Hastings declared "the Shoreditch of Sussex and the UK’s New Art Hotspot"

[editor]

My deepest sympathies go out to friends in Hastings.

The act of ‘shoreditchification’ is becoming increasingly recognised in the British vernacular, especially inside the perimeters of the capital, and in popular media. The idea of ‘shoreditchifying’ implies erring towards the trendy, the carefully carefree, and hipster. Journalists are foaming at the mouth when they see how many boroughs and districts of the capital are undergoing this change to an established norm of coolness, and it appears that outside of the M25, this phenomenon is also spreading its wings.

However, this is not to say that ‘shoreditchification’ is an intrinsically bad thing. Before the era in which the idea was met with a derisive and derogatory sigh from art purists and music fiends, the concept of something alternative, buzzing, creative and inspirational was what defined Shoreditch. This is what we’re beginning to see in Hastings, which is not the first British town normally associated with avant-garde trendsetters. However, the historical Sussex Town is running to catch up with London, or as a first step, with its nearby rival in the trend stakes: Brighton.

http://theculturetrip.com/europe/un...ditch-of-sussex-and-the-uk-s-new-art-hotspot/

 

[plurker]

I thought Margate was the 'new Shoreditch', or was it the 'new Brighton'?

 

[editor]

Ma

I thought Margate was the 'new Shoreditch', or was it the 'new Brighton'?

Margate must have been the old Hoxton.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Um. The De la Warr Pavilion is in Bexhill. I'm not convinced the author of that piece has actually been to Hastings.

 

[sim667]

My main memory of hastings is going on a scout camping trip there. On a wander into town I thought I'd be all grown up and buy some coffee granules, but when I made a coffee with it I discovered it was coffee and celery flavour.

I guess I have to take the blame for the shoreditchification of hastings, laying a precedent for trendy coffees, the gateway to champagne and fromage parlours.

Sorry hastings

 

[boohoo]

I'm sure the artists of hastings are looking forward to the influx of new residents who will price them out of the area.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I'm sure the artists of hastings are looking forward to the influx of new residents who will price them out of the area.

There have been lots of artists there for a fair few years. And people have been writing this kind of fluff article about them for a fair few years too. Hastings is just awkward enough to get to from London for an influx to be unlikely, I think.

 

[souljacker]

I've been to Hastings and I think it would benefit from the 'ification' of any town in the UK. Even the 'Bracknellification' of Hastings would be an improvemement.

 

[el-ahrairah]

*moves to hastings and starts a cat cafe*

 

[el-ahrairah]

 

[colacubes]

I know at least 4 people from Brixton who moved there last year after being priced out here.

 

[OvalhouseDB]

I am very encouraged that 'declaring' something means it will be so.

This gives me hope and scope.

<<makes list of things to declare>>

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

I thought Margate was the 'new Shoreditch', or was it the 'new Brighton'?

I thought Folkestone was the new Brighton which opens up Margate to be the new Shoreditch, Ramsgate to be the new Hoxton and Herne Bay to be the new Kingsland road.

In other news, Whitstable is the new Grimsby.

 

[Ted Striker]

(((Eastbourne)))

 

[Belushi]

In other news, Whitstable is the new Grimsby.

I spent a weekend in Whitstable last summer. It's lovely apart from the huge cement plant that towers over the harbour.

 

[plurker]

I know at least 4 people from Brixton who moved there last year after being priced out here.

Does that mean Hastings is the new Brixton then, and not the new Shoreditch?

 

[Plumdaff]

There's been a steady stream of Londoners into Hastings for years, not least the post war slum clearances, and more recently because it is one of the few vaguely affordable outposts in the South East. There's already lots of little antique shops etc, now the gallery on the seafront, and the Old town and West Hill in particular have been gentrifying for some time.

I've a lot of friends down there and it's always retained a distinctive sense of place and character, largely protected by isolation. It has also suffered from comparative poverty and there'll be plenty in the town welcoming any influx of cash. I hope Hastings manages to hold on to its Hastingsness and hope I get down for a visit soon. If we'd stayed in the South East we'd probably have ended up there. Maybe that's the problem.

 

[editor]

I'm sure the artists of hastings are looking forward to the influx of new residents who will price them out of the area.

