[Sussex] Living in Uckfield?

[Sheebo]

I spotted 2 kebab shops when I drove through on Saturday night.

If you’re into takeaways and charity shops you’re into a winner. I’ve enjoyed getting away from there for many reasons!

 

[Mr Putdown]

The Brickies was my local for 10-12 years. You must know Cheesy?

Hang on, you’re not Cheesy are you?

 

[BN9 BHA]

If you’re into takeaways and charity shops you’re into a winner. I’ve enjoyed getting away from there for many reasons!

Even my Amex neighbour has left the town.

 

[HHGull]

Any excuse to post this:

 

[The Birdman]

Good little cinema shows good films and you can Take your drinks into the cinema also let’s hope they open the railway line to Lewes

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Just outside yeh. Hailsham is a lot tougher than Uckfield but has got better. Asda in Eastbourne is the place to go if you want to see these kinds of people - it’s horrendous! I think you had a bad experience of Uck - Heathfield is ok but has nothing in it!

I totally agree with you about parts of Eastbourne.
My parents live in Langley round the corner from Eastbourne Borough, I visit about 4 times a year, honestly every time I visit and I am in that area the speed and the standard of driving is absolutely appalling, there seems something very wrong with Eastbourne nowadays compared to the nice town I used to know as a kid.
But I guess you could say that about many places.

 

[Knocky's Nose]

I totally agree with you about parts of Eastbourne.
My parents live in Langley round the corner from Eastbourne Borough, I visit about 4 times a year, honestly every time I visit and I am in that area the speed and the standard of driving is absolutely appalling, there seems something very wrong with Eastbourne nowadays compared to the nice town I used to know as a kid.
But I guess you could say that about many places.

I think you'll find you're just 'getting old'

I've lived in Eastbourne since 1989 and it's not got any worse as far as driving is concerned. If any of the old Eastbourne lot remember the 'Hyde Gardens' lot racing around town they'll remember proper lunatic drivers... not people doing 40 in a 30 in their stock Audi A3 1.6 TDi S-Lines.

As for Asda at the Crumbles, I lived in the North Harbour - and yes, you couldn't cultivate less intelligent beings in a bloody petri-dish if you farted into a handkerchief and dropped it in there.

 

[Lankyseagull]

I live and work in Uckfield.

Generally it's a good place to live. Served well by both Tesco & Waitrose, a few decent places for grub - Cafe 212 is great value, but if you're a little more flush, Hartfields is good also. The cinema is excellent, it an independent, shows current releases & also offers alternatives showings of ballet & opera etc. It is also linked to the restaurant opposite so you can get good deals for a meal/film night out.

The High Street does have its fair share of Estate Agents, Charity Shops, Barbers & Nail Bars, but has a few good independent shops too.

It has a good range of take-aways, covering all of the usual from kebabs, fish n chips, Chinese & Indian. There are two McDonalds if you include the one on the bypass (which is 24 hours) if that's your thing.

As for pubs, The Alma is a Harvey's pub, The Ringles Cross is currently closed but should reopen under new management soon and The Station, near the er, station are all ok but not world beaters. The Highlands is good as others have said. Unfortunately The Brickmakers in Ridgewood closed last November & has just been bought at auction by the Hoogstraten family, so is likely to be left to go to rack & ruin before being levelled & developed for houses. There's the Cinque Ports Club & Uckfield Club which are members only - of the two I prefer the Cinque Ports, but am not a member.

The leisure centre is Run by the council under its Freedon Leisure banner & offers the usual gym & pool etc and also benefits from a floodlit 3G pitch. There is also a branch of Isenhurst on the industrial estate, a private members only gym, again with the usual facilities.

Diesel trains run from the station to London Bridge via East Croydon. Journey time of 1 hour 20 to LB - always guaranteed a seat to London as Uckfield is the end of the line! The 29 bus service runs through Uckfield from Tunbridge Wells to Brighton. There are also buses to Eastbourne.

