Would you rather move to Brighton or Crystal Palace?

[tilda0]

Pregnant 5 months, European citizen and coming to the UK...
Let me know your thoughts :) thanks

Brighton! No question

What a random choice! Do you want to live in London or Brighton? Have you got a job lined up? What do you want the area to offer?

If you will be working in London then Crystal Palace. The Brighton to London commute is a killer, expensive and subject to the whims of Southern Rail and the incompetence of Thameslink.

They're really different. CP is great for families but expensive and urban (constant traffic on the main roads). I love it and wouldn't want to live elsewhere. I've only ever visited Brighton.

Cruciatus why?
JoJoSM2 Not random...we want to have access to London but live in a safer area, with less air pollution. We are freelancing.
SyrilSneer even for a couple of commute a week?
JohnLapsleyParlabane you talk about traffic...is the pollution as bad as central London?

I would never ever do the commute from Brighton to London on the trains. Even when the staff aren't striking, the line is a shambles. I commuted the other way for a fee years and hated it.

Crystal Palace is quite an urban area... If you want less air pollution, you need to move further out.

As an example, we live in zone 5 in S London (very easy commute into central London) and it's one of those low pollution areas on the map. Within walking distance we have some open countryside (think sheep, lavender fields etc) and there's a lot of greenery (parks, golf courses). So that's a balance between fresh air and commuting.

From a quick google, Brighton is no better than inner London...
www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/sites/brighton-hove.gov.uk/files/Air%20Quality%20Annual%20Status%20Report%202016%20%5BPDF%202.7%20MB%5D.pdf

If you're likely to commute only twice a week, you could consider moving to the countryside in the Home Counties for fresh air. Unless you want to be closer to the action, in which case suburbia (zones 5-6) could be a good compromise.

PS If you want somewhere safer too, then the lowest crime rates are the boroughs of Bexley, Kingston, Richmond and Sutton (so suburbs again).

I'd personally move to Crystal Palace. I love the city and you're close to so much culture. Brighton is OK for a weekend, but I don't think I would want to live there permanently.

Brighton by a mile. Happy people, loads of stuff going on, you can walk everywhere, food, music, great place for kids.

Brighton is a lovely place but no if I had no particular ties to it and had to do a regular weekly commute to London I would avoid like the plague. The London commuter zone is huge. You will probably get some good advice if you can be a bit more specific about your needs - where do you need to get to, how often, how much money are you willing to spend on travel etc.

Brighton but it is overrun by tourists at times. There maybe a better option than both if you let people know where you need to get to, how much you can pay on rent, if you need good schools, what you are looking for / need.

Thanks everyone.

In the best case scenario, we would work in Brighton and commute occasionally. We will need a school in 3 years but I am not obsessed with having the best grammar school. Budget is K300 cash, hopefully with a little loan on top.
Thanks @JoJoSM2 for the air quality report. Countryside sounds lovely but I think we still need some sort of a quiet city vibe.
Then I wonder if I have a false idea of Brighton being cool and enjoyable (I have been there twice only). Maybe it's a very touristy place and it would get on our nerves. It seems quieter in the winter.

I live in Brighton. Thé schools are brilliant, there's so much going on for kids, you're right by the sea and ten minutes drive to the Sussex Downs...so many lovely cafes and restaurants and tons to do. I think it's a perfect place to grow up

I think Brighton is lovely and would go out of London if you only need to be there occasionally. I've only visited and sometimes it has been very busy as its so nice but it wouldn't stop me moving there. I know someone who lives in Lewes and they say that's lovely and he commutes in everyday, I wouldn't care to do that commute everyday but occasionally would be fine.

not sure what you can get in Brighton for £300K but not much more than a shoebox in Crystal Palace and you area family of 3 I guess

why would you choose Brighton over let say Salisbury or Rugby?

how much importance does culture (or seaside) play for you

I was born and raised in CP but now live in brighton, and have done for 10 years. I love it, for me it's like london but better - smaller, more chilled, more open minded, it has a beach. South east london is great but it's a bit restricted in that the transport links aren't great, plus it can be rough. Brighton is the best

Brighton is fun and cool, the tourists flock in on the weekends in summer but tend to stick to the touristy areas, there's lots going on away from the main strip

I'd choose Cristal palace, but 300 won't get you very far in either place.
If you don't mind a bit of grit, I hear great things about Folkestone- great burgeoning arts scene, ok for an occasional London commute, affordable.

It sounds like you like the bohemian, seaside vibe? In your position, I’d probably start if by renting in Brighton and taking a bit of time to explore the coast as there are some other funky towns along the coast. It would also give you time to see how you feel about areas and properties once the baby arrives.

I've lived in both and much prefer Crystal Palace, but then I do love London. However, you would only get a 1 bed flat for £300k in Crystal Palace.

Brighton schools are full to bursting though.

As are the ones in Cristal palace

Apologies for my phone's weird spelling of CP!!!

Hi everyone and thanks for your replies.
We can start in a 1BED until we get a loan. @crabappley does that mean children are on waiting lists? How many kids per class?

@JoJoSM2 I like the free spirit there. And I like that it's near London. You are right, we should visit more cities on the coast. Brighton is cosmopolitan which I like.

*@antimatter * Culture is very important to me. Seaside maybe less but I believe it would help me to not stress out.