My friend - who's lived there for years and contributed a lot to the local community - is currently in the process of being priced out of the town right now.

 

[colacubes]

Does that mean Hastings is the new Brixton then, and not the new Shoreditch?

Could be

 

[littlebabyjesus]

My friend - who's lived there for years and contributed a lot to the local community - is currently in the process of being priced out of the town right now.

That surprises me. House prices are still below their 2007 peak and rents are still comparatively affordable for the UK. A combination of poor roads, slow rail and a lack of jobs keeps the place cheaper.

Hastings-St Leonards has changed a fair bit in the last decade. There have been a lot of people moving there from the rest of the UK and abroad. Money has been spent on the infrastructure, including a sizeable EU grant that went towards renovating the parks. The new college campus has brought much-needed jobs and young people into the town.

It's vile, really, that these kinds of positive changes get spun into an excuse to drive the cost of living up by people like those that commissioned that vacuous article.

 

[editor]

That surprises me. House prices are still below their 2007 peak and rents are still comparatively affordable for the UK. A combination of poor roads, slow rail and a lack of jobs keeps the place cheaper.

His rent is going up through the roof. It's a common enough occurrence as soon as a prestigious art space opens up in town.

 

[boohoo]

editor Everyone in London is being shoved out into the suburbs or out of London completely - the two examples below show the same property in Anerley with the same owners being put on the market in the first instance at £176K and the second instance £215K. I wouldn't be surprised if the first example was an ad put up this time last year and the other price seems more recent. Shocking.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-24969864.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-43409893.html

 

[littlebabyjesus]

His rent is going up through the roof. It's a common enough occurrence as soon as a prestigious art space opens up in town.

The Jerwood is quite a small place, though. It's not been busy the times I've been past it.
But that's depressing if rents there are going up considerably. It's a very recent thing, too. Essentially it is still a town with far more young people looking for work than there is work. And what work there is is mainly low-paid - tourism-related or care homes.

 

[RedDragon]

I've had mates move out to Margate and Ramsgate and two years on they're hating it but re-entry back into London is almost impossible.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

editor Everyone in London is being shoved out into the suburbs or out of London completely - the two examples below show the same property in Anerley with the same owners being put on the market in the first instance at £176K and the second instance £215K. I wouldn't be surprised if the first example was an ad put up this time last year and the other price seems more recent. Shocking.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-24969864.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-43409893.html

London's gone bonkers - even more bonkers. I still don't quite get where all the money is coming from.

 

[boohoo]

London's gone bonkers - even more bonkers. I still don't quite get where all the money is coming from.

There is another big block near me, always flats to rent there and for sell, a 3 bed was about £150K - the very cheap end of the market - they are now selling for £195k. I'm just waiting to be priced out of London.

 

[trashpony]

I've had mates move out to Margate and Ramsgate and two years on they're hating it but re-entry back into London is almost impossible.

Why do they hate it? The only people I know who hate it when they've moved here have got really greedy for space. They've considered buying somewhere quite a lot bigger than the place they sold in London but then realised by moving to a cheaper area, they can get somewhere fucking massive but the houses there are cheap because it's vile. There are lots of affordable but nice places round here.

I do agree that with the way house prices have gone in London over the last few years, there's no way you could afford to go back once you go (if you're a property owner that is)

 

[littlebabyjesus]

There are lots of affordable but nice places round here.

Same with Hastings (although 'affordable' is relative!).

Thing is, the situation is so distorted now that for the price of a small ex-council one-bed flat in London, you can buy a three-bed house in Hastings. It's not just people who are greedy for space - it's people who just want a little space.

I once dreamed a bit of starting a little community in Hastings. Five or six years ago, a 13-bed house with grounds was on the market for £550k.

 

[RedDragon]

Why do they hate it?

It's the boredom they hate, not necessarily the town - and with Margate they've got Hemingway's Dreamland to look forward to (Wayne nor Ernest)

 

[littlebabyjesus]

It's the boredom they hate, not necessarily the town - and with Margate they've got Hemingway's Dreamland to look forward to (Wayne nor Ernest)

I think the absence of people is one of the things that can take a bit of getting used to.