Uckfield's biggest problem is travelling north-south & vice versa. You have two options only; either the High Street or the by-pass. Both are really busy at peak times, so it doesn't take much to cause huge tailbacks. With the building of new houses on the outskirts of town, it is likely that it will only get worse in the next few years. Free 3 & 10 hour parking in the main car park - the station car park is pay by phone & is notorious for fines being issued.

As mentioned before, there has been issues with a number of idiots who think they are gangsta's, but I don't think they are any worse than you get in many other towns. With no real police presence, they think they can get away with things.

Generally, I think it is a good place to live and me, my wife & 2 sons are happy here.

 

[Justice]

After living in London for 30 years which I really enjoy most of the time, eight youths hanging around made me chuckle. You get used to the 24/7 madness of a big city, whenever I go to visit my parents who live in Horsham it’s like I’ve gone back in time 20 years feels really surreal, Uckfiels sounds worse.

 

[DavidRyder]

I live and work in Uckfield.

Generally it's a good place to live. Served well by both Tesco & Waitrose, a few decent places for grub - Cafe 212 is great value, but if you're a little more flush, Hartfields is good also. The cinema is excellent, it an independent, shows current releases & also offers alternatives showings of ballet & opera etc. It is also linked to the restaurant opposite so you can get good deals for a meal/film night out.

The High Street does have its fair share of Estate Agents, Charity Shops, Barbers & Nail Bars, but has a few good independent shops too.

It has a good range of take-aways, covering all of the usual from kebabs, fish n chips, Chinese & Indian. There are two McDonalds if you include the one on the bypass (which is 24 hours) if that's your thing.

As for pubs, The Alma is a Harvey's pub, The Ringles Cross is currently closed but should reopen under new management soon and The Station, near the er, station are all ok but not world beaters. The Highlands is good as others have said. Unfortunately The Brickmakers in Ridgewood closed last November & has just been bought at auction by the Hoogstraten family, so is likely to be left to go to rack & ruin before being levelled & developed for houses. There's the Cinque Ports Club & Uckfield Club which are members only - of the two I prefer the Cinque Ports, but am not a member.

The leisure centre is Run by the council under its Freedon Leisure banner & offers the usual gym & pool etc and also benefits from a floodlit 3G pitch. There is also a branch of Isenhurst on the industrial estate, a private members only gym, again with the usual facilities.

Diesel trains run from the station to London Bridge via East Croydon. Journey time of 1 hour 20 to LB - always guaranteed a seat to London as Uckfield is the end of the line! The 29 bus service runs through Uckfield from Tunbridge Wells to Brighton. There are also buses to Eastbourne.

Uckfield's biggest problem is travelling north-south & vice versa. You have two options only; either the High Street or the by-pass. Both are really busy at peak times, so it doesn't take much to cause huge tailbacks. With the building of new houses on the outskirts of town, it is likely that it will only get worse in the next few years. Free 3 & 10 hour parking in the main car park - the station car park is pay by phone & is notorious for fines being issued.

As mentioned before, there has been issues with a number of idiots who think they are gangsta's, but I don't think they are any worse than you get in many other towns. With no real police presence, they think they can get away with things.

Generally, I think it is a good place to live and me, my wife & 2 sons are happy here.

So Hoogstraten is still on the scene? Seems like he's been milking Uckfield for all it's worth for decades now. Did he ever finish that house he was building?

I was born and bred in Uckfield, so remember the pre-bypass days, the circus coming to town by the train track, and when it was easy to park!

 

[Hampden Park]

My Nan and Grandad lived in 'Cross-in-Hand' which is sort of in between Heathfield and Uckfield. That was nice.

 

[Springal]

I visit Uckfield fairly regularly for work and not sure I'd want to live there. Small town but doesn't seem to have a lot going for it, not many pubs and always seems a bit rough to me. The Highlands is OK and does decent food but the rest of the pubs don't seem great.

Depends what you want I guess though

 

[Audax]

Depends on where in Uckfield and what you get a kick out of after work.

