What is wrong with Hailsham???

[Whenwillitstop1]

Hi everyone,

I've been offered a job in East Sussex and made the decision to move from south east london to Hailsham with my partner and 2 children aged 6 and 3. However, all I seem to hear about Hailsham is bad!! Can someone help me out and tell me what is wrong with Hailsham?? Is it the schools etc.
I am from quite a deprived area in South East London so don't mind it a little rough around the edges but equally want somewhere nice for my kids. I am not from East Sussex so do not know much about the schools and areas there, I looked round Hailsham and it seemed nice and was very affordable.

I live 20 mins from Hailsham and have friends who live there. I really like the town centre, nice mix of shops. My friends moved there as it was cheaper and have had 2 kids go through schools, they love it there.

Thank you for your reply. Yeah I didn't really get bad vibes from there at all. Most of it seemed nice apart from the big estate near phoenix academy. But everyone I've mentioned to that I'm moving there has said its a bit rough and not a great place to live.

My 2 friends live there....over 40 years....no issues....one is at sanbanks bungalows and i think that is the posh part, the other is closer to horsebridge....i visit a lot...never found it bad at all....annoying no train etc tho....

Hailsham is fine, has good bits and bad bits like everywhere else. They are building a lot of new houses, good choice of shops for a small town, many independent places as well😀

I love it here. Happy to help if you have any questions.

Nothing wrong with Hailsham, except it's not by the sea, you can get down to Eastbourne sharpish though.

Thank you! Are there any areas to avoid? And are the schools generally good?

It’s ok, not somewhere I would choose to live, for the following reasons, it’s a bit out of the way, no railway station (Polegate is probably the closest) drive to the beach.

But it has a Waitrose, and a Tesco (I think) freedom Leisure pool, gym, bowling.

Some shops and restaurants but you would need to go to Eastbourne for clothes etc or Uckfield for a change (again small shops) but a change of scenery.

I would consider Eastbourne (more going on, more facilities, closer to the beach or Uckfield (if you want a smaller more rural place) to live, both easily accessible to Hailsham.

I am assuming you have visited Hailsham and the surrounding areas? As pp has said every area has good and not so good areas.

Good luck with your move and new job OP.

There are better areas to pick, as with any place. The Gleneagles area is lovely, pretty quiet and quick access to a park. North Hailsham is also nice, on the way to Horsebridge and then Hellingly. I would personally avoid Town Farm area and the common pond - only really because if you hear of any trouble, these places do get mentioned. Having said that, I have got friends who live near both of these places who are lovely, and are happy with where they live.
Good handful of great primary schools. The secondary is OK, but there are other options, eg Uckfield if you didn’t fancy it. Having said that, every school goes through peaks and troughs and it could be a different story by the time yours are ready for secondary.

You will find it a shock moving from London and it's kind of cut off. But it might be what you want. Strangely Eastbourne has a bit of a reputation too and I don't understand that. Personally I'd move to the coast and drive to Hailsham for work because the countryside around there isn't the nicest. But everyone has their own tastes and needs.

There is a good bicycle trail. But honestly not much else. Its definitely rural.