London Borough of Croydon | |
|---|---|
 Central Croydon from Morland Road in 2025. | |
 Council logo | |
| Motto(s): Ad summa nitamur (Let us strive for perfection) | |
 Croydon shown withinGreater London | |
| Coordinates:51°20′N0°05′W / 51.333°N 0.083°W /51.333; -0.083 | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | London |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Created | 1 April 1965 |
| Admin HQ | Bernard Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon |
| Government | |
| • Type | London borough council |
| • Body | Croydon London Borough Council |
| • Executive Mayor | Jason Perry |
| • London Assembly | Neil Garratt (Con) AM forCroydon and Sutton |
| • MPs | Chris Philp (Conservative) Sarah Jones (Labour) Steve Reed (Labour) Natasha Irons (Labour) |
| Area | |
• Total | 34 sq mi (87 km2) |
| • Rank | 209th(of 296) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 409,342 |
| • Rank | 17th(of 296) |
| • Density | 12,000/sq mi (4,700/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
| Postcodes | |
| Area codes | 01689, 01737, 020 |
| ISO 3166 code | GB-CRY |
| ONS code | 00AH |
| GSS code | E09000008 |
| Police | Metropolitan Police |
| Website | http://www.croydon.gov.uk/ |
TheLondon Borough of Croydon (pronunciationⓘ) is aborough withinOuter London. It covers an area of 87 km2 (33.6 sq mi) and has a population of 397,741 as of mid-2023,[1][2] making it one of London's most populated boroughs. At its centre is the historic town ofCroydon, from which the borough takes its name. Otherurban centres includeThornton Heath,Coulsdon,Purley,South Norwood,Norbury,New Addington, andSelsdon. Croydon is mentioned in theDomesday Book.[3]
The borough developed from a smallmarket town into what is now a significant business and cultural hub outside central London. Many contributions to entertainment and the arts have helped Croydon gain recognition as ametropolitan centre.[4]
The borough was formed in 1965 from the merger of theCounty Borough of Croydon withCoulsdon and Purley Urban District (previously inSurrey). The local authority,Croydon London Borough Council, is now part ofLondon Councils, the local government association for Greater London.[5]
One significant factor in the development of Croydon as a business centre was the presence ofCroydon Airport, opened in 1920, and once London's primary international airport. It closed on 30 September 1959 due to limited space for expansion. The former lodge to Croydon Airport Terminal is now a Grade IIlisted building and tourist attraction.[6][7]
Croydon Council and its predecessor,Croydon Corporation, have applied forcity status on multiple occasions, but without success. The area is currently undergoing a major regeneration initiative,Croydon Vision 2020, aimed at attracting more businesses and tourists.
While Croydon is predominantly urban, the borough's southern areas featuresuburban andrural landscapes. Since 2003, Croydon has been certified as aFairtrade borough by theFairtrade Foundation. It was the first London borough to be awardedFairtrade status.[8][9]
The area has a cultural presence in London andSouth East England and is home to institutions such as the arts and entertainment centreFairfield Halls. Its famous fringe theatre, theWarehouse Theatre, went into administration in 2012 due to lack of funding and the building was demolished in 2013.
TheCroydon Clocktower was opened by QueenElizabeth II in 1994 as an arts venue featuring a library and amuseum.[10] From 2000 to 2010, Croydon staged an annual summer festival celebrating the area's Black and Indian cultural diversity, with audiences reaching more than 50,000 people.[11]
Premier League football clubCrystal Palace F.C. has played atSelhurst Park since 1924. Other landmarks in the borough include what remains ofCroydon Palace, an important residence of theArchbishops of Canterbury since around the 9th century CE. It was known as 'The Old Palace' during its time as a school. It served as themanor house of the manor of Croydon, held by the Archbishops from theAnglo-Saxon period onwards. Its local successor isAddington Palace, an eighteenth-century mansion that became the official second residence of six archbishops.[12] The borough is also home to the largeShirley Windmill, and to theBRIT School – a creative arts institute that has produced artists such asAdele,Amy Winehouse,Stormzy andLeona Lewis.[13]
The name Croydon comes from Crogdene, or Croindone, named by theSaxons in the 8th century when they settled there, although the area had been inhabited since prehistoric times.[14] It is thought to derive from theAnglo-Saxoncroeas deanas, meaning "the valley of thecrocuses". This may indicate that, likeSaffron Walden in Essex, it was a centre for the collection ofsaffron.
