Unless you’re a born-and-bred Brightonian, you may be unfamiliar with some of the lesser-known areas of our beautiful city. Our team here at Eightfold are a mix of lifelong Brighton residents and new Brighton converts, and between us all we’ve probably lived in every area the city has to offer. Like most seaside towns, ours largely centres around the beach and nearby high street, but there are so many more areas to discover – and depending on your circumstances, the best area for you may not even be on your radar yet. So, for anyone who is new to the area, or has only recently moved here, we hope this guide might prove useful and open your eyes to a few new spots!
First up, if you’re looking for the quirky and quintessentially-Brighton shops, pubs and cafes as well as the lovely beach right on your doorstep, our town centre is probably top of your list. A wonderfully diverse area, with the pebbly shores, the North Laine, The Lanes, the pier, the Old Steine and our main train station. As you may expect, properties here tend to be smaller, older and located above or very near to shops, bars, restaurants and pubs. If city-centre convenience is your top priority, you may need to cut a corner or two when it comes to property size, garden space, parking and privacy. But in return you’ll get a bustling city with a different dinner option for every day of the year, every bus route you could desire, a 5-minute walk to the station, and there’s nothing quite like being a stone’s throw from the sea. For a similar atmosphere, consider widening your search area to include Hove’s Church Road, George Street and Brunswick areas, which are slightly quieter but no less rich in culture. Kemptown has come on leaps and bounds in recent years and has a plentiful supply of rental properties, many with sea views and a local coffee shop around the corner. You’ll be close to the main hospital and children’s hospital, as well as numerous bus routes.
If you’d love to be walking distance to the town-centre amenities, but you’re also looking for on-street parking and perhaps a small garden and some nearby parks, consider the Clifton, Seven Dials, West Hill and Queens Park areas. Properties tend to be larger flats or medium-sized terraced houses, meaning these areas are naturally suited to families or groups of sharers. Clifton and Seven Dials tend to come at a slightly higher premium due to their proximity to the station whilst retaining a neighbourhood-feel about them and still being a short walk into town.
For best-value property with permit-parking whilst still being walking distance to the seafront, London Road and Lewes Road may be right up your street. London Road, in particular, has come a long way in recent years – whilst it used to be a little rough around the edges and more of a thoroughfare than a destination, the latest works to improve and develop the area have really brought it up to scratch and it’s proving a very popular location for students and professionals alike. Lewes Road has long-since been known as the student area of Brighton, due to its direct link to both Sussex and Brighton campuses. However, the prestigious Park Crescent with its private gardens joins Lewes Road to the Level – meaning this location really does have something for everyone. Both areas have smaller train stations that can take you eastbound to Lewes and Eastbourne and plentiful bus routes to the university campuses and through the city, so if you’re looking to commute out of Brighton for work or study, see what you can find around here. With a few good pubs and plenty of local shops, a great house in this location tends to retain happy tenants for several years.
Students tend to gravitate towards Coldean, Moulsecoomb and Bevendean, as these areas are all very convenient for university campuses. The houses tend to be bigger and more spread-out with larger gardens than the aforementioned areas, and some even have non-permit parking. You may even be lucky enough to find a house with a driveway or garage in these areas, so if having multiple cars is a priority for you, these locations may be worth considering. With easy access to the A27, you can easily commute east or west of Brighton from these areas.
For real family communities, you can’t beat the Fiveways, Hove Park and Preston Park areas, with numerous schools, nurseries, independent shops and large child-friendly parks. The small farmers market on Florence Road is a hidden gem! Many of the flats along Preston Road are arranged in private estates, with residents-only parking (gold dust in Brighton) and a short walk from Preston Park station, which has regular services north towards London and west into Hove. The houses around Fiveways tend to be terraced and largely owner-occupied, but if you find a hidden gem, snap it up and make the most of this lovely location. Properties around Hove Park tend to be larger with ample gardens. All of these locations are still within half-hour walking distance of Brighton and Hove beaches.
If you’re in search of the quieter, more suburban areas in Brighton, look up to the hills surrounding the city – Woodingdean, Patcham, Hollingbury, and Hollingdean. In Hove, look along the train line at Portslade, Southwick, Aldrington and Blatchington. These all have a few local shops and cafes, and ample bus routes into the city, whilst being close to the A27 and A23 for convenient commuting. Property-wise you’re likely to find semi-detached houses with driveways and gardens.
And for something a little different… look at Rottingdean, Falmer Village and Lewes. These areas have a historic feel, with bustling village high streets, farm shops, ponds or rivers, cobbled paths and flint cottages. If you’re after a truly unique property close to Brighton, broaden your search to include these areas – they may be harder to come by, but there are some wonderful, characterful homes to be found in these places.
We hope you’ve learnt a little more about our city from this post, and possibly even discovered an area to search for your new home. We’re passionate about providing great homes in our wonderful city, so if you’re looking for a new property, please do get in touch. And if you know of any more hidden gems in and around Brighton and Hove, let us know!
Why not let us know your favourite areas and why, to add to our next blog on this wonderful area?