HASTINGS or Eastbourne to live?

[Africa2004]

We're trying to get out of Kent and move towards the coast. Initially we'll have to commute to London but am hoping to get work closer.
We're considering Hastings & Eastbourne due ticking the boxes of affordability, amenities and being near the sea.
We have a budget of 350k.
We are a same sex couple with two children so also need to consider open minds & schools.
Please could I have opinions on what you would do or experience of either place

Hastings old town is fine but some parts are quite grim. Eastbourne is good value but the commute into Victoria at about 1 and half hours (iirc) plus onward tube or bus to the station etc can be gruelling.

Brighton to Victoria is about an hour. Even that is quite gruelling . You could get a 2 bed flat for your budget or an ex council type house towards the racecourse, you might be able to get a house needing modernising on Elm Grove or even Hanover (you can walk to the station from there) if you are up for a refurb. You could also get something in Hollingdean Dip near Fiveways. Lots of same sex couples in Brighton. Brighton is great for kids, beach, Downs, museums, woods, events at the seafront most weekends, loads of playparks, cycle lanes along seafront, schools are good too most areas (do you need primary or secondary?)

Worthing, further along the coast (the other way from Eastbourne) has 2 trains an hour direct to Victoria(others take 20 minutes to Brighton and change there for Victoria) and has good schools, pier etc but is cheaper than Brighton so you get a lot more for your money in terms of house/garden.

I would go for Eastbourne over Hastings every time - but I am biased as I live just outside Eastbourne. I am friends with several same sex couples & have not heard of any problems in Eastbourne but can't speak for Hastings about that. Eastbourne has the South Downs & Beachy Head etc which is a massive bonus if you like walking.

Lots of familys live in Old Town & this is a link to a (fairly) typical property there:

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-73188958.html

Bits of Hastings are more 'trendy' than Eastbourne but I think the schools are better in Eastbourne & the commute to London is quicker.

I grew up in Hastings - a lot of deprivation, drugs, families with years of SS involvement in parts of Hastings. Lots of my family live there happily but last time I went to the local park I saw a man throwing shoes and swearing at his gf, we had to call the police.

I’d be out clubbing as a teen in the local nite spot and nearly everyone I met already had kids, check school areas carefully. It’s gentrified a bit in the 20 years since I left but not so much that bits of it don’t feel safe after dark.

Have LGBTQ family member and she’s not mentioned any discrimination, she feels safe there.

Thank you so much for replying & helping.
Brighton was the obvious choice but sadly we just don't have enough money for what we'd like there.
We can't go for a flat as we have two outdoor cats who'll drive us crazy inside.
I can't bear the thought of a house that needs doing up as I've been there and we were rubbish at it.
I will look into ex council houses though, thanks.
Eastbourne is looking promising. Which areas would you recommend? (walkable to station & beach if that's possible)

Eastbourne every time. Hastings old town is lovely, but the town has a big drug problem and is really bad in places. In Eastbourne the nicer areas are Mead's (most expensive), Old Town, the north harbour, and parts of Roselands, Redoubt and Willingdon.

Having rented in Sovereign harbour (Eastbourne) I would not go any where near a house there - many. many problems with build quality.

Old Town & Roselands are very nice. Redoubt has good bits, but be cautious about some of the hotels/guest houses that are now council temporary accomodation.

Eastbourne is much nicer than Hastings IMHO

Eastbourne always had had a more genteel reputation. My parents seem to always end up at Eastbourne hospital for treatments, I’m not sure what they’ve done but some hospital services are Eastbourne and some Hastings so worth looking into that in regard to the children.

Eastbourne is lovely as are some of the surrounding towns like seaford and polegate. If you dont mind being in land you can get a lot for your money in hailsham which is next to eastbourne. Public transport isnt as great though so it'll depend what works for you.. I would avoid hastings as many areas are densely populated areas of deprivation. Meads and the seafront are seen as the most desirable areas of eastbourne. Shinewater and some bits of hampden park are less so.

I live near eastbourne in one of the inland towns and have 2 sets of friends who are same sex with DC so that shouldnt be an issue in most places.

