An honest review of: Lewes Road

Knowing which student neighbourhood is right for you can be tough. Lettings agencies and landlords don’t always provide an honest perspective of the areas you’re viewing, but students do. We first covered Coombe Road and it only felt right to cover the next popular student area: Lewes Road.

It’s flat, oh god it’s so flat

Unlike much of Brighton, the main street of Lewes Road and the surrounding side streets are pretty flat, which is an absolute dream. No horrible drunken quests up the thigh-burning hills in the rain after a night out – pure bliss.

There are takeaways everywhere you look

When hunger strikes, fear not, as the options are plentiful. If you’re a takeaway fiend, this is definitely the place for you. Basically any cuisine you can think of will be located along the main road. What’s more, the Deliveroo options are equally endless, as you’ll be within range of pretty much every restaurant in town.

You’re only ever a stone’s throw away from a shop

Eventually, you’ll run out of money for takeaways and will be forced to cook like a normal person. On the upside, you won’t actually have to walk far to get your groceries. With a both a Co-op and Sainsbury’s in arm’s reach to choose from, as well as Aldi just a few extra minute’s walk, food is never far away.

It’s studenty and safe

Being a main road, Lewes Road is usually pretty lively, with lots of people around. This is reassuring at night, where quiet streets may feel a little more unsafe. There’s house parties aplenty as the student population is high in the area. However, there are families and other residents around which is something to be aware of.

You won’t want to skimp on heating

Get used to your new metal friends

Seriously, you’ll definitely need it when winter comes around, so make sure your house has working radiators and that you know how to control your heating system. If your house is decently insulated and has double glazed windows, heating costs shouldn’t put a serious dent in your finances.

Getting around is a breeze

With several bus stops along Lewes Road, getting to and from places is pretty easy. However they do get quite busy, particularly if you’re leaving for morning lectures and seminars, so be prepared to leave a little earlier. Key stops to keep in mind are Elm Grove and Lewes Road bus garage, as all buses to uni will stop there, including the 25X, 28 and 29.

You can actually walk to the clubs and then stumble back home

As you’re closer to the seafront than most, the clubs are reachable on foot in just 20 minutes or so. And when you want to head home at the end of the night, you can use that walk home to sober up for a restful night’s (or day’s) sleep. If your beer jacket isn’t doing the trick, the N25 can drop you where you need to go.

Rent can be a little steep

When you pick arguably one of the best student house locations in Brighton, having a roof over your head can leave you a little strapped for cash. Due to high demand, landlords and lettings agencies will demand a princely sum for the privilege of living in what is often a fairly basic house.

You will run into everyone you know

It is the main hub of students, so you should expect to see everyone you know. It is a weird feeling, you may have spent ages trying to avoid that next door neighbour who was a bitch/massive druggie/loud orgasmer etc but seeing them picking up some noodles in Sainsbury’s will make your heart sink.

But if you’re a BNOC, who care?

So…what’s the verdict?

Lewes Road is close to everything you’ll ever need, from bus stops to burger shops. Houses are small-ish and cosy, but sometimes pricey. There’s loads of students around and you’re not far from the best nightlife Brighton can offer, so a big night is always on the cards. Overall, this has got to be one of Brighton’s best and most desirable student neighbourhoods.