Commuting from East Grinstead

[The Stout Yeoman]

I'm from EG and lived there for about 22 years, Mum still does.

It's an alright place to be honest, there are worse places and it's certainly no chavvy hell hole. Not sure what the situation about pubs etc is cause it's been a while since I went out drinking in EG. If you really need anything more for shopping and whatnot Crawley is pretty stocked up.

The only thing that pisses me off about EG (and probably why it's cheaper to commute) is that the station isn't on the Brighton main line... but you can get frequent buses that stop at Three Bridges station for your Albion fix.

Or bus to Hayward Heath + choo choo ?

 

[edna krabappel]

The Scientologists have their UK base in East Grinstead, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) have a massive temple at Newchapel, the Jehovah's Witnesses have a couple of places nearby, and both the Rosicrucians and Opus Dei have conference premises in or near the town. Not to mention all the usual religions.

You could just move in and choose one

 

[Return of the Rev]

I don't know much about Copthorne, but Horsham was also on my list. Looks nice, affordable and commutable.

both full of palace

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

both full of palace

plenty of BHA in Horsham

 

[Brovion]

...

For me the train line is actually one of the biggest drawbacks. Yes it will get you to London but that is IT. There's literally nowhere else it serves worth stopping at. And as has already been mentioned you can't get to Brighton or anywhere else in Sussex for that matter. Things will improve when the bluebell extension finally opens, and I believe it's actually very close to completion now, but it remains to be seen just how practical services on this reopened line would be.
...

I don't think that's going to help as the Bluebell's southern terminus at Sheffield Park is even more of a backwater than East Grinstead is. If the Bluebell re-open the Ardingly link to Horsted Keynes (they own the trackbed) then it would be possible to run a direct service from East Grinstead to Haywards Heath - or even to Brighton. However this is YEARS away.

 

[loz]

I have lived in EG for 20+ years, it has a few bad points but does not everywhere??

its in the middle of London and Brighton which for me is great, Football in London, gigs and night life in Brighton.

I would say in the last few seasons football fans and I am not icluding Chelsea man unt and Man city followers in this, are about 40% BHA 60% Palace (BHA up 20% in the last 2 years and good luck to them!) and we all get along just fine...until we play each other, and then just fine after.

I dont come from EG but TBH I am happy here, and would wish to live here for the rest of my days, and I now call it home.

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

The commute from eg always struck me as quite long compared with how close you actually were to London. Can't remember exact timings but its longer than hh ( though season ticket is cheaper)

It's also an annoying drive from eg to Brighton. My mrs used to work there and a normal commute was 45 mins and sometimes worse.

I'd say most of the above could also apply to Horsham. Both pretty places though but pick anywhere in sussex and your are minutes away from pretty places

 

[Return of the Rev]

plenty of BHA in Horsham

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I don't know much about Copthorne, but Horsham was also on my list. Looks nice, affordable and commutable.

Copthorne is right under the flight path into Gatwick so can be noisy.

 

[Bozza]

Copthorne is right under the flight path into Gatwick so can be noisy.

Not any of the bits I've seen aren't. They are a few miles South so the flight path runs to the North and you just don't hear them at all.

 

[ForestRowSeagull]

I've lived in this area since I was 6 (though I spend a fair bit of time at my place in SW London). The good points about East Grinstead are the reasonable house prices and the beautiful High Street (one of the best preserved medieval high streets in the country). Countryside is very easy to access, and Gatwick is at most 20 minutes away. There are a couple of decent pubs, the Ship, which is a bit of an old man's pub, though there is live music there most Saturday nights and the Sussex isn't bad. There is also a very good fish and chip shop. Of the schools, Imberhorne is particularly good if you want to settle and raise a family, but I'm not sure about the primaries.

