On 19 Feb 2012 at 4:14pm Rainbow-Worrier wrote:
I'm looking to move into the area in a few months time. To help me decide which areas to look at I'd really like to hear what everyone thinks about the area that they live in - but rather than getting into the usual discussion/argument about 'where to avoid' I prefer to hear what people like and dislike about the area they are based in.
Thanks in advance.
On 19 Feb 2012 at 4:25pm DFL wrote:
I live on the Nevill Estate, and on the whole, all the residents are very friendly and helpful. It's very close to the South Downs, so great for going for walks, and there's some brilliant views of the surrounding countryside. There is a local bus service that runs around the estate every half hour, but this finishes at about 6 p.m., and there are no buses on Sundays or Bank Holidays. Having said that, it's only a 20 minute walk into town, through some nice areas of Lewes. We also have the Nevill Juniors and Lewes Borough bonfires right behind the estate, which are both great to go to. I must admit I haven't seen any houses for sale at the moment though !
On 19 Feb 2012 at 4:49pm Not a dfl wrote:
Depends what your budget is RW. I too live on the Nevill and it is very nice, you'll pay for it though. I was lucky enough to buy mine some years ago for sixty grand
Smug? Me?
There are also a couple of shops on the estate which open late and sell pretty much sell everything. The houses are of solid construction though hideously over priced. But then as Charles Wycherly would say, they are on the 'favoured Nevill area'.
Good school on the doorstep too.
On 19 Feb 2012 at 8:12pm Cleopatra wrote:
I live just off the Barons Down area which is the top end of Winterbourne so the same end of town as the Nevill. On a positive we too have a local shop & its 15 minutes walk to town, on a negative we are just outside the parking scheme so do tend to get county hall employees using us as a free car park although I don't find it a huge problem. Having also lived at the end of town in the past I have to say personally I prefer where I am now.
On 19 Feb 2012 at 9:15pm New too wrote:
We live in a really expensive area. It's great, but there's a chance you won't be able to afford it here.
On 19 Feb 2012 at 9:48pm Simon wrote:
I would tend to judge it by the essentials such as is it an area that gets a regular visit from the Ice Cream van ? I'm guessing that residents of Wallands Crescent, Houndean, Cranedown and the like are forced into town to one of the big Supermarkets. The lucky residents of Landport, Malling and I presume Nevill benefit from being able to pad to the kerbside in their slippers bowl in hand. Mind you I was disappointed the other day when I mistook a childs toy for Mr Whippys dulcet tones.
On 19 Feb 2012 at 9:51pm Nevillite wrote:
Nevill is leafy, pleasant, with a nice community feel and access to the downs. It does feel quite separate from town though, and a long way from the pubs, particualarly if your favourite is the Snowdrop or the Brewers. There's nothing on the estate itself apart from a few shops and it does feel a bit suburban. But you could do far worse. I do like Pells though, I have to say -- more my idea of town living.
On 19 Feb 2012 at 10:22pm Not a dfl wrote:
You mean an estate on the edge of town feels 'a bit suburban'. Who'd have thought that!!!
On 19 Feb 2012 at 11:12pm Southover Queen wrote:
I live in - surprise surprise - Southover. We have the amazing St Pancras Stores as our local shop, we're ten minutes easy walk from the station and 15 or so from School Hill and the precinct. Southover High St has some very old buildings, including Anne of Cleves house of course, and there are couple of really lovely open spaces on our patch as well - the Priory ruins and Grange Gardens.
The one thing I would advise anyone buying in Southover is to listen carefully when you visit the area. Some roads, such as Rotten Row and Grange Road, do get quite a bit of noise pollution from the by-pass. It depends a bit on location: some parts of Southover lie in a sound shadow so it's not quite so bad, but it can be quite intrusive in others. I'd say it was particularly true on the south side of the High St.
I've got lots of friends over on the Cliffe side of town, and I do like it there. I worry about flooding a bit though...