At the time of the Norman invasion, Croydon had a church, a mill and around 365 inhabitants, as recorded in the Domesday Book.[15] TheArchbishop of Canterbury,Archbishop Lanfranc lived atCroydon Palace. Visitors includedThomas Becket (another Archbishop), and royal figures such asHenry VIII of England andElizabeth I.[16] The royal charter forSurrey Street Market dates back to 1276.
Croydon continued as a market town, producing charcoal, tanned leather, and beer. In 1803 Croydon was served by theSurrey Iron Railway, the first public railway (horse-drawn) in the world, and by theLondon to Brighton rail link in the mid-19th century, helping it to become the largest town in what was thenSurrey.[15]
In the 20th century, Croydon became known for industries such as metalworking, car manufacturing and its aerodrome,Croydon Airport. Starting out duringWorld War I as an airfield for protection againstZeppelins, the airport was merged with an adjacent airfield, and the new aerodrome opened on 29 March 1920. It developed into one of the busiest airports in the world during the 1920s and 1930s, and welcomed the world's aviators in its heyday.[17]British Airways Ltd used the airport for a short period after redirecting fromNortholt Aerodrome, and Croydon was the operating base forImperial Airways. It was partly due to the airport that Croydon suffered heavy bomb damage duringWorld War II. As aviation technology progressed and aircraft became larger and more numerous, it was recognised in 1952 that the airport would be too small to cope with the increasing volume of air traffic. The last scheduled flight departed on 30 September 1959. It was superseded as the main airport by bothLondon Heathrow andLondon Gatwick Airport (see below). The air terminal, now known as Airport House, has been restored and contains a hotel and museum.[15]
In the late 1950s and through the 1960s, the council commercialised the centre of Croydon with massive development of office blocks and theWhitgift Centre, formerly the largest in-town shopping centre in Europe.[18] The centre was officially opened in October 1970 by theDuchess of Kent. The originalWhitgift School there had moved to Haling Park, South Croydon in the 1930s; the replacement school on the site, Whitgift Middle School, now theTrinity School of John Whitgift, moved to Shirley Park in the 1960s, when the buildings were demolished.
Croydon was hit by extensive rioting in August 2011 during theEngland riots.Reeves, a historic furniture store established in 1867 that gave its name to a junction andtram stop in the town centre, was destroyed by arson.[19]
Since a 1999 study by town planning consultantsEDAW,[20] Croydon has been the subject of a series of development projects ranging from £200 million to £3.5 billion, calledCroydon Vision 2020. The scheme aims to change the urban planning of central Croydon, to make it "London's Third City" and the hub of retail, business, culture and living in both south London and south-east England.[21] The plan was showcased in a series of events calledCroydon Expo.[22][23]
The area of the modern borough broadly corresponds to the fourancient parishes ofCroydon,Addington,Coulsdon andSanderstead.
