Crawley.....help needed....

[Giraffe]

I am considering relocating up that way to have a slightly shorter work commute, and it seems to be the best value for money....

I know it has a horrible reputation, but surely there is somewhere decent to live there?

In short, don't it's a shit hole.

 

[Scampi]

Wouldn't like to speak for the housing estates, as I'm sure each of them have their share of nice people, amongst the troublemakers.

But pretty much without exception, every bar and pub in Crawley is horrific. I work in and around the town on a regular basis, and I genuinely cannot think of a single pub I'd be pleased to visit on a night out.

"Never go in a pub with a flat roof": an excellent drinking tip I was once given and try to follow religiously. A number of the local neighbourhood pubs in Crawley fit this categorisation. Steer well clear.

When Crawley was being built each neighbourhood was given a little parade of shops with a church and a pub next door. The pubs were buiit to be big and airy and as a consequence every one I've been in has the atmosphere of an airport lounge. When i lived there we'd go to the Brewery Shades on the high street( clientele rough as **** but cosy and you could always find the Jazz Woodbine vendor at the bar) or the The Swan in West Green. But there are some cracking pubs in the villages immediately around the Town.

 

[Surf's Up]

Surely the main negative about living in the Crawley area is that it's choc full of Palarse and Chelsea fans?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

When Crawley was being built each neighbourhood was given a little parade of shops with a church and a pub next door. The pubs were buiit to be big and airy and as a consequence every one I've been in has the atmosphere of an airport lounge. When i lived there we'd go to the Brewery Shades on the high street( clientele rough as **** but cosy and you could always find the Jazz Woodbine vendor at the bar) or the The Swan in West Green. But there are some cracking pubs in the villages immediately around the Town.

I can't say I've ever had the pleasure of venturing inside the Imperial at Broadfield Barton, but I suspect "airport lounge" isn't quite the vibe there

To be fair, that little pub in the old village part of Ifield always looks pleasant enough. The town centre ones (and, as stated, most of the neighbourhood pubs) are shockers though, no doubt.

 

[The Birdman]

I live in Newhaven ( well Denton) and I've lived in Crawleay and I think both have an unfair reputation. I'd much rather live in both than say Moulsecombe or Peacehaven or (shudder) Haywards Heath.

Nothing wrong with Haywards Heath you must be mixed up with Bugs hole

 

[Simster]

Surely the main negative about living in the Crawley area is that it's choc full of Palarse and Chelsea fans?

It's not more choc full of Palarse than it is Albion. You'll find lots of big London club support there though, with Chelsea the most prominent. It's a bit sad really, considering Palace & Brighton are both only 20 minutes away, never mind the fact they have their own league club these days.

As for Crawley, I get tired of defending it - especially from people who live in shìtholes elsewhere in Sussex, and other utterly boring no-mark places. It's simply a classic English blue-collar new town and this invites an awful lot of misplaced snobbery on here IMO. Sure, it lacks character, it has some truly crap areas, it has concrete buildings you wonder how ever got through planning permission and some of the people are proper chavs - but as far as I'm concerned, a lot of this is common throughout the country. In it's favour, the shopping facilities are decent, the municipal facilities are far better than Brighton's (when you consider it's relative size), traffic is rarely an issue, and the biggest thing is that you can choose to work locally and actually afford to pay your mortgage.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

the biggest thing is that you can choose to work locally and actually afford to pay your mortgage.

Interesting that you say that. I always thought it was cheaper than the rest of the central Sussex corridor. But there was some survey published recently that had it in a UK top ten most unaffordable towns/cities in terms of house prices compared to average earnings.

Think Cambridge came top, followed by London, Brighton, Oxford, Bristol and the usual suspects. But Crawley was something like fifth or sixth (Worthing was also in there).

I guess that's from house prices still being up there with the South East average, but that the nature of many of the jobs on offer means they're low paid roles in areas like the travel industry (always crap pay unless you're a pilot) or aircraft catering & cleaning?

