DeepAir- Registered: 3 Oct 2018
- Posts: 30
Dear all, we are about to buy an apartment in Dover. When visiting yesterday we saw quite a few people on the streets with a can of beer in the morning hour. Saw some people who didn't look too friendly and maybe even slightly aggressive. We would like to ask an opinion of people who live in Dover, or know it quite well on: is it safe to walk the streets of Dover after work when it gets dark already at 7pm from the train station home for example? The walk is going to be about 20 minutes towards Connaught park.
Thank you very much in advance for sharing your opinion on this matter.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Dover is one of the most peaceful and safest places to live despite some anti social behaviour due to lack of policing. The p*ss heads you saw yesterday are a blight on the town but not dangerous in the slightest. As for walking home in the dark from the station the last mugging reported locally was about 10 - 12 years ago, the local druggies can't muster up the energy.
Jan Higgins likes this
DeepAir- Registered: 3 Oct 2018
- Posts: 30
thank you Howard, I appreciate your comment. I really like the apartment and I wouldn't like to miss it just because my partner thinks it wont be safe for me to return home from work.
Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,063
Here's the stats.
https://crime-statistics.co.uk/postcode/ct16%201sr
As Howard points out most of the 'crime' is non-specific arseholeism, usually liquid fuelled, where most of the danger is to themselves due to the pull of gravity and their self-induced lack of balance having imbibed too much falling-over water.
Some say the low level of crime is because there's nothing worth nicking.
I couldn't possibly comment.
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
DeepAir- Registered: 3 Oct 2018
- Posts: 30
Thank you Captain, your opinion counts...
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Most definitely the friendliest place I have lived with shop and café staff putting themselves out.
Unfortunately many life long Dovorians slag off the town on social media giving a bad impression to outsiders whilst those of us who have lived elsewhere are happy. The coastline and countryside on our doorstep more than makes up for a slightly run down town centre.
Judith Roberts, Jan Higgins and Paul M like this
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,874
Very true Howard, it is also worth noting those who complain do not move out of the town so it is no where near as bad as their constant whinges suggest.
howard mcsweeney1, Judith Roberts and Paul M like this
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Dover Pilot- Registered: 28 Jul 2018
- Posts: 346
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Let's put that link into perspective, Clarendon Place is the longest unbroken terrace on the UK mainland with small houses which means there is a large number of people living there, Clarendon Street is very close behind. My house faces Clarendon Street if there were serious crimes going on I would know about it by the police presence. There is a number of known drug users but they don't cause problems and any arguments are normally over parking.
Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,063
The article was sensationalist click-bait which, unfortunately, is getting more and more common with the local rags' on-line offer.
Jan Higgins and howard mcsweeney1 like this
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
DeepAir- Registered: 3 Oct 2018
- Posts: 30
Thank you all for your posts guys. It helped. We are proceeding

Jan Higgins likes this
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
I would be interested to know where the figures for these "violent and sex offences" came from as the most recent monthly figures for all crimes shows none in the Clarendons.
https://www.kent.police.uk/your-area/canterbury-and-dover/maxton,-elms-vale-and-priory/Pablo- Registered: 21 Mar 2018
- Posts: 614
I think a large proportion of violent and sex offences may happen behind closed doors ?
Jan Higgins likes this
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,874
Pablo wrote:I think a large proportion of violent and sex offences may happen behind closed doors ?
Agreed sadly as happens in nearly every town and village.
Guest 1467 likes this
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 1467- Registered: 30 Jan 2015
- Posts: 149
I have lived here all my 61 years and never seen or heard of anything really bad, gangs etc. Sure there are drugs and things but it's not different to any other town as Jan says. I feel safe at night in the town centre and any other time.