The parish of Croydon was governed byimprovement commissioners from 1829 until 1849, when it was made alocal board district.[24][25][26] Croydon was incorporated as amunicipal borough in 1883.[27] When elected county councils were established in 1889, Croydon was considered large enough to provide its county-level services. It was therefore made acounty borough, independent from the newSurrey County Council, whilst remaining part ofSurrey for judicial andlieutenancy purposes.[28][29][30] The borough was enlarged in 1928 to absorb the neighbouring parish of Addington.[31]
Coulsdon and Sanderstead were governed asrural parishes within theCroydon Rural District until 1915, when theCoulsdon and Purley Urban District was created covering the two parishes.Purley itself was not a civil parish, being in the parish of Coulsdon, but was included in the urban district's name as it was one of the main built-up settlements in the district. There were subsequent adjustments to the boundaries with neighbouring areas, notably including in 1933, when the urban district absorbed the parish ofFarleigh. This meant there were threeurban parishes in the district, Coulsdon, Farleigh, and Sanderstead.[32]
The London Borough of Croydon was created on 1 April 1965 under theLondon Government Act 1963, covering the combined area of the former Coulsdon and Purley Urban District and theCounty Borough of Croydon, both of which were abolished at the same time. The area was transferred from Surrey to Greater London to become one of the 32 London boroughs.[33][5] The Farleigh area was removed from the borough in 1969 and transferred back to Surrey, becoming part of the parish ofChelsham and Farleigh.[34]
The borough council has unsuccessfully applied forcity status on several occasions: in 1965, 1977, 1992, 2000, 2002 and 2012. At present, the London Borough of Croydon is the second most populouslocal government district of England without city status. Croydon's applications for city status were refused to avoid the town having a separated identity from the rest of Greater London. In 1965, it was described as "...now just part of the London conurbation and almost indistinguishable from many of the other Greater London boroughs", and in 2000 as having "no particular identity of its own".[35][36]
Croydon Council is the local authority for the borough of Croydon. The council holds its meetings atCroydon Town Hall, which is situated on Katherine Street in the centre of Croydon. The council's main administrative offices are located in the adjoining building,Bernard Weatherill House. Since 2022, the council has been led by the directly electedMayor of Croydon.
Since 2000, for elections to theLondon Assembly, the borough forms part of theCroydon and Sutton constituency. It has been represented byConservative AMNeil Garratt sinceMay 2021. He is the leader of theConservative Party in theLondon Assembly.
The borough is covered by four parliamentary constituencies:Streatham and Croydon North,Croydon West,Croydon East andCroydon South. Streatham and Croydon North byLabour MPSteve Reed, Croydon West is represented byLabour MPSarah Jones, Croydon East is represented byLabour MPNatasha Irons and Croydon South byConservative MPChris Philp.
Croydon Town Hall, on Katharine Street in central Croydon, houses the committee rooms, the mayor's and other councillors' offices, electoral services, and the arts and heritage services. The present Town Hall is Croydon's third. The first town hall is thought to have been built in either 1566 or 1609.[10] The second was built in 1808 to serve the growing town but was demolished after the present town hall was erected in 1895.
The 1808 building cost £8,000, which was regarded as an enormous sum at the time and was perhaps as controversial as the administrative buildingBernard Weatherill House. Bernard Weatherill House opened for occupation in 2013 and is reputed to have cost £220,000,000. The early 19th-century building was known initially as "Courthouse" as, like its predecessor and successor, the local court met there. The building stood on the western side of a High Street near the junction with Surrey Street, the location of the town's market. The building became inadequate for the growing local administrative responsibilities and stood at a narrow point of the High Street in need of widening.
The present town hall was designed by local architect Charles Henman[10] and was officially opened by thePrince andPrincess of Wales on 19 May 1896. It was constructed in red brick, sourced fromWrotham in Kent, withPortland stone dressings and greenWestmorelandslates for the roof. It also housed the court and most central council employees.
The Borough's incorporation in 1883 and a desire to improve central Croydon with improvements to traffic flows and the removal of social deprivation in Middle Row prompted the move to a new configuration of town hall provision. The second closure of the Central Railway Station provided the corporation with the opportunity to buy the station land from the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway Company for £11,500 to use as the site for the new town hall. Indeed, the council hoped to be able to sell on some of the land purchased with enough for municipal needs and still "leave a considerable margin of land which might be disposed of". The purchase of the failed railway station came despite local leaders having successfully urged the reopening of the poorly patronised railway station. The railway station re-opening had failed to be a success, so the land was freed up for alternative use.
Parts, including the former courtrooms, have been converted into theMuseum of Croydon and exhibition galleries. The original public library was converted into theDavid Lean Cinema, part of theCroydon Clocktower. The Braithwaite Hall is used for events and performances. The town hall was renovated in the mid-1990s, and the imposing central staircase, long closed to the public and kept for councillors only, was reopened in 1994. The civic complex, meanwhile, was added to, with buildings across Mint Walk and the 19-floor Taberner House to house the rapidly expanding corporation's employees.