The Palace thing: I think you're probably right there. I've worked in the town for many years and I honestly can't recall seeing anyone in a Palace shirt, ever. Or an Albion one, come to think of it. I just don't think it's particularly a football town. You do see a few Crawley shirts being worn, & fair enough. But little else.

 

[Simster]

Interesting that you say that. I always thought it was cheaper than the rest of the central Sussex corridor. But there was some survey published recently that had it in a UK top ten most unaffordable towns/cities in terms of house prices compared to average earnings.

Think Cambridge came top, followed by London, Brighton, Oxford, Bristol and the usual suspects. But Crawley was something like fifth or sixth (Worthing was also in there).

I guess that's from house prices still being up there with the South East average, but that the nature of many of the jobs on offer means they're low paid roles in areas like the travel industry (always crap pay unless you're a pilot) or aircraft catering & cleaning?

The Palace thing: I think you're probably right there. I've worked in the town for many years and I honestly can't recall seeing anyone in a Palace shirt, ever. Or an Albion one, come to think of it. I just don't think it's particularly a football town. You do see a few Crawley shirts being worn, & fair enough. But little else.

http://www.theguardian.com/housing-...-10-most-unaffordable-areas-centre-for-cities

Clearly, Crawley house prices are a function of London's. So whilst I'm probably incorrect when I say "you can work locally and actually afford to pay your mortgage" in Crawley, it's obviously a good deal easier than from Brighton. And in any case, the commute to London is a far shorter than it is from Brighton (assuming you go from Gatwick or Three Bridges).

 

[Lady Whistledown]

http://www.theguardian.com/housing-...-10-most-unaffordable-areas-centre-for-cities

Clearly, Crawley house prices are a function of London's. So whilst I'm probably incorrect when I say "you can work locally and actually afford to pay your mortgage" in Crawley, it's obviously a good deal easier than from Brighton. And in any case, the commute to London is a far shorter than it is from Brighton (assuming you go from Gatwick or Three Bridges).

What Crawley undeniably does have, as I think you've alluded to, is a forward-thinking local council who are prepared to make bold decisions to improve the place. Granted, I daresay the town has less Splendid Regency Architecture ([emoji767]Selma Montford) to worry about destroying in favour of a new development. But their council-provided leisure facilities, for example, with the single exception of the football stadium, compare very favourably to those provided for the residents of Brighton & Hove. The K2 is superior to anything B&H has to offer. The shopping centre, whilst dull & filled with chain stores, is at least fit for purpose and has considerably cheaper parking than Churchill Square.

And even in terms of the football, I believe talks are currently quite advanced with Crawley Borough Council for a new, 10k stadium to be built, and the Broadfield Stadium to be sold off for housing. CTFC are likely to have had two new stadiums built in not much more time than its taken us to build one...

 

[goldstone]

To be fair there are plenty of places to live that are ok just avoid bewbush and broadfield

I moved here for work in 2007 here is a list of likes and dislikes

Likes
u can be in bluewater in 35 mins

What the hell is there to "like" about being 35 minutes from a shopping mall? Either you're a woman, or the kind of man who gets dragged around shops by your wife/partner when you should be doing manly things.

 

[MissGull]

The replies have been most interesting thank you...

Would people consider Horsham, East G and Horley?

 

[Scampi]

I can't say I've ever had the pleasure of venturing inside the Imperial at Broadfield Barton, but I suspect "airport lounge" isn't quite the vibe there

To be fair, that little pub in the old village part of Ifield always looks pleasant enough. The town centre ones (and, as stated, most of the neighbourhood pubs) are shockers though, no doubt.

I've don't think i've ever been in there, for some no-one ever said "why don't we go to Broadfield and have a drink in that pub by the shops"

 

[jimbob5]

I am considering relocating up that way to have a slightly shorter work commute, and it seems to be the best value for money....

I know it has a horrible reputation, but surely there is somewhere decent to live there?

Relocating from where? Brighton?