Do you want somewhere more town like? A friend used to live in Cooden which was lovely but it's small - it's near Bexhill so between those areas you like

Thank you all, it's really useful information. I'd much rather be near the sea than inland as I love the idea of being able to walk to the beach.
Does anybody have anything good to say about Hastings?? I'm slightly worried about jobs in Eastbourne (we're both medical so eventually would want to work closer to home & obviously the Conquest has more opportunities)

My DC are adult now, but I would not want to bring up DC in Hastings if I had a choice.

Going left field now but many people speak highly of Folkstone - I don't know anything about it except it is an easy commute to London & I think house prices are reasonable. I'm sure there have been threads about it here - try a search.

The commute from Eastbourne to the Conquest would be about 35-40 mins, depending on time of day & where you were in Eastbourne.

I do have lots of family in Hastings who think it’s fine and are raising families there. My mum’s position is that drugs are everywhere. I believe the schools have had a lot of funding to bring them up from the awful level they were at years ago.

Lots of drs etc living in the villages around Hastings but many will be going private for dc school.

Have you thought about commuting to Hastings from somewhere like Battle, Tunbridge Wells, Cranbrook school catchment? Heathfield?

If I wanted to work in Hastings I’d engineer up from commuting from the better schools in Kent in.

One family member works with some of the most deprived people there so I do hear perhaps more bad things than other people might.

Robertsbridge isn’t bad either, think it had a decent primary last time I was trawling stats.

I’m sure you’ll find plenty of people that love Hastings in general.

Have you visited Hastings?

We've moved from Brighton to Hastings and love it! I know Eastbourne reasonably well, it's nice enough, but I wouldn't want to live there. The children have settled well at their new schools and my daughter's primary school is much better than her school in Brighton. I think it has gentrified a lot over recent years, although there is still deprivation no doubt. We don't live a particularly posh area and there is a mix of people, but I hear plenty of middle class accents in the playground. If you are into art and music I think there is much more going on in Hastings than Eastbourne.

Thanks again everyone!
I really appreciate your comments user123445, I knew there must be somebody out there who loved it
No, I haven't been to Hastings, we're going this weekend for some house viewings, I was just hoping for insider knowledge as you can only skim the surface with a visit.
I get that schools vary massively but a lot of them are good or outstanding, are they maybe improving or just not as good as Eastbourne??

Hastings is quite challenged socioeconomically. High scores on deprivation indices.
Eastbourne is surprisingly pleasant but much older population.
Somewhere like Seaford might suit.

Hastings is lovely - yes, parts are grim but it's a fun place to live. My DH grew up there, hated it and left - 23 yrs later we returned and we are pleasantly surprised by the difference in the place. I'm amazed at those who seem to feel they need to live in a bubble away from any 'grim-ness' - we're all part of a community. Lots of festivals and lovely restaurants and lots to do around and about. I think it depends on your vibe and approach to life and resilience to commuting. Personally I find Eastbourne a bit dull and uptight and Brighton utterly pretentious, grimy and touristy - we're all quite defensive of our patches though. We've been in the old town, the west hill which everyone says is grim and now we're a little further out. St Leonards is developing its own identity as well which some prefer. Downsides are the schools - they are improving but our school seems to struggle with retention and behaviour management. Some good private schools and others further out if that's your bag. Local senior jobs are very difficult to find - one of us commutes the other has a local job. Transport links are good. Shopping is great for posh pointless shops in the old town but awful for high street staples - Debenhams hanging on by a thread.

Definitely Eastbourne

I have friends in a Eastbourne and it looks lovely when I joked about moving there they said people only go there to die, their explanation was it was a lovely place to live but an ageing population who want a quiet life.

Another vote for Eastbourne, West Hampden Park is nice and has a train station.

With the greatest of respect you are so very wrong, FAQs.

Your view of Eastbourne - from your friends- dates from about 15/20 years ago. But happy for you to have it - we are happy to keep Eastbourne as the lovely all ages place we know & love.

Eastbourne is lovely. I would say Sovereign harbour is perfect. Since the new road has gone in 20-30 mins drive to the conquest. Two min walk to the beach and bars, restaurants, shops on the doorstep. In the summer it's like being on holiday. Dinner outside overlooking the beach!
Not so many old people now. Great schools too.