An honest review of: Moulsecoomb

By late February, most people’s house-hunting will be underway. Lettings agencies and landlords can be helpful but don’t always give a well-rounded view of what particular student areas are like. After covering Coombe Road, Barcombe Road and Lewes Road in our review series, it only seems right to take a look at Moulsecoomb.

Proximity to campus, distance from town

Living in Moulsecoomb can come in handy when you want to avoid overcrowded buses as it is within walking distance to campus, especially if you live in the Northern part of the neighbourhood. This can keep you in shape, but it also means that it is far away from central Brighton, where many (if not most) of your friends will live. You may feel isolated quickly, and do not count on them to visit you – you will always be the one who makes the effort to visit them instead.

The bus dilemma

The 49 is the only connection from town going all the way to Moulsecoomb, and there are no night buses for this route. This means that you have four options on your nights out: take a cab to/from town, take the N25 and walk home from one of the stops on Barcombe Road, crash at a friend’s in town for the night, or come home early (the last 49 leaves town at around midnight). Moreover, as there are families around, it means that the bus may be packed during after-school hours.

It comes as no surprise that Moulsecoomb, as many other areas in Brighton, is very hilly. Get used to walking up and down the hills, and for those who enjoy jogging then the struggle will be real. Only the streets close to the A27 are flat. Besides, it can be slightly colder and the wind may be more intense than in town sometimes, so be prepared.

In Moulsecoomb, life can become very dull very fast. There are no gyms, no GPs and very few shops (only two Premier corner shops and two kebab shops).

Who could forget The Bevy? This pub is loved by Moulsecoomb residents: it has a nice and relaxed atmosphere, it’s not too busy and quite intimate as the regulars and the staff know each other. They serve food until late, everything is reasonably priced and there is a 20% discount on food with the Bevy card, as well as weekly deals.

For some unexplained reason, Moulsecoomb is full of stray cats. While you may be tempted to pet or feed them, we would highly advise you not to since many carry fleas, and you really do not want to end up with a house infested with fleas. They can be quite cute to stare at though.

Firstly, Deliveroo does not deliver to Moulsecoomb at all. Secondly, ASDA may require a spending minimum of £40 for delivery.

The Northern part of Moulsecoomb, located closest to the AMEX Stadium, requires a parking permit as it gets packed during game days at the stadium and traffic wardens come to give fines to those who do not have a permit. However, in the Southern area, this problem does not occur and it is relatively easy to find space to park.

Moulsecoomb is not necessarily everyone’s cup of tea. For those with a lot of lectures and campus activities, or those who do not often go to town, this area will likely be better for you. The price of housing is not that different to that in other student areas, nor is there a particular difference in the quality of housing, which can vary anywhere. It’s not a terrible area to live in, but you can definitely find better depending on your criteria.