Suggestions please

Brighton is a wonderful place to visit!

I went with a female friend a couple of years ago now and we had a wonderful time.

I strongly recommend a visit, I can't wait to go back.

As for the train you can ask for assisstance on all your journeys, it will be provided free.

If you think somewhere is unsafe, then no where is safe.

Holidays are for enjoyment not anxiety so I do hope you find somewhere to have a nice time.

I think you should persuade your friend to visit Brighton though, as it was your choice and is a great place!

I live an hour from Brighton and I have never heard about it being unsafe. It's got its grot spots like anywhere else but Brighton has a lot to offer. A disabled relative uses the trains quite a bit and always arranges help in advance at the stations he is due to use. He has never had a problem. Go to Brighton and enjoy it.

Hastings might suit you both, or Eastbourne.

My DS lives in Brighton and it is one of the most interesting and safest places I know.

Rye is absolutely lovely and very safe but not knowing how you plan to get about when there, how about Canterbury?

I've never been to Brighton but not once have I heard of it being unsafe. I think there was some negative publicity about homeless people but that's a common problem in UK cities. It won't affect you as tourists.

How about Eastbourne? It's supposed to be the sunniest place in England. It's nice and flat for getting around with plenty of hotels and eateries.

Eastbourne is lovely and the sun always shines there - allegedly! Good public transport near the station. It’s a flat walk to the sea front.

I think Brighton is lovely, having visited it several times in the past. And probably no more unsafe than anywhere else.

Thank you for your suggestions. Not sure which places have direct train links from gatwick as don't want to faff around trying to tie up departures.

We will want to be central so we can walk to shops, restaurants etc. We will get taxis or uber as necessary.

Any suggestions for central hotels would be appreciated if I can persuade my sister to go with brighton please

I think Brighton is probably safer than St Leonards, which is next to Hastings. Hastings has a reputation of being quite run down.
From Gatwick there are trains to Brighton, Eastbourne, Portsmouth, Bognor and other coastal towns so plenty of choice. My choice would be Brighton but Southbourne, on the Portsmouth line, is part of Bournemouth which would be my second choice.
The other advantage of Brighton is that there a lot of buses to get around and also trains to nearby seaside towns.

I don’t know of any hotels but I recommend The Royal Pavilion. Just a wonderful royal palace very near the front. There is also an electric railway that will take you along the front towards the marina. It’s a Victorian invention. The aquarium, now Sealife has been there since the Victorian Era too. The Lanes are interesting and have been renovated. The North Lanes are alternative shopping and food. It’s a vibrant city. As you can tell I love Brighton. I’ve known it as a child but have also been there far more recently.

I hope you find a good hotel.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Brighton_royal_pavilion_Qmin.jpg

Lewes, easy to get to by bus is the county town of East Sussex. It has a number of Antique shops.

Brighton is busy and buzzy with lots to see. Some nice hotels, and lots of restaurants.
Rye isnt far from Hastings and is lovely , but has cobbles on some of the streets. But well worth a visit.
Hope you enjoy time with your sister wherever you go.

The Metropole or Grand Hotel next door are both on the front with sea views in Brighton might be worth looking at.

There are many other hotels of course maybe look at trip advisor online

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Parky travel assistance for the train is excellent. Just phone them up and tell them what assistance you need . They will carry your bags get you to a seat and any changes someone will meet you and get you on the next train . They will even take you to the taxi rank if you haven't already pre booked on.

If you need an accessible room then I recommend Primer inn. Not all private hotels have them. This is my room I had in Berwick upon Tweed. Going to York in September and booked the same sort of room. Lower bed and very comfy arm chair they do double or twin rooms that are accessible. But you would need to book soon if you want one as there are a limited number of them.

Nothing to worry about in Brighton.
My nephew and his family have lived there for years. He's a headmaster of a school in Brighton.
I also have a friend who is a priest in a safe, friendly, happy parish in Brighton.

We stayed in the Jury's Inn on the seafront. It was a wonderful hotel with very comfy beds and a good breakfast- we were lucky to get an offer but we did go in early September.

We only got a taxi to and from the hotel and walked everywhere else. There are some hilly parts but it is mainly flat on the seafront.

Rye is quaint but you can’t get far without hills or cobbles or both. I stopped there on a coach tour and most of the less mobile passengers were soon back on the bus as they could not reach the church or the castle, which are both very interesting.
Brighton and Eastbourne are very flat, mostly.

It depends upon whether you want busy and frenetic or calm and peaceful. For the former, go for Brighton or Eastbourne. For the latter, try Battle or Bexhill on Sea. I have just left Bexhill. You can stay at The Cooden Beach Hotel, eat in numerous reasonably good restaurants and it is fairly flat. Rye is lovely but one constant cobbled hill. Everywhere! Battle is super and it does have the Abbey. Google the towns and see what you come up with.

If my 21-year-old DGD feels safe. even when running on her own, in Brighton, what's the problem?

"however she has been told Brighton unsafe so is refusing to go there"....... Good gracious, I sincerely hope not, my 16 yr old GD is going soon.

Having said that, there's good and bad in every place and I am sure Vancouver has its share. If we all thought along the lines of somewhere 'not being safe' I doubt we would venture out of bed in the mornings!

Brighton isa lovely place my youngest went to Uni there so I visited many times and really like it of course it’s as safe or safer than most places in the world Listening to one persons gossip is silly
My only complaint about Brighton is it’s a bit expensive
Hope you have a good visit wherever you meet up with your sister