Can someone start a Hastings is a great place to live thread please

[Cadiz Seagull]

Good to see there are plenty of people who don't agree with Bladders. And give reasons why they don't agree rather than just generalising and voicing an opinion. I got the impression Hastings was certainly on the up from where it used to be, I was certainly pleasantly surpised when I was there recently. To be honest, my impression of the place before I saw for myself was more in line with Bladders, but having been there recently I can see why the Auditor, Hastings Gull and Quinney all say that impression was not correct. Maybe Bladders hasn't been for years and has the same out of date impression of the place that I had in my mind? Or maybe it's just not for him and that's fine, good job we don't all want to live in the same place.

I'm moving back to Sussex because my four kids live there and I have three grandchildren with one more on the way and I don't see anything like as much of them all as I want to. Time to be a more available grandfather!

I haven't lived in Cádiz for years but even if I did it's not an option. I have a business in Extremadura which I will continue to run but I will base myself in Sussex and fly back here every 6 weeks or so.

I can get more for my money in Hastings/St Leonards/Bexhill than anywhere else along the coast and it seems to me there are plenty of reasonable areas to live. I'm sure there are dodgy areas as well as with any decent size town.

I'll be back again in a few weeks time to start house hunting and certainly it's an area I need to know more about. So those guys with positive comments might well get a PM and an offer of a beer so I can pick their brains.

 

[Quinney]

The joke wouldn't have worked about the Bath Court in Hove, that block is quite nice.
There is a part of Newhaven that should have a Bath Court

Can't believe you're having a go at Hastings when it would appear you're in Newhaven!![emoji106]

 

[Saint Lennard]

It's a run down shithole.

Sorry you're moving there

I suppose the back passage you reside in is right up your alley!!!

 

[Hastings gull]

Good to see there are plenty of people who don't agree with Bladders. And give reasons why they don't agree rather than just generalising and voicing an opinion. I got the impression Hastings was certainly on the up from where it used to be, I was certainly pleasantly surpised when I was there recently. To be honest, my impression of the place before I saw for myself was more in line with Bladders, but having been there recently I can see why the Auditor, Hastings Gull and Quinney all say that impression was not correct. Maybe Bladders hasn't been for years and has the same out of date impression of the place that I had in my mind? Or maybe it's just not for him and that's fine, good job we don't all want to live in the same place.

I'm moving back to Sussex because my four kids live there and I have three grandchildren with one more on the way and I don't see anything like as much of them all as I want to. Time to be a more available grandfather!

I haven't lived in Cádiz for years but even if I did it's not an option. I have a business in Extremadura which I will continue to run but I will base myself in Sussex and fly back here every 6 weeks or so.

I can get more for my money in Hastings/St Leonards/Bexhill than anywhere else along the coast and it seems to me there are plenty of reasonable areas to live. I'm sure there are dodgy areas as well as with any decent size town.

I'll be back again in a few weeks time to start house hunting and certainly it's an area I need to know more about. So those guys with positive comments might well get a PM and an offer of a beer so I can pick their brains.

You are very welcome. Look for the St Helens area, as well as anywhere near the Ridge, and William Parker School, and close to Alexandria Park -the park is great. Also, West St Leonards,Harley Shute Rd and Filsham Rd -all lovely areas that would compete with anything else in Sussex. Whilst East Hastings does leave something to be desired, though even here there are notable exceptions such as Clive Vale, West Hastings figures for educational achievement is on a par with anywhere else in Sussex. Try Rush Witt estate agents or PMC, I think they are called. Your kids will love the Smugglers cave, the Aquarium and the Fishing museum where they can clamber on to a real boat. Good experience to go on to the fishing harbour and watch the boats come in and unload.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Can't believe you're having a go at Hastings when it would appear you're in Newhaven!![emoji106]

Can't believe you haven't worked out I'm joking

 

[Saint Lennard]

Enough people have chosen to move from London to Hastings over the rest of the south coast in the last couple of years to show you are making a wise choice with your money. A visit down the Old Town is full of people new to the town and they seem to love it. Whereabouts you move to will depend on your preferences but there is a bit of everything so the choice is wide. Good Luck. I don't think you'll regret it.

 

[Monkey Man]

I grew up with an almost pathological dislike of Hastings but my viewpoint has changed quite a lot in recent years.

The Old Town and Stade areas are lovely - loads of nice independent shops, good fresh fish, some nice walks and views, attractions like the Smugglers Adventure, sea life thingy, fishing museum etc.

Some fantastic housing stock offering great value for money. And although London money is changing the character of the area, there's an arty seediness that never quite goes away - I guess that either appeals to you or it doesn't.

Transport links are slowly improving, the pier project is encouraging, and I understand there is investment happening in St Leonards that is improving an otherwise unlovely area.