Bad points are the shopping, which is pretty dire - London Road, the main shopping street, has a large number of empty shops and the rest are mostly branches of chains. On the other hand, we do have an excellent bookshop and travel agent, who got me a very good price on a ticket to Australia a few years ago. Also, if you want major shopping, you do have Crawley and Tunbridge Wells nearby. The other downside is the traffic - East Grinstead was once said to be the worst bottleneck in the South East. The town has been crying out for a bypass for years, but sitting on the border of three counties is a considerable drawback, as they've never been able to agree on the funding, need for the road or route. Unfortunately most Eastbourne traffic comes through on the A22. It could have been diverted away if the plan to dual the A27 between Lewes and Polegate had been implemented, but we all know what happened there. Also, if you like to go everywhere by public transport you will find the town a pain. Okay if you want to get to Crawley, but not for nearly anywhere else. The 291 to Tunbridge Wells goes via the slower route through Hartfield. Getting to the Amex would also be a pain if you were trying to rely on the bus. Okay, for Saturday games you might be able to get the 270 to Haywards Heath then the train, but I would find getting a bus to Three Bridges, then a train to Brighton and another to Falmer too much hassle. And yes, there are a lot of Palace fans about - probably the fact that you can only go to London by train is one reason, but there are quite a lot of Albion - the area is heavily split between the two and I know a family where Dad, daughter and family are Palace, Mum is Albion and daughter is marrying an Albion fan.

Can only echo these points. EG itself is a fairly mundane place but the surrounding villages are great, with walks on the forest just 5 minutes away. We drive to Lewes and get the train on match days in around an hour, so not much hassle on that front.

Also, on the Copthorne front, my knowledge is that its quite a nice little village/town but with not much character, good links to crawley and motorways though.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Not any of the bits I've seen aren't. They are a few miles South so the flight path runs to the North and you just don't hear them at all.

I have two relatives that I have visited regularly and can almost wave to the passengers as they go over. One lives in Calluna Drive, the other in Lashmere.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

both full of palace

A handfull of Palace, not many at all.

loads of BHA

 

[goldstone]

Went to school there in the 60s when it was quite a nice town. Now, except for the High St it's a bit of a dump.

Absolute worst thing is the traffic. Bloody nightmare. The were talking about a bypass in the 60s and all they got was a relief road.

And the train service has one big negative ... most of the trains stop about seven times on the way to London.

Personally I would look Horsham way rather than EG. Horsham's a proper town.

 

[The Birdman]

Another ten years and Eastgrinsted will be linked to Haywards Heath by the bluebell railway ?

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Anyone remember Gray's record shop ? Dormans Park is nice but you need to be 'minted' to live there. Always liked Cowden myself.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

You could also watch the Wasp's at East Court.

 

[Lethargic]

I moved back to Sussex last year and we chose Horsham, I am in my later 40s with 2 children and we all love it a very family friendly town, it's not buzzing but Crawley is easy to get to if you want it. Horsham has a more community market town feel and we do have 3 local breweries in town. Also the North West Sussex Seagulls run coaches to games from the area and we are on a mission to grow the Albion supporting population of the town and it has improved over the last year +.
Also commute to London as do many it's a bit more expense 3k+ can't remember exactly but the service is good.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I moved back to Sussex last year and we chose Horsham, I am in my later 40s with 2 children and we all love it a very family friendly town, it's not buzzing but Crawley is easy to get to if you want it. Horsham has a more community market town feel and we do have 3 local breweries in town. Also the North West Sussex Seagulls run coaches to games from the area and we are on a mission to grow the Albion supporting population of the town and it has improved over the last year +.
Also commute to London as do many it's a bit more expense 3k+ can't remember exactly but the service is good.

It's certainly a great place to bring up a family.

excellent schools, shops are Ok, local breweries, pretty good council on the whole, 55 minutes from London on the train, good public sports facilities, park, pubs. Not great for teenagers/20 somethings, but only 35 minutes to Brighton by car.

Recently voted 4th best place in the UK to live (no idea how such things are worked out!)

Only pain is if you want to go to Brighton by train, which means a change at Three Bridges.

 

[goldstone]

Anyone remember Gray's record shop ? Dormans Park is nice but you need to be 'minted' to live there. Always liked Cowden myself.

I went to school with Roger Gray. Great shop.