Hastings info

[Over71]

I'm thinking of moving there, & I'd love some help with info I can't find or trust online. I know it's had some bad press a while ago, but how bad is it now ?

Please help with areas that are "naice", & which to avoid.
I want to avoid making appointments with Estate Agents that will waste everyone's time.

I don't need employment or schools. I still drive, but I'd like to be near bus routes, & supermarkets.

What are the health services like ? I want to be able to make a GP appointment easily, & within a reasonable timeframe. I would prefer an NHS dentist.

I'd be grateful for any help and tips.
Thank you.

I was hoping that someone would help, I don't trust Estate Agents to tell the whole truth.

I have very fond memories of the place as a visitor, which is why I'm thinking of moving there.

I suggest joining a Hastings facebook group as they can be a good source of the sort of local info you're after.

Clive Vale, St Helen's Wood and Blacklands areas are nice.

Avoid town centre areas and seafront as liable to flooding more and more as the years go by.

GP's and local hospital pretty good - dentists a bit harder to find.

@HellRazr @DoBeGoodDontBeBad

Thanks very much, very helpful.

Does it have to be Hastings or would you consider East Sussex in general? I don’t know it well but when I was looking Hasting was often described as rough! I’m not sure how true that is but we avoided it and looked elsewhere in East Sussex.

Some nice areas of Hastings away from the seafront and town centre and its a fairly large town. If you have a car, get in and go and spend a couple of days there if possible, look up the crime rates. It does some some very deprived areas but then again so do most towns. Healthcare and GP access good, dentist on the NHS is very limited. There was a previous chat about this

@Boxfreshrussell @Downatrack

Thank you.
We have arranged to spend a few days in Hastings, & will travel around there & St.L, & explore a bit further along the coast both E & W.

I grew up in Hastings and still go back many times each year to see family. I'll be honest with you. Hastings is the most mixed place I've ever lived (and I've lived all over England and abroad). Yes, it's well known for it's deprivation and social problems. This is what everyone talks about. If you walk around Hastings town centre (particularly the new town centre) it will become obvious to you that there's a lot of deprivation. People look poor, there are drug addicts, alcoholics, etc.
However, there's another side to Hastings that rarely gets mentioned. It's also an incredibly arty and bohemian place and has many middle class people too. It's full of quirky independent shops, cafes, antiques shops, bars, etc. So while people will tell you to avoid it, that's it's rough and dump, there are thousands of well-to-do people living there very happily! It's certainly not all deprivation.
Like I say, I've lived in many places and I'm yet to find anywhere with as much character, charm and quirkiness as Hastings. There's also a real sense of community. More than anywhere else I've ever lived. There are many community events such as pirate day, pram race, old town carnival week, a lot of live music events etc. At these times the whole community comes together, the poorer people, the middle class people. I love that about Hastings - the community spirit and the fact the locals love to party.
As for where to live - I dream of moving back and living in the old town. However, parking is a major issue there. It's a nightmare. I'd also like to live on or near the East Hill area perhaps Barley Lane, High Wickham area. Clive Vale is OK, Blacklands is nice.
The countryside around Hastings is stunning. I want my ashes sprinkled in Fairlight or Ecclesbourne Glen.
So yes, Hastings is not for everyone. It's a deprived town and has more than its fair share of antisocial behaviour. However, it's also beautiful in many places, charming and has a great deal going on culturally.

@SallyWD
Thank you so much for your post. We're open-minded, both have good memories of the place from years ago.
I've made a list of possible properties, so we plan to tour around to look at the general areas before booking appointments.
I've added your areas to the list supplied by a PP.
Thanks again.

@SallyWD

Thankyou for one of the fairest assessments of Hastings I've read on here . Normally people rush to diss Hastings but I love it .
I have a property there and visit frequently. I've met some wonderful people , a lot who have moved down from London , a lot very arty and creative , all welcoming . Just because there is drugs / poverty doesn't mean you mix with it and tbf many many towns and cities have these problems.