On 20 Feb 2012 at 9:16am Nevillite wrote:
I meant in the sense that it is just a residential dormitory. It's quite different from the Victorian out of town areas you can find it some other towns where there are a lot of other 'uses' (to use a planning term) eg. corner pubs, businesses etc. You do feel a bit car-dependent in Nevill. I'd rather be able to pop out for a quick half and be back home in 45 mins or, for example, be able to walk to Waitrose or the station in 5 mins. My quality of life would be better, I think -- although I do not value gardens or off-street parking at all, and I know some people do highly.
On 20 Feb 2012 at 9:55am Not a dfl wrote:
You can't have it both ways, Nevillite. If you moved to the town centre I think you'd soon regret it after having lived on the Nevill. I've lived in Lewes all my life and therefore accept the geography of the town. You pay your money and you make your choice.
On 20 Feb 2012 at 10:15am Cliffite wrote:
Cliffe High St is where I live but not for much longer. Pros: being central, being close to The Downs, being close to The Snowdrop, being on the Cliffe Bonfire procession route, sense of things going on & belonging. Cons: Early morning shop deliveries to certain fruit & veg seller, early morning pub glass bins being emptied, random shop alarms going off in the middle of the night, cars driving the wrong way down the one-way street, flood risk and buskers who can't sing
On 20 Feb 2012 at 10:18am Nevillite wrote:
I wouldn't miss the 20 minute walk to the station each morning and the 25-30 minute walk back (big hills).
For my budget, yes, Nevill is preferable, and I like the community and the people. But if I were a lot richer I would choose a quiet spot in Southover or in Wallands. But I couldn't afford anywhere decent there at the moment.
I suppose for a lot of DFLs like me what attracts you to Lewes is the architecture and townscape (as well as the people and the pubs and the countryside etc.). Apart from the views, you could be anywhere in Nevill. It hasn't got anything distinctive about it. You might not be bothered by that if you've never been anywhere else other than Lewes.
On 20 Feb 2012 at 10:19am DFL wrote:
NaD, you're right, "The Nevill" is a great place to live, and I'm glad I'm out of the town centre !
On 20 Feb 2012 at 10:28am BRUSSEL SPROUT wrote:
I recently bought a place in Lewes, so spent time looking at different areas. Of the places I considered my impressions were:
Wallands area (where I eventually bought) - Nice, still close enough to town if you don't have a car. Mostly expensive but also some more affordable small Victorian terraced cottages. No flood risk. Easy access to countryside at Western edge and the Paddock is great.
Pells - Great park and ponds but I was a bit at a loss as to why it is so popular (and expensive!) beyond that, I thought some of it a bit sunken and damp feeling.......... some flood risk. Seems to have a nice community feeling though so maybe that's why it's attractive. Good for River walks
Cliffe - Lively, right in town, so great for the shops but big flood risk.
Southover - Very charming and quiet, mostly expensive, character properties. Near the Station. Grange gardens fabulous.
That's all the places I looked so I can't comment on other areas so much, although I grew up just outside Lewes so I know the place well. I was looking at more central areas as I don't drive, so need shops etc at walking distance. Hope this helps.
On 20 Feb 2012 at 10:55am Ed Can Do wrote:
I grew up in Bradford Road which is a lovely place to grow up what with Baxters and the Paddock being so close, you're only a ten minute walk from town and most of the schools and it's pretty quiet although on the downside the houses are now monstrously over-priced, the kids on the Ousedale estate are very noisy and enjoy throwing stones over the fence at the back of the terrace and the whole street is subsiding.
I now live in "Old" Malling, down the bottom which is still only ten minutes from town, very handy for Tesco, close to the Pells and river and with the huge Malling field on your doorstep, even closer to the downs than Bradford Road was, is a generally very friendly place, has almost no through traffic, has off-street parking, there's a regular-ish bus around the estate and in to town, there's a local shop and it's five minutes to the Esso for late at night shopping and I've got a great, south facing garden. Downsides are that our two-bed house is too small for a family and having flooded once before, our home insurance is hilariously expensive. On the flip side, with the house being too small to attract much in the way of DFL interest, it didn't cost us too much to buy it (Relatively speaking of course, the same house in Uckfield would have been half the price but then I'd have to live in Uckfield).