I'm living in the "birdy estate" area of Uckfield (the one where all the roads are named after birds). Suits me fine, as it's pure residential - much like the towns I grew up in back in Aus. Highlands is our local, and I'm perfectly happy with that. Not been for a while for various reasons, but last I went the food was above average and the staff friendly. From memory, the Highlands is owned by the same people who own the Cock Inn near Ringmer.

Perfectly happy bringing my kid up here - happier than I would be in Brighton, that's for sure.

Biggest issue is that, other than the cinema and the Highlands, a big night out means travelling (Brighton normally) and if drinking that means taking the bus, which also means either coming home before midnight or staying out the whole night and coming home in the morning.

As noted by others, there's a big new build housing area going up. It's between where I am (Ridgewood) and the A22 bypass. Being built in several phases, and I've heard the developer of phase 1 (who were meant to also do phase 2) have pulled out of Phase 2 because they're struggling to sell the phase 1 homes. If the full development ever does get built, and occupied in full, be aware that the train service north into London definitely won't cope with the increased passenger volumes.

 

[Codner pharmaceuticals]

The Ringles was my pub back when I first started going to the pub with mates. Had some great nights in there.

If we were feeling poncy or trying to impress a laydee we would go to The Chalk and Cheese a wine bar at the top of the High Street. Ye Old Maidens Head and the Prince Regent (called something different now but down by the station) were avoided at all costs unless you fancied a trip to District General Hospital, Eastbourne. The Prince Regent was okay in you lived along Framfield Road but outsiders really not welcome. In later years I had mates in Ridgewood, so the Brickies became a regular haunt.

Didn't know you played for Fletching? Always one of my favourite villages up on the weald

Are you me in disguise?

 

[Norman Potting]

Just down the A26 from us, visit quite regularly. As noted there are two McDonalds and two Tesco as well ("Express" near the leisure as well as the big one) and loads of Charity shops (13 I think). The Pottings love rummaging in Charity shops and have no problem with them, town always seems busy and there is as good variety of other shops as well. Magnificent Cinema which perpetually wins awards, for these days there is a good variety of bus services and even a ludicrously late departure on a Saturday night from Brighton (probably quite an experience). Noble Wines at the very top of the High Street will sell you draught Harvey's in a container, has parking adjacent and is run by a "character".

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Friend of a friend moved from Hurstpierpoint to Uckfield to be near the grandkids. Two years later, wants to move back to Hurst. Not sure if that's the grandkids or Uckfield! Personally I've always regarded Uckfield as a rather dull former army town, but I understand it has a nice little picturehouse

 

[A1X]

Was this the less successful follow up single to "Living in America"?

 

[Dr Bandler]

L

One down side, there is a group of eight little gob shites who hang around in the evening and have caused a bit of trouble last few years. Nothing to worry about but not great when young kids see them acting anti socially and swearing etc. Knobs.

.

Gosh, is that still going on? My friend, who was a bus driver, encountered problems with a teenage gang there years ago. Time it was got to grips with.

 

[albion534]

My ex lives there and I pick my son up regularly from it. Doesn’t seem a bad place. But also. Not much to do. Depends why you’re thinking. But I’m 30 and I wouldn’t fancy moving out here.


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[scoobiewhite]

I grew up just up the A22 in Nutley and played my yoof football with Uckfield Grasshoppers, who still have several successful teams.

Can’t really comment on current state of the town centre, I know my teenage nephew hangs about there and he’s no threat!

Instead, I thought id mention some other local goodness...

Ashdown Forest / Winnie the Pooh
Just 4 miles north on the A22 is this amazing bit of countryside, formal royal hunting grounds, you can access it from Maresfield and Nutley or travel a few miles further and visit Pooh bridge and 100acre wood near hartfield.

There are also loads of other lovely little villages nearby like fairwarp, and buxted

Like Golf?
If you like serious courses, East Sussex National is just a mile south and you might well spot some albion players there.

Like cars and ducks?
Bentley motor museum and wildfowl centre is just a couple of miles towards Lewes

Like country pubs?
There are loads of good ones (though since the legendary Shelley Arms in Nutley closed, it’s never been quite the same!)