There are many many things for families and people to do particularly in summer and it's somewhere that always has new things to discover .
OP go with an open mind and if you do chose Hastings you will get a fabulous property for not much money .

Many Hastings locals are not too keen on the DFL's it has to be said.

Well they should be because they'll be the ones pouring money into the local economy .

I know Hastings Bexhill, Eastbourne, lewes and peacehaven and Brighton.

Old town in Hastings lovely and as previous poster said does have a very arty spaces and life etc. I will say parking is a nightmare and schools bit hit and miss. Back in its day Hastings was beautiful in all parts but it does have serious issues with deprivation on wide a large scale now and that's never really gone away
That said houses are probably quite a bit cheaper than any of the other places I have mentioned (maybe baring bexhill as there's nothing much going on there imo) the closer you get along the coast to Brighton the more expensive you get and Brighton house prices are in a similar vein (if a tiny bit less) than London.

I love visiting there but I don't know if I would want to live there, not so much because of the deprivation but a combination of all of the above (parking, antisocial behaviour, parking on the hills miles away from my house lol ) which would make it a no for me personally.

It was local people that made Hastings what it is today. It's local people that are the musicians, artists and chefs that made the old town vibrant and employed local people.

Unfortunately DFL's are seen as buying up local shops then profiting their artisan wares but not really employing anyone and reaping the financial benefit from other DFL's that can afford the artisan bread and trinkets.

Hastings attracts funding due to the locals that live in deprivation here. However, consortiums come in to Hasdtings and claim the funding and some communities benefit (usually the more middle class artsy communities) - but not the ones that need it the most unfortunately. None of the money reaches Hollington, Malvern Way, West St Leonards, Silverhill or Baird.

Thanks everyone.
Can I ask if anyone can help with bus routes, please ?
I do drive, but a bus to the town centre seems a good idea, so I'd like to be near a bus route if possible.
I've looked on the Stagecoach site, but can't find a map with all the routes.
Any ideas please ?

Here you go @Over71

https://www.cartogold.co.uk/EastSussex/maps/Hastings.pdf

I have lived in Hastings for 19 years now, originally from London. I don't drive but it's not to much of an issue and the bus/train services are pretty regular.
Most of the buses take you from the surrounding areas to Hastings Train Station and if needed you can get connecting buses from there. This is right outside the train station/Hastings college. I'm in St Leonard's and I use the 98 or 99 for the most part to get around, or the train.
As others have said I'd avoid Hastings New town, Parts of Ore, Warrior Square and London Road.
The old town is lovely and so is West St Leonard's.. there are some lovely streets and properties on Filsham Road, Harley Schute, West hill Road In St Leonard's and The Ridge (by the hospital has some lovely parts. A bit further out you've got Westfield, Battle, Pett and Rye. All very nice but I'm not sure how good the public transport is.

Just to add people are saying to avoid the seafront, I lived in a 2 bed garden flat on West St Leonard's Marina for years without issue, it was huge and I loved being opposite the beach. It's why I mentioned West Hill Road, there are some beautiful houses and if you get the right section you get a sea view from your living room.

It's hard to describe hastings! Very deprived and very gentrified in other places. Lots of "down from londoners" (the locals hate!) Lots of hip art places and great bands. The old town is wicked, and lots of fun quirky events- most famously jack in the green, which I'd a rite of passage but difficult to describe to non locals. As someone said up post, one of the most mixed places in the UK!

I live in St Leonard's and love it. West of London road would be my recommendation. Join the Facebook group DFL, OFBs, DFSs etc in Hastings and St Leonard's.

@DoBeGoodDontBeBad many thanks for the map, and thanks to everyone for all the help & comments I've received.
I'll keep quiet about being a Cockney if/when I move there !

Personally I would say don’t do it. I moved to Hastings in 2020, and moved back out recently as it wasn’t somewhere I warmed to, and didn’t particularly want my children growing up there. Lots of deprivation, only a couple of good primary schools. No good secondary schools. Very small town, everyone knows everyone’s business. Wasn’t for me, but depends on what you’re looking for. Lots of nicer seaside towns around IMO.