On 20 Feb 2012 at 11:19am ADT wrote:
My favourite is Morris Road in Cliffe -
Plus: One minute from the high street but no noise from deliveries. Three minutes from the station on a bike, same to the downs, the best pubs, great neighbours, close to the railway land, river, bonfire procession goes past end of the street, Victorian houses with a bit of character, sense of actually being in Lewes.
Minus: Small gardens. Road has flooded twice in 50 years...
On 20 Feb 2012 at 3:50pm Ratty wrote:
New Malling
Pros: Close to Riverside walk & Pells, Malling Playing Fields, Old Railway Line, Malling Churchyard (v tranquil) and Mill Road is not far. Nice walk along the Pells to War Memorial/Station. Malling stores (excellent) nearby, as is Tesco, if that's your thing. Pretty quiet and has quite a green feel in parts. It doesn't flood there.
Cons: Bit soulless (except for ice cream van!). Nearest pubs are the Ellie/Lamb/Lewes Arms. Houses are not large and are poorly sound proofed but are reasonably priced (for Lewes). Gardens not over generaous.
On 20 Feb 2012 at 5:43pm Woodle wrote:
I live in the Leicester Road area. Fantastic - quiet, houses have gardens, there's a handly local shop and its a short walk to the centre and an even shorter one to the Pelham.
On 20 Feb 2012 at 6:21pm Are you sure? wrote:
Hey Woodle, I think 'a short walk to the Pelham' should be in the downside column 
On 20 Feb 2012 at 8:29pm Malling wrote:
Mill Road resident here. A good mix of houses (and people), very easy access to the Downs, a local shop just across the road in old Malling and not far to stroll into town or to the Pells. On the down side, not all of the houses have their own parking and it sometimes feel a long walk home from the pub.......
On 20 Feb 2012 at 8:50pm mrs b wrote:
E.C.D your insurance should have gone down now that the 10 yrs is up, mine did but i had to move insurers to get it,try the halifax,they managed to halve it.
On 20 Feb 2012 at 8:51pm mrs b wrote:
E.C.D your insurance should have gone down now that the 10 yrs is up, mine did but i had to move insurers to get it,try the halifax,they managed to halve it.
On 20 Feb 2012 at 9:47pm Jane S wrote:
A big amount depends on your family situation - young children? empty-nester? single looking for a pad? That's the only big factor not gone through so far in this discussion, and the various Lewes areas offer different advantages in that line
On 20 Feb 2012 at 11:30pm don't do it wrote:
Stay where you are it is an overpriced and highly corderouy populated den of people who moan about anything
On 21 Feb 2012 at 8:53am DFL wrote:
I haven't moaned about anything ! ..... and I don't wear cords ! Rainbow Worrier, don't be put off, spend a few weekends looking around Lewes, the various areas, the Downs etc., I think you won't be disappointed.
On 21 Feb 2012 at 8:53am DFL wrote:
I haven't moaned about anything ! ..... and I don't wear cords ! Rainbow Worrier, don't be put off, spend a few weekends looking around Lewes, the various areas, the Downs etc., I think you won't be disappointed.
On 21 Feb 2012 at 9:29am Peasant wrote:
Look at Ringmer. Great community & schools, village green, pub, bank, PO, local shops, doctor, vet, everything on hand. Closer to Tesco & Waitrose than the Nevill and free parking with no blue meanies. Buy a 4-bed detached for the price of a 3-bed on the Nevill.
On 21 Feb 2012 at 9:37am Ed Can Do wrote:
Cheers Mrs B, I'll shop around a bit when the renewal comes up. The problem I had is that every company I spoke to ask if the property had ever flooded, no matter how long ago it was. I only managed to get insurance at all from LV because they already insured the place when I bought it and legally had to offer me insurance on it. I might get a broker involved next time, ringing insurance companies is painful.
On 21 Feb 2012 at 12:24pm Feline wrote:
Ed Can Do, also try the Nationwide, who halved our insurance for a flood prone house from Liverpool & Victoria.
On 21 Feb 2012 at 6:51pm Rainbow Worrier wrote:
Thanks for all your comments. You have been very helpful. I shall be travelling over in a couple of weeks so it has really given me some food for thought.