Ruskin House is the headquarters of Croydon'sLabour, Trade Union, andCo-operative movements and is itself a co-operative with shareholders from organisations across the three movements. In the 19th century, Croydon was a bustling commercial centre of London. It was said that, at the turn of the 20th century, approximately £10,000 was spent in Croydon's taverns and inns every week. For the early labour movement, it was natural to meet in the town's public houses in this environment. However, the temperance movement was equally strong, andGeorgina King Lewis, a keen member of theCroydon United Temperance Council, took it upon herself to establish a dry centre for the labour movement. The first Ruskin House was highly successful, and there have been two more since.[37] The current house was officially opened in 1967 by the then Labour Prime Minister,Harold Wilson. Today, Ruskin House continues to serve as the headquarters of the Trade Union, Labour, and Co-operative movements in Croydon, hosting a range of meetings and being the base for several labour movement groups. Office tenants include the headquarters of theCommunist Party of Britain and Croydon Labour Party.Geraint Davies, MP forCroydon Central 1997–2005, had offices in the building.
Taberner House was built between 1964 and 1967, designed by architect H. Thornley, with Allan Holt and Hugh Lea as borough engineers. Although the council had needed extra space since the 1920s, it was only with the imminent creation of the London Borough of Croydon that action was taken. The building, which was demolished in 2014, was in classic 1960s style, praised at the time but subsequently much derided. It has its elegant upper slab block narrowing towards both ends, a formal device that has been compared to the famousPirelli Tower in Milan. It was named after Ernest Taberner OBE, Town Clerk from 1937 to 1963.[38] Until September 2013, Taberner House housed most of the council's central employees and was the main location for the public to access information and services, particularly concerning housing.
In September 2013, Council staff moved into Bernard Weatherill House in Fell Road (named after the former Speaker of the House and Member of Parliament for Croydon North-East). Staff from the Met Police, NHS, Jobcentre Plus, Croydon Credit Union, Citizens Advice Bureau, and 75 services from the council all moved to the new building.
The borough is in the far south of London, with theM25 orbital motorway stretching to the south of it, between Croydon andTandridge. To the north and east, the borough mainly borders theLondon Borough of Bromley, and in the northwest the boroughs ofLambeth andSouthwark. The boroughs ofSutton andMerton are located directly to the west. Croydon is at the head of theRiver Wandle, just to the north of a significant gap in theNorth Downs. It lies 10 miles (16 km) south of Central London, and the earliest settlement may have been a Roman staging post on the London-Portslade road, although conclusive evidence has not yet been found. The main town centre houses a great variety of well-known stores inNorth End and two shopping centres. It was pedestrianised in 1989 to attract people back to the town centre. Another shopping centre calledPark Place was due to open in 2012 but has since been scrapped.[39]
The bedrock of the northern part of the borough is mostly London Clay Formation[40] (blue-grey and grey-brown calcareous clay formed between 56 and 47.8 million years ago (mya) during thePalaeogene period) with a Claygate member[41] (dark grey clays with sand laminae and silt) of the same period making up theNorwood Ridge. A band of rocks of the Lambeth Group[42] (clay with sand/gravel/limestone/lignite, laid between 59.2 and 47.8 mya), Harwich Formation[43] (sand and gravel withglauconite, laid between 56 and 47.8 mya) and Thanet Formation[44] (silty, fine-grained sand with glauconite, laid between 59.2 and 56 mya) crosses the borough from east to west under Waddon, Addiscombe and Shirley into Spring Park. In the south, most of the bedrock is of the Lewes Nodular/Seahaven Chalk/Newhaven Chalk Formation[45] (laid during theCretaceous period, between 93.9 and 72.1 mya), from South Croydon and Addington down past Kenley and King's Wood with a small area of Holywell Nodular/New Pit Chalk Formation[46] (also Cretaceous, laid between 100.5 and 89.8 mya) in lower areas between hills, beginning just east of Kenley station and followed by the railway line curving southwards.[47]
There are five types of overlying superficial rock, all of theQuaternary period. In the very north, an unnamed sand-and-gravel member[48] of theQuaternary period overlies the Claygate member of the Norwood Ridge along Church Road and Crystal Palace Parade, with another area along Crown Lane to the east. An area of Lynch Hill Gravel[49] (deposited between 362 and 126 thousand years ago (tya)) extends from Norbury down to under West Croydon and East Croydon stations. A narrow Hackney Gravel Member[50] (laid between 362 and 126 tya) curves down through lower elevations from the west of Norbury and broadly followed by the railway line from South Croydon to south of Purley Station. Extending from this and other lower elevation areas are narrower deposits of Head[51] (poorly sorted and stratified angular rock debris and slow glacial hillwash, deposited between 2.588 mya and the present), related to the downward movement of water, e.g. under Coulsdon Town, Coulsdon South and Kenley stations and by Riddlesdown and Whyteleafe stations. Higher chalk areas in the south are overlain with Clay-with-flints Formation[52] (orange- or red-brown clay with nodules of flint, laid between 23.03 mya and 11.8 tya), e.g. at Netherne-on-the-Hill, Old Coulsdon and Kenley.
