Brighton, Hastings, Margate or Crystal Palace?

[lamii]

We are EU couple with baby currently living in Scandinavia but I am obsessed with moving back to the UK. I would like to live in a cosmopolitan area, fairly safe with a friendly crowd. What do you think?

Margate old town is nice and so is Ramsgate. Both Labour constituencies incidentally if that's important. As for cosmopolitan, there are lots of Eastern Europeans and more people from different cultures moving in other counties. Margate is improving there are some lovely properties there.

Depends how much money you have, if you need schools, if you need work.

I do most of my socialising in Margate and Ramsgate never any bother, Margate Soul Weekend is great and the forthcoming Jazz Weekend is next week. Lots of live bands in pubs and nice restaurants. Ramsgate harbour has some little very places to eat and drink

When some of you say Hastings and Margate are dumps, what is a dump for you? Clapton, Tottenham Hale?

Yes.

Tottenham Hale is for sure a dump. But at least it’s a dump with train connections in like 15 mins to central London!

Clapton I’ve never seen the appeal of to be honest, quite expensive for the vibe and not well connected.

You can't judge places properly from a day trip everywhere has good and bad. Most seaside towns are a but grim in winter, bit obvious really with the tourist season over

Westgate and Birchington are really nice too, Minnis Bay beach is lovely. Sandy not pebble and Margate beach is lovely too.

I've got to agree with my fellow Palacian @pinkdelight here.

We moved to Crystal Palace 4 years ago and we love it, especially now we have a baby. There's so much to do- fantastic independent restaurants and bars, the brilliant park that hosts the annual CP festival, more coffee shops than you can shake a stick at, the new Everyman cinema opening next month, lots to do if you have a family with great schools near by too. But the best thing is it's unparalleled community feel which I haven't experienced any where else I've lived in London.

Also I think buying in London is never a bad choice!

If London prices do come down some more (up to 30% says Carney due to Brexit?), grab Crystal Palace for all the reasons which Gimble says.

Once you are out of London, you will be priced out once prices start to rise again.

I quite like Margate/Ramsgate, nice housing stock & beaches & probably the one area where prices could rise, particularly if transport links improved.

I would rather Brighton over CP as don’t feel there is much there but it depends on how much you need to be in London.