South Coast - but where?

[Bouncebacker]

My In-laws want to live near the sea (ideally with a sea view) in a town on the south coast of England. The town needs to be big enough to have everything they will need on a day to day basis (doctors, dentist, hairdressers, shops etc) and have a nice feel to it - and their search area starts around Worthing and stretches as far as Penzance. (various family members have thoughts about where they should be, but they are very open) - budget will be pretty healthy - say 1 - 1.5million. Suggestions for where they should look?

Sandbanks. If I had that sort of money I'd move there.

How about along the New Forest coastline.

New Milton, Lymington, Barton on Sea, Milford on Sea all along to Highcliffe or Christchurch even. Good facilities, lovely views and have the forest as well as the coast. It's also not quite as busy in the summer as Bournemouth, Sandbanks, Jurassic Coast etc

So it looks like Hugo hasn't even done his NQT (ECT) year ... he was also pictured in his VT with primary children and he's qualified as a secondary teacher (primaries don't really have 'PE' teachers)

It's all smoke and mirrors I tell ya!

Oops .. sorry, wrong place 😆

I wondered what on earth you were on there @rampantrooftop

Lymington looks nice - they went to visit Barton-On-Sea / Milford etc and the verdict was ‘it’s full of old people’ 🙄 they are in their 70s…. I think their budget would only stretch to a flat in Sandbanks….

Any thoughts on:
Lyme Regis? (I love it there, but it’s really hilly which maybe isn’t great for old people)
Dartmouth? (V pricey….)

I’m being a helpful and dutiful daughter in law and haven’t once suggested they give us half their cash and buy somewhere smaller… 😂

Eastbourne? I know it has an oldies rep, but it’s getting a bit more of an interesting cultural vibe (with the Towner). Their money would go a long way there I should have thought.

Lyme Regis would be an absolute horror in the height of summer.

I'm only an hour away and on a bad day it's taken 5 hours to get back from that area.

Chichester?

Bosham

Goring (near Worthing) is lovely.

Sea Lane, Goring-by-Sea, Worthing, BN12
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/107823551

Or just a mile further west from Goring - Ferring. Bus ride /drive into Worthing which is finally starting to get nicer

Yes! Ferring is lovely too, and that area is not quite so frenetically busy in the summer months but still beautiful with lots to do.

Lamorna Gardens, Ferring, Worthing, BN12
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/80187912

Swanage. Lovely place.

Falmouth is gorgeous. Penzance ticks all the boxes though!

Lyme Regis is lovely but as you said very hilly and as PP said, very busy in summer. Sidmouth is also very busy in summer but is much more accessible. Lovely town with nice shops and seafront, lots of options for eating out etc. Seaton is occasionally referred to as their poorer neighbour. Get more for your money, big Tesco, other shops, very flat, not very touristy. However, it’s not as fashionable as the others. May be worth looking at Budleigh Salterton. Swanage is lovely too

Swanage or Weymouth?

My money would be on Lymington. Just lovely. The budget would buy somewhere nice in that area - not sure sea view will fit into it though.

Yes there are older residents, as well as many tourists. Very popular with the sailing fraternity, quite upmarket, lovely pubs and restaurants, great shops. I would say that Milford has a different demographic to Lymington mainly due to the sailing so it also appeals to the younger set as well.

It would be helpful to know where the family are based though to suggest places that are easily accessible as your search area is very wide!

This is so helpful, thanks!

Family are based all over (one really near Penzance, one in Hampshire, two in South London) - we live in the US so I think they are talking to us more about it because the UK siblings have strong views that they should move near to them!

Ferring and Goring on their list for visiting, Thanks - they actually went to Bosham yesterday and It sounds like a contender. Chichester itself would be nice (I like it there!). interesting that Eastbourne is changing - I haven’t been for years but I liked it as a child. Good point about the tourists in Lyme Regis. Falmouth really is lovely - Penzance sister would love that!

Chichester is absolutely lovely as well and lots of places around that area. There are some gorgeous places in the surroundings and Chichester itself is also very nice for shopping!

It's a good area if family are in Hampshire and two in South London.
Not as good for Penzance though !

Ferring is beautiful. My family live there. It has become increasingly popular over lockdown with people moving down from London. The prices have rocketed. There is a gorgeous deli and tapas restaurant on their small shopping parade (which gives you an idea how gentrified it has become). The beach there is beautiful and it has good rail links. More people are definitely 'discovering' it but it still has a peaceful feel.