This urban area in central Croydon is bounded by the two stations, West Croydon in the north and South Croydon in the south, with the Southern and Thameslink link bordering the eastern side and Old Town road (A236) enclosing the area on the west. Having grown rapidly in the decades after WWII, the town became a centre for shopping and business with many offices relocating from central London. The Whitgift and Centrale complexes house a Debenhams and a House of Fraser while Grants, a grade II-listed building on Park Street with an elaborate Queen Anne style façade, is an all-round entertainment hub. Croydon’s cultural richness is perhaps significantly undervalued and commonly misconceived. The Fairfield Halls is a renowned music venue and theatre while the Clocktower, besides its stunning Victorian-era architecture, shows independent films at the David Lean cinema. Most uniquely, Croydon is the only place in London to boast of a tram service, which arrived here at the turn of century.

Croydon existed already during the Roman period, placing it among the earliest towns surrounding London to grow over the centuries to become a component part of the big city. The name being derived from the Anglo-Saxon for ‘valley’ and ‘saffron’ (crocus), the area was a place for cultivating medicinal plants supplied to London. The essence of Croydon town as a commercial hub was apparent by the 13th century when the Archbishop Robert Kilwardby purchased rights to run a marketplace, the remnants of which are borne today by the famous Surrey Street market, just north of the A232. The Whitgift Almshouses are a bastion of philanthropy, constructed over four centuries ago as a care home for the deprived young and elderly.

Croydon is the birthplace of the football management legend Roy Hodgson who throughout his lifetime has been at the helm of 22 football teams across 8 different countries, and counting. The Ashcroft Theatre at Fairfield Halls takes its name from the woman occupying the spotlight of British theatre for over half a century – Peggy Ashcroft who was born in Croydon and lived in George Street as a child.

Only two miles south-east of the area, the pioneering of mass air travel was taking place around one hundred years ago. Croydon Airport used to be London’s main airport in the pre-Heathrow era and at the time was the base for the world’s busiest air route – London to Paris. It was here that the distress call “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday” was first employed, originating from the French, “m’aider” meaning “help me”.

Predominantly a commercial rather than a residential environment, the centre of Croydon town doesn’t boast the pleasing aesthetics like the neighbouring suburban and rural towns. A highway (A232) bisects the area and, for some, the few 70s tower blocks dotted about tarnish the image of Croydon as an abundant centre for shopping and leisure.

Croydon has seen a large amout of development as well as being crowned London Borough of Culture 2023. The £1.5bn Westfield shopping centre development has been rethought and will convert pre-existing buildings into the new retail hub rather than building a new edifice from scratch. As part of that development the ground floor of the Allders building will be converted into a huge immersive theatre called LOST. The face of Croydon as a whole is also changing with the arrival of £5.25bn Croydon Vision 2020 regeneration plan in the hope of making Croydon ‘London’s Third City’. The plan will include 2000 homes and the afforementioned retail space. Saffron Square, a lustrous highrise development on Wellesley Road best exemplifies the ambitious future image of Croydon, and one of the key sites, Fairfield Halls will include a gallery, a new college, offices and 218 homes.