Very easy to slag Hastings off, as it has tended to top the wrong kind of league tables over the years, but I do sense there's a renewed pride in the place among the locals and that in many ways it's a better place to live than it used to be.

 

[Quinney]

Can't believe you haven't worked out I'm joking

No worries, it would appear Cadiz Seagull is still keen to move here so at least the thread has a positive end. Best wishes from sunny Hastings[emoji41][emoji481]

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Hastings is fast becoming a place that the gay community is moving into. It's far cheaper than Brighton but has a similar feel. They are definitely making a difference in bringing the area up.

The old town is well worth making the effort to see.

 

[goldstone68]

Somebody doesn't know their history

lighten up its only a joke Harold

 

[BN9 BHA]

Hastings is fast becoming a place that the gay community is moving into. It's far cheaper than Brighton but has a similar feel. They are definitely making a difference in bringing the area up.

This thread suddenly makes sense
Greetings from Newhaven [MENTION=14282]Quinney[/MENTION]

 

[Sergio Garcia]

Good to see there are plenty of people who don't agree with Bladders. And give reasons why they don't agree rather than just generalising and voicing an opinion. I got the impression Hastings was certainly on the up from where it used to be, I was certainly pleasantly surpised when I was there recently. To be honest, my impression of the place before I saw for myself was more in line with Bladders, but having been there recently I can see why the Auditor, Hastings Gull and Quinney all say that impression was not correct. Maybe Bladders hasn't been for years and has the same out of date impression of the place that I had in my mind? Or maybe it's just not for him and that's fine, good job we don't all want to live in the same place.

I'm moving back to Sussex because my four kids live there and I have three grandchildren with one more on the way and I don't see anything like as much of them all as I want to. Time to be a more available grandfather!

I haven't lived in Cádiz for years but even if I did it's not an option. I have a business in Extremadura which I will continue to run but I will base myself in Sussex and fly back here every 6 weeks or so.

I can get more for my money in Hastings/St Leonards/Bexhill than anywhere else along the coast and it seems to me there are plenty of reasonable areas to live. I'm sure there are dodgy areas as well as with any decent size town.

I'll be back again in a few weeks time to start house hunting and certainly it's an area I need to know more about. So those guys with positive comments might well get a PM and an offer of a beer so I can pick their brains.

Speaking as a resident of West St Leonards.....don't hang about, house prices are moving upwards very quickly & particularly in Central St Leonards( Norman Rd area) properties are being snapped up by very quickly. Some nice pubs,coffee shops and restaraunts in this area too.

 

[Gazwag]

lighten up its only a joke Harold

It might have been funny if you had the correct town though

 

[seagully]

Having grown up in Battle, I spent a lot of time in Hastings as a kid/teenager. Was pretty run down in those days, with an 'end of the line' type feel, but seems to be on the up now. To reiterate what others have said: Old Town is lovely, Alexandra Park area is much much better than it used to be- some lovely houses along there. Plus it's only 20-30 mins away from Battle, Rye, Winchelsea etc.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Enough people have chosen to move from London to Hastings over the rest of the south coast in the last couple of years to show you are making a wise choice with your money. A visit down the Old Town is full of people new to the town and they seem to love it. Whereabouts you move to will depend on your preferences but there is a bit of everything so the choice is wide. Good Luck. I don't think you'll regret it.

I think that is because Hastings/St Leonards became the last place along the south coast that was affordable to locals. DFLs are bringing the area up for sure.

 

[goldstone68]

It might have been funny if you had the correct town though

well the Battle of Battle sounds so stupid don't you think?

 

[halbpro]

I lived there till I was 19 and really didn't like it. It's getting nicer now, but it's still not great. If you want somewhere cheap then it's fine, and the Old Town is indeed nice (well the High Street and George Street are, the Bourne is almost utterly without charm and there's not much on All Saint's Street). My experience in the past has been that stuff closes early out of season, except for pubs of course. That may well have changed now though, I don't go as often. Events like Old Town week, Jack in the Green and the Bonfire Procession are excellent, but only make up a few weeks of the year. Also George Street seems to slowly be shifting towards being full of drunken twats at night, which it absolutely didn't used to be (certainly not to the same extent anyway).

It does very much depend where you buy too. Closer to the front is generally better, unless you get into St. Leonards where it's not as nice in my opinion. The Old Town used to be one of the more expensive bits of town, but it's also probably the best bit to live in. I probably wouldn't go to Ore, but lower Old London Road is quite good if you don't mind hills. If you can get something around Croft Road or on some bits of the West Hill you'll be onto a good thing, the same is true around Alexandra Park. Avoid Hollington/West St. Leonards.