To not understand the Hastings hate (or the Eastbourne love!) on MN

[almostautumn]

DH and I are considering moving to East Sussex with our young DC and really like the look of Hastings and St Leonard’s. We’ve visited a number of times and thought it was a really nice place, with some quaint streets and lovely properties.

However, I’ve just searched Hastings on MN to get some opinions and on all three threads I’ve looked at where posters have been asking about Hastings, they’ve had lots of negative replies, with numerous posters telling the OP how lovely Eastbourne is and that she would be much better off moving there.

I don’t get it - as I said, I’ve visited Hastings five or six times and thought it seems lovely! I’ve never been to Eastbourne but searching properties on Rightmove it all looks very uninspiring. Plus DH’s parents (who live fairly near there) said it’s too “old” for them - and they’re in their late 70s!

Am I missing something?

I lived in Hastings Old Town for a couple of years in the late 90s. I didn't move away because I disliked the town - DH and I had underestimated the impact of a long car commute. I regret sellingup in some ways although the houseI was in at the time was a money pit. I also know Thanet quite well and wouldn't move there, not just because of roughness but because there's less to do and the surrounding countryside is flat and boring.

I know the area well and taught in Hastings for a while. Hastings is quite deprived and that has an effect on the town. Eastbourne is less deprived but still fairly mixed demographic. It isn't such a retirement town as it used to be (when my Granny lived there ) and there are a lot of families around these days. Things get more "naice" as you head towards Brighton. Personally I would go out the other side of Brighton though towards Worthing etc. Cheaper than Brighton but nicer than Eastbourne and certainly nicer than Hastings, IMO.

@UsernameN0Tavailable

Just like you would no more about the nice and rough areas where you live, people in East Sussex know that Hastings is rough. The old town is lovely, but the huge drug problem, unemployment and anti social behaviour is well known throughout Sussex.

You wouldn't necessarily encounter that visiting for a day or weekend, or of you're new to the area so maybe trust the people who live nearby and read the local newspapers?

This is exactly what I’m saying. People who don’t live in a town say it’s a dive. People who do say it’s has some rough bits but some bits are ok.

A very timely article, @SandysMam!

I will visit again and actively look out for antisocial behaviour to see if it’s as bad as people say.

I need to suss out schools too...

Every MN thread about where I live is incredibly negative too but I like it!

I've only been to Hastings once for a weekend and found it much as you described OP.

I love Hastings and St Leonards yes it's got the usual seaside deprived town things but it's also a lively, arty and fun place with a bit of a kick to it.

I've gotta be honest Eastbourne is a shithole if you actually look at it, it's bigger than Hastings so the drugs/homeless/crime issues are spread over a bigger area but identical and it's also a soulless dull place to live...unless you like flowerbeds, wind and watching Old people tutting at the poor/young mums/people being happy.

But I lived in both places so maybe I'm missing what the day trippers see.

Hastings IS deprived but that's part of the joke with the locals I found. My sister a teacher lives in Hastings and loves it, they live in a nice part of Hastings though.

Hastings IS deprived but that's part of the joke with the locals I found.

What do you mean, part of the joke?