Eastbourne

EASTBOURNE is still very much a holiday resort and retirement town. Attractions such as Fort Fun and the Treasure Island theme parks resound in summer to the shrieks of holidaying children, who then make for the beautiful Victorian pier to gorge themselves on ice-cream. Adults can indulge with a trip to the Winter Gardens, Devonshire Park or the Royal Hippodrome Theatres. There are also nightclubs and cinemas. Healthier pursuits include stupendous cliff walks over Beachy Head and those vast switchbacks of chalk, the Seven Sisters.

To live within walking distance of the station you have a choice of Edwardian and Victorian houses, or some Thirties’ detached. Prices vary enormously depending on size. You could pay £235,000 for three bedrooms; over £500,000 for a mock-Tudor with five bedrooms. Studios cost £60,000 and one-bedroom flats start at £90,000. One of the most prestigious addresses is The Meads, a conservation area that attracts professionals and couples who have retired early. A five-bedroom semi here might cost £500,000.You can expect to pay a premium price if you want to live near any of the three golf courses – The Royal, The Downs or The Willingdon.