 

[Scampi]

What Crawley undeniably does have, as I think you've alluded to, is a forward-thinking local council who are prepared to make bold decisions to improve the place. Granted, I daresay the town has less Splendid Regency Architecture ([emoji767]Selma Montford) to worry about destroying in favour of a new development. But their council-provided leisure facilities, for example, with the single exception of the football stadium, compare very favourably to those provided for the residents of Brighton & Hove. The K2 is superior to anything B&H has to offer. The shopping centre, whilst dull & filled with chain stores, is at least fit for purpose and has considerably cheaper parking than Churchill Square.

And even in terms of the football, I believe talks are currently quite advanced with Crawley Borough Council for a new, 10k stadium to be built, and the Broadfield Stadium to be sold off for housing. CTFC are likely to have had two new stadiums built in not much more time than its taken us to build one...

We moved from Crawley down to Hove. One of the notable differences was the time it took to get anything done in Brighton. I couldn't believe how many bossy little self interest societies cropped up when anyone so much as sought permission for a new drive. As for the football "stadium" remember when that was planned Crawley town were in the southern league

 

[Lady Whistledown]

The replies have been most interesting thank you...

Would people consider Horsham, East G and Horley?

Horley strikes me as a character-free, ugly commuter town with not much to recommend it. It's also in Surrey. Not the posh bit. East Grinstead suffers from inconvenient transport links and is one of the dullest towns on earth. Unless you like niche religions: a survey a few years back found it was home to more religious cults than any other town in Britain.

I'd pick Horsham out of that lot. Can't get a direct train to Brighton (same as EG) but it's a pleasant enough little market town in the main.

These views are mine alone & are not those of NSC

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I've don't think i've ever been in there, for some no-one ever said "why don't we go to Broadfield and have a drink in that pub by the shops"

I think even most of the residents of Broadfield steer clear of going down the Barton for a pint. The Imperial looks a tad, erm, "edgy", shall we say?

The White Knight in Pound Hill doesn't look much like a spot for a sophisticated glass of wine or two amongst chums...correct me if I'm wrong, Crawley people?

 

[Nibble]

I am considering relocating up that way to have a slightly shorter work commute, and it seems to be the best value for money....

I know it has a horrible reputation, but surely there is somewhere decent to live there?

It really has nothing going for it. Horrendous little modern built, soulless hole with zero history or features of interest. Avoid.

 

[jimbob5]

Horley strikes me as a character-free, ugly commuter town with not much to recommend it. It's also in Surrey. Not the posh bit. East Grinstead suffers from inconvenient transport links and is one of the dullest towns on earth. Unless you like niche religions: a survey a few years back found it was home to more religious cults than any other town in Britain.

I'd pick Horsham out of that lot. Can't get a direct train to Brighton (same as EG) but it's a pleasant enough little market town in the main.

These views are mine alone & are not those of NSC

My advise is 'don't move unless you have to, or see somewhere which grabs you, is practical and you can afford. Don't be influenced by others too much but check it out for yourself. The continuing boom is part manufactured by emergency interest rates causing easier and bigger loans so inflating prices, lax regulations on BTL, foreign billionaires buying London with money we are led to believe is clean, people with memory loss etc

 

[Simster]

Horley strikes me as a character-free, ugly commuter town with not much to recommend it. It's also in Surrey. Not the posh bit. East Grinstead suffers from inconvenient transport links and is one of the dullest towns on earth. Unless you like niche religions: a survey a few years back found it was home to more religious cults than any other town in Britain.

I'd pick Horsham out of that lot. Can't get a direct train to Brighton (same as EG) but it's a pleasant enough little market town in the main.

These views are mine alone & are not those of NSC

I agree with your sentiment on all three of those places. Horley has a Waitrose, and that is literally the best thing you can say about it. East Grinstead is as you describe, except to also say that it is the UK head quarters of all the nutjob "religions" that America has to offer - most notably scientology. Horsham is fine and the schools are decent.

 

[The Oldman]

My son and family live in Horsham and they love it. It is a nice upmarket town.Property prices are similiar to Brighton but I would say slightly more expensive and not so much choice. Getting anywhere from Horsham by road is a bit of a pain going north and trains ok for London but for Brighton no direct line.

PS Has one of the best parks of any Sussex Town.