Lewes Forum thread

Hello, I am looking at renting in Lewes. I am not familiar with the town, could you give me advice on how is to live there? moving myself with two little ones, 4 and 6. Thanks in advance, rachel

Like any other place, Rachel, Lewes is what *you* choose to make of it. There seems to be, here, a higher incidence of pursuits of the mind per head of population than elsewhere, and so — if you look for it — encouragement in education and the creative arts is strong.

It isn't the least expensive place to live; but it is a relief for me, personally, to be saving a little more money than in the London from which I first saw Lewes in 2007.

The town cannot claim to be the mirror of Paradise, and it is not hard to look for the damage caused by irresponsible people; though precautions against such irresponsibility are not so necessary as in, say, Tottenham or Lewisham.

Happiness has been my lot here so far, in the midst of some of rural Britain's best public transport and public health services, with the endless possibilities of walking through the natural landscape on our doorstep only moments away. I know my neighbours' names (and share two composters with them, council subsidised).

And as you can see its full of poncy Londoners

And as you can see its full of poncy Londoners

A more than fair share of local bigots with poor grammar and spelling skills too.

....who actually keep up the rearguard mostly on this forum. Most people are welcoming and it's a lovely place to live. The worst problem you'll have is finding somewhere to rent, to be honest!

YARGH! Show me yargh treasure!

Hi Rachel, good luck with the renting and if you have a car, check where you can park it. Locals will know what I mean.

Depending on your budget for renting there are some lovely places to live. I like the King Henry area, Malling is nice for families.
Hope you find somewhere!

Hi Rachel, CastleGate and SQ have it about right, not easy to find rented accommodation, but a great place to live - good luck

Avoid the pells...yobs a regular thing, floods also.

hey len, I am from london, I hope you can come to terms with a thing called "change" ......migration of people etc, do you not think where i grew up is not full of "outsiders" , thats life , thats freedom of movement....
Rachel you have chosen well, lovely town , vibrant and safe, good luck with your home hunting. I would disagree re: the pells there are NO YOBS by the pells, reallly its all nice.

Just avoid parking your car on Pelham Terrace as they seem to get done over fairly regularly along there on Friday and Saturday nights.

Yes, Lewes is a great place to live. Friendly and with good schools for your kids.

Brilliant Len,a little flippant comment sends all the dfl liberal elite into meltdown! And as regards the pells it IS full of yobs on a weekend evening and has been the same for 50 years!

The pells isn't full on yobs, the yobs use the pells as a cut through to get home

Hello, thank you ever so much for your answers. We are moving from London, so, I am sure it'll be much more peaceful... I was thinking to get a car, but probably I'll think twice. Thanks a lot again, you really help.

You'll love it and so will your kids

Move to Devon.....much nicer

If you're from London Rachel you'll find people are a lot less friendlier here. The worst seem to be the self employed 'arty types' whose rude superior attitude will probably sicken you.

Hope you are happy in Lewes - like everywhere else on planet earth there are nice people and not so nice people - friendly people and not so friendly - ingnore the sweeping generalisations and make up your own mind

I've never met so many tight people in the pubs as in lewes and sussex in general, people tend not to drink in rounds, which i find strange, even groups of 3 and 4 buying their own individual drinks, locals will always take a drink if offered but never seem to buy one back.