Arty/ liberal/ Bohemian (not stuffy materialist ones)places to live in the SE

[Buzzybee1983]

Sorry can't think of the right word?
We live in the South East and need remain here for work & family reasons
I love the actual area we live in, as in its beautiful,sweet and Safe and lots of great amenities
However I just feel like we don't fit in with community. It's affecting my self esteem. We are not super wealthy, we are creative, we like deeper conversations and feel very isolated here like the square pegs on the stock brokers bent
What areas would you say are still safe & affluent but have more of a open minded, arty vibe in the South?

Greenfields School in FR is the scientology boarding school. Scientology headquarters are nearby at Saint Hill Manor (towards E. Grinstead)

Forest Row, definitely. Just don't send your kids to the Steiner School. The local independent and state schools are full of children who have been pulled out of Michael Hall once their parents realised just how woo Steiner actually is. They have eye opening tales to share.

There are bad not very good state schools everywhere too, to be fair. I've pulled out dcs from 2 of them.

ppeat the stories are more about indoctrination into a very woo religion (IMHO it's woo, anyway), and about children alternately running wild and experiencing incredibly harsh discipline, leaving them very confused. Plus not learning to read/write until relatively late.

People think Steiner is like Montessori. It really, really isn't.

At the risk of being daft, what does "woo" mean?

I think you just haven't met the right people yet.

I wouldn't move to a small community with a strong Steiner membership unless I was a committed 'Steiner parent'. The people I know who have done this have found that 'Steiner families' do not mix with non Steiner and will not let their kids come to yours (lest you expose them to TV, or a plastic toy, or black paint or something presumably). But maybe you are into all that, AND open to friendships with other families.

But in general, I agree with BertrandRussell. It isn't about where you live but who you meet, talk to, make assumptions about, where you travel to see friends etc.

Small communities can be very unliberating.

I live in Brighton. There are a great many arty/liberal/bohemian types here. I love it (for lots of reasons) - recommended!

Woo = woo woo, used to describe alternative / supernatural / 'spiritual ' and 'mystical ' things that have no scientific basis, or have a pseudo-scientific explanation. Colloquially perhaps a more derogatory word for 'faith' or 'alternative'.

"Arty" places in the south east are often as or even more expensive!
And many people everywhere will be absorbed with work (often commuting), their DCs, homes, situations etc.

I live somewhere that sounds like where you are currently. I think you're stereotyping people. If you don't enjoy the company of people you've met locally why not do things to meet more people?

A musician friend lives in a village outside tunbridge wells that seems to have lots of (wealthy) people working in creative industries, her rent isn't too bad but it's still pricey commuterville.

Woo is snakeoil type stuff. People who believe in supernatural and perhaps dress it up as if it's science eg homeopathy / ghosts / gnomes (Steiner schools teach DC gnomes are real IIRC) ley lines etc etc.

Also maybe conspiracy theories if they're the way-out Lizard / alien type theories.

Oops cross posts blu!

Blinkowl: yours is a much better description, I was trying to get my inner Ben Goldacre under control and sound even handed

"If you don't enjoy the company of people you've met locally why not do things to meet more people"

There is nothing wrong in wanting to live in a certain type of area with a certain vibe. Of course you make the best of it wherever you are, but having lived in a place with a vibrant artists community and plenty of (not all!) people with politics not too far from my own, I can say I enjoyed it much more than living in a community where people's values and experiences are so opposed to mine.

It's not just the people you meet it's things like events and culture. In an arty place there is stuff going on that interests me. Exhibitions to visit, music, interesting events that challenge my ideas and educate me. In the mainstream place I live now interesting stuff does happen of course but it's harder to seek out, happens much less often and there isn't the vibe or buzz about the place that there was in an arty place, and I miss that.

Also I simply felt like I fitted in. I don't like being surrounded by Tories and UKIPers. I like talking about politics and really enjoy meeting like minded people.

Yes I can get out where I am and meet people I get on with and I have done that, we've met some great people we really get on with.

But if I could afford to move to a decent house in Brighton I'd be there in a flash because I know I'd enjoy it.

Nothing wrong with that!

People move for sea views, to "nicer areas" (that's often to do with finding similar people), to get out of the city or into it.

If culture and politics aren't important to you in choosing somewhere to live that's fine but why do you feel the need to tell other people what should be important to them?

Oops, that might have been a bit of a rant

Blu and I thought yours was the better description!

We were in Margate recently and it's lovely. Still a place of two halves but very Brighton-y. The overall politics of Thanet probably won't match you but as a pocket, I'm sure you'd find a lot of like-minded people.

Op, have you thought about arranging something yourself and seeing who comes out the woodwork? Perhaps this is a case of 'be the change you want to see' and if you start the ball rolling others might be glad to be part of your vision??

Apparently there is a massive Scientology centre under construction in East Grinstead...

Whitstable?

I know what you mean OP. I also live in a town firmly in the commuter belt. Most people are conservative, work in the City and cost of an average 3 bed house is unaffordable unless you have inherited a hefty deposit or are earning lots.
Post uni I went into teaching but there is no hope of affording a family home here. I would also love Brighton.
We are thinking about moving further north to be closer to family there. Sheffield is appealing - small city, lots of green spaces, great theatres. The south east just seems to have become too expensive for us...

I looked into Lewes a while back, deliberately went there on grey Tuesday in February, and spent the day wandering around. What struck the most was there were few young families around, but a lot of retirees sitting round looking glum. There's a waitrose & lots of shops selling hand-knitted crystal yogurt makers, but not much else (maybe all the 'normal' shops are hidden?)

I'm in 'temporary' accommodation after big change in my life, looking for somewhere to move permanently, but have decided if I think I've found an area I like, I will move there into short-term rental before committing to buying.

MaybeDoctor, theres always been a huge scientology centre near East Grinstead. When we lived in EG it was always the joke that the different religious groups had to try and convert each other as theres a mormon temple, the scientologists, a big JW centre and a catholic place (not sure of exact description) around it. Never an issue though.

I get that it's not fun to be in the minority politically, but let's not pretend that lefty, arty places are, in general, cheaper. London being the prime example.

Less "materialistic" in those places? I don't think so.