On 22 Feb 2012 at 12:31am Brian the Banker wrote:
Do not listen to Peasant. Ringmer is not closer to the town centre than Nevill. And though it may be free to park there (at the moment), the wardens do pay visits and ticket yellow line offenders. There is a reason why Ringmer is 20% cheaper than Lewes, and it's not just because people like Peasant live there!!!
On 22 Feb 2012 at 2:41am Peasant wrote:
Ringmer is far closer than the Nevill to Tesco & Waitrose in car-minutes, Brian. There's a better bus service too, if you can't drive.
NCP traffic fines in Lewes town add up to many hundred thousand pounds per year (as they have to for the books to balance, given East Sussex County Council's brilliant negotiating skills). I have never heard of anyone getting an NCP fine in Ringmer, though I did once see a blue hat there, looking a bit lost. There are hardly any yellow lines to get ticketed on, anyway. The PCSOs do dish out a penalty notice or two, but only to those who selfishly obstruct the mobility scooter ramps at the shops. I bet Lewes parking fines each year are 1,000 times more than those issued in Ringmer, and no one in Ringmer has to pay to park on the road outside their house. Or outside the bank. Or outside the post office. Or at the doctors. I'm amazed you all put up with it. I'm very unsurprised how many Lewes people drive out to use Ringmer facilities.
On 22 Feb 2012 at 10:41am SlightlyPedanticPenguin wrote:
If you tried to go to Tesco from the Nevill via the High Street then maybe it would take longer than from Ringmer, however no-one would go that way. I have to go from the Nevill to New Malling (ie further than Waitrose or Tesco) at 8.30 in the mornings and it takes about 6-7 minutes in the car. RAC route planner shows the same time from Springett Avenue to Tesco, and anywhere east of Springett Avenue obviously longer (although have you tried getting past Earwig Corner in a hurry at 8.30 in the morning!)
Also, for what it's worth, there are virtually no yellow lines on the Nevill either, and I certainly don't have to pay to park outside my house. If this, and proximity to Tesco, are your determining factors in where you live, then both Nevill and Ringmer would score highly. I am guessing however that most people will want to take much more than this into account when choosing where to live, and as such Lewes has got much more to offer. The odd Lewes person may drive to Ringmer to use the facilities, but I imagine the traffic is much heavier in the other direction!
On 22 Feb 2012 at 1:29pm Ed Can Do wrote:
I always drive to Ringmer to use the post office and from where I live in Malling, it's about the same distance to the off licence in Ringmer as it is to Station Wines if I'm after booze post-Malling Stores opening hours.
I wouldn't want to live there though.
On 23 Feb 2012 at 1:18pm Jude wrote:
ECD - we used comparison sites for house insurance and eventually got it through legal and general. This year it went up over 200 quid because the discounts go to new business, so could be worth trying to be that new business ! The other problem is that insurance co's have been receiving some sort of guarantee from the government for insuring flood-prone houses, but that guarantee is under review, so premuims have gone up. Good to hear nationwide and Halifax both offer flood insurance, I will investigate them next year.
On 23 Feb 2012 at 6:44pm Southover Queen wrote:
If you draw a blank with the big insurance companies (and certainly with the comparison sites) I do recommend googling "flood insurance cover" or similar to find specialist brokers. A friend of mine was quoted £1500 to cover her little house in the Cliffe by a local broker, and eventually got insurance for less than half that through a broker she found on the web.
Remember that most of the comparison sites cherry pick the low risk proposers: that's how so many people end up with sky-high premiums on these sites. It really does pay to do quite a bit of research and be prepared to go off piste if you can't find what you want in the mainstream.
On 23 Feb 2012 at 6:45pm Southover Queen wrote:
If you draw a blank with the big insurance companies (and certainly with the comparison sites) I do recommend googling "flood insurance cover" or similar to find specialist brokers. A friend of mine was quoted £1500 to cover her little house in the Cliffe by a local broker, and eventually got insurance for less than half that through a broker she found on the web.
Remember that most of the comparison sites cherry pick the low risk proposers: that's how so many people end up with sky-high premiums on these sites. It really does pay to do quite a bit of research and be prepared to go off piste if you can't find what you want in the mainstream.