkestone the other for your big "town" experience although I jump off at ebbsfleet if I need to go shopping. A flat white is pushing it here but you do have some cute cafes in Folkestone so not too far for a caffeine fix.

Ignore the haters. Every town has its rough bits, I've lived in some ridiculously snobby places in my time and as long as you do you homework and pick a nice area you won't have problems. Everyone says the SE coastal towns are dumps but theyre not. BTW I grew up in Chatham, you all think you know rough? I'll raise you billy the quid (still begging and harassing according to me sources and the birthplace of the chav facelift)

If you come to capel serf let me know and I'll send you some parish newsletters etc so you can see what's on!

[SarfEast1cated]

Where's Pokey QOD? Callmecord you will hear me asking slowly and loudly if they have a 'Flat White' please and looking worriedly for the nearest Waitrose. I'm looking forward to it actually. Hope Sandgate beach has wide sandy beaches and rock pools aplenty?

[Ta1kinPeace]

Just a little extra thought into the mix,
I used to live in River on the northern edge of Dover. Lots of people used to pick up the train at Temple Ewell.
River and Alkham were lovely.
Central Dover was a dump, but around Kearney Abbey was nice.