Elevations range from 32 metres in the north on London Clay (west of London Road (A23) south-southeast of Norbury Station and west of Thornton Heath station) to 175 metres in the south on a small area of Lambeth Group rock (atSanderstead Plantation onAddington Road).[47]
TheCR postcode area covers most of the south and centre of the borough while theSE andSW postcodes cover the northern parts, including Crystal Palace, Upper Norwood, South Norwood, Selhurst (part), Thornton Heath (part), Norbury and Pollards Hill (part).
Districts in the London Borough of Croydon includeAddington, a village to the east of Croydon which until 2000 was poorly linked to the rest of the borough as it was without any railway or light rail stations, with only a few patchy bus services.[53]Addiscombe is a district just northeast of the centre of Croydon, and is popular with commuters to central London as it is close to the busyEast Croydon station.[54]Ashburton, to the northeast of Croydon, is mostly home to residential houses and flats, being named after Ashburton House, one of the three big houses in the Addiscombe area.[55]Broad Green is a small district, centred on a large green with many homes and local shops in West Croydon.[55]Coombe is an area, just east of Croydon, which has barely been urbanised and has retained its collection of large houses fairly intact.Coulsdon, south-west of Central Croydon, has retained a good mix of traditional high street shops as well as a large number of restaurants for its size.[56]Croydon is the principal area of the borough,Crystal Palace is an area north of Croydon, which is shared with theLondon Boroughs of Lambeth,Southwark,Lewisham andBromley.[57]Fairfield, just northeast of Croydon, holds theFairfield Halls[58] and the village ofForestdale, to the east of Croydon's main area, commenced work in the late 1960s and completed in the mid-70s to create a larger town on what was previously open ground.[59]Hamsey Green is a place on the plateau of theNorth Downs, south of Croydon.[60]Kenley, again south of the centre, lies within the LondonGreen Belt and features a landscape dominated by green space.[61]New Addington, to the east, is a large local council estate surrounded by open countryside and golf courses.[62]Norbury, to the northwest, is a suburb with a large ethnic population.[63]Norwood New Town is a part of the Norwood triangle, to the north of Croydon.Monks Orchard is a small district made up of large houses and open space in the northeast of the borough.[64]Pollards Hill is a residential district with houses on roads, which are lined with pollarded lime trees, stretching to Norbury.Purley, to the south, is a main town whose name derives from "pirlea", which means 'Peartree lea'.[65]Sanderstead, to the south, is a village mainly on high ground at the edge of suburban development inGreater London.[66]Selhurst is a town, to the north of Croydon, which holds the nationally known school, TheBRIT School.Selsdon is a suburb that was developed during the inter-war period in the 1920s and 1930s. It is notable for its many Art Deco houses, which are located to the southeast of Croydon Centre.Shirley, is to the east of Croydon, and holdsShirley Windmill.South Croydon, to the south of Croydon, is a locality which holds local landmarks such as The Swan and Sugarloaf public house and independentWhitgift School, part of theWhitgift Foundation.[67]South Norwood, to the north, is in common with West Norwood and Upper Norwood, named after a contraction of Great North Wood and has a population of around 14,590.Thornton Heath is a town, to the northwest of Croydon, which holds Croydon's principal hospitalMayday.[68]Upper Norwood is north of Croydon, on a mainly elevated area of the borough.Waddon is a residential area, mainly based on thePurley Way retail area, to the west of the borough.Woodside is located to the northeast of the borough, with streets based onWoodside Green, a small area of grass.[69] And finallyWhyteleafe is a town, right to the edge of Croydon with some areas in the Surrey district of Tandridge.
Croydon is a gateway to the south from central London, with some major roads running through it.Purley Way, part of theA23, was built to by-pass Croydon town centre. It is one of the busiest roads in the borough and is the site of several major retail developments, including one of only 18IKEA stores in the country, built on the site of the former power station.[70] The A23 continues southward as Brighton Road, which is the main route running towards the south fromCroydon toPurley. The centre of Croydon is very congested, and the urban planning has since become out of date and quite inadequate, due to the expansion of Croydon's main shopping area and office blocks.Wellesley Road is a north–southdual carriageway that cuts through the centre of the town, and makes it hard to walk between the town centre's two railway stations.Croydon Vision 2020 includes a plan for a more pedestrian-friendly replacement. It has also been named as one of the worst roads for cyclists in the area.[71] Construction of theCroydon Underpass beneath the junction of George Street andWellesley Road/Park Lane started in the early 1960s, mainly to alleviate traffic congestion on Park Lane, above the underpass. TheCroydon Flyover is also near the underpass, and next toTaberner House. It mainly leads traffic ontoDuppas Hill, towards Purley Way, with links toSutton andKingston upon Thames.
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Croydon covers an area of 86.52 km2. Croydon's physical features consist of many hills and rivers spread out across the borough and into theNorth Downs, Surrey, and the rest of south London.Addington Hills is a major hilly area to the south of London and is recognised as a significant obstacle to the growth of London from its origins as a port on the north side of the river, to a large circular city. TheGreat North Wood is a former natural oak forest that covered theSydenham Ridge and the southern reaches of theRiver Effra and its tributaries.
The most notable tree, called Vicar's Oak, marked the boundary of four ancient parishes:Lambeth,Camberwell, Croydon andBromley. John Aubrey[73] referred to this "ancient remarkable tree" in the past tense as early as 1718, but according to J. B. Wilson,[74] the Vicar's Oak survived until 1825. TheRiver Wandle, achalk stream, is also a major tributary of theRiver Thames, flowing toWandsworth andPutney for 9 miles (14 km) from its main source inWaddon.
Croydon has atemperate climate, in common with most areas of Great Britain: itsKöppen climate classification isCfb.[75][76] Its mean annual temperature of 9.6 °C is similar to that experienced throughout the Weald, and slightly cooler than nearby areas such as the Sussex coast and central London.[77] Rainfall is considerably below England's average (1971–2000) level of 838 mm, and every month is drier overall than the England average.[78]
Croydon's skyline has significantly changed over the past 50 years. High-rise buildings, mainly office blocks, now dominate the skyline. The most notable of these buildings include Croydon Council's former headquartersTaberner House, which has been compared to the famousPirelli Tower ofMilan, and theNestlé Tower, the former UK headquarters ofNestlé.
In recent years, the development oftall buildings, such as the approved Croydon Vocational Tower andWellesley Square, has been encouraged in theLondon Plan, and will lead to the erection of new skyscrapers in the coming years as part of London's high-rise boom.[79]
No. 1 Croydon, formerly the NLA Tower, Britain's 88th tallest tower,[80] close toEast Croydon station, is an example of 1970s architecture. The tower was originally nicknamed theThreepenny bit building, as it resembles a stack of pre-decimalisationThreepence coins, which were 12-sided. It is now most commonly called The Octagon, being 8-sided.
Lunar House is another high-rise building. Like other government office buildings on Wellesley Road, such asApollo House, the name of the building was inspired by theUS Moon landings (In the Croydon suburb of New Addington there is apublic house, built during the same period, calledThe Man on the Moon). Lunar House houses the Home Office building for Visas and Immigration. Apollo House is home to the Border Patrol Agency.
A new generation of buildings is being considered by the council as part ofCroydon Vision 2020, so that the borough does not lose its title of having the "largest office space in the south east", excluding central London.[81] Projects such asWellesley Square, which will be a mix of residential and retail with an eye-catching colour design, and100 George Street — a proposed modern office block — are included in this vision.
Notable events that have happened to Croydon's skyline include the Millennium project to create the largest single urban lighting project ever. It was created to illuminate the buildings of Croydon for the third millennium. The project provided new lighting and offered the ability to project images and words onto buildings, mixing art and poetry with coloured light, and also displaying public information after dark. Apart from increasing night-time activity in Croydon and thereby reducing the fear of crime, it helped to promote the sustainable use of older buildings by displaying them in a more positive way.[82]
There are numerous attractions and places of interest across the borough of Croydon, ranging from historic sites in the north and south to modern towers in the centre.
Croydon Airport was once London's main airport but closed on 30 September 1959 due to the expansion of London and a lack of room for expansion.Heathrow International Airport took over as London's main airport. Croydon Airport has now been mostly converted to offices, although some important elements of the airport remain. It is a tourist attraction.[17]
TheCroydon Clocktower arts venue was opened byElizabeth II in 1994.[10] It includes the Braithwaite Hall (the former reference library – named after the Rev. Braithwaite who donated it to the town) for live events, theDavid Lean Cinema (built in memory ofDavid Lean), theMuseum of Croydon andCroydon Central Library. The Museum of Croydon (formerly known as Croydon Lifetimes Museum) highlights Croydon's past and present and currently features high-profile exhibitions including the Riesco Collection, The Art of Dr Seuss, and the Whatever the Weather gallery.[83]Shirley Windmill is a working windmill and one of the few surviving large windmills inSurrey, built in 1854. It isGrade II listed and received a £218,100 grant from theHeritage Lottery Fund.[84]Addington Palace is an 18th-century mansion inAddington that was originally built as Addington Place in the 16th century. The palace became the official second residence of six archbishops, five of whom are buried in St Mary's Church and the churchyard nearby.[12]
North End is the main pedestrianised shopping road in Croydon, havingCentrale to one side and theWhitgift Centre to the other. TheWarehouse Theatre is a popular theatre for mostly young performers and was due to get a facelift on theCroydon Gateway site.
TheNestlé Tower was the UK headquarters ofNestlé[85] and is one of the tallest towers in England, which is due to be re-fitted during the Park Place development.Fairfield Halls, a well-known concert venue and exhibition centre, opened in 1962. It is frequently used forBBC recordings and was formerly the home ofITV'sWorld of Sport.[58] It includes theAshcroft Theatre and theArnhem Gallery.
Croydon Palace was the summer residence of theArchbishop of Canterbury for over 500 years and included regular visitors such asHenry III and QueenElizabeth I. It is thought to have been built around 960.Croydon Cemetery is a large cemetery and crematorium west of Croydon and is most famous for the gravestone ofDerek Bentley, who was wrongly hanged in 1953.Mitcham Common is an area ofcommon land partly shared with the boroughs ofSutton andMerton. Almost 500,000 years ago, Mitcham Common formed part of the river bed of the River Thames.[86]
TheBRIT School is a performing Arts & Technology school, owned by the BRIT Trust (known for theBRIT Awards Music Ceremony). Famous former students includeKellie Shirley,Amy Winehouse,Leona Lewis,Adele,Kate Nash,Dane Bowers,Katie Melua andLyndon David-Hall.[87]Grants is an entertainment venue in the centre of Croydon which includes aVue cinema.[88]
Surrey Street Market has roots in the 13th century, or earlier, and was chartered by theArchbishop of Canterbury in 1276. The market is regularly used as a location for TV, film, and advertising.Croydon Minster, formerly the parish church, was established in theAnglo-Saxon period, and parts of the surviving building (notably the tower) date from the 14th and 15th centuries. However, the church was largely destroyed by fire in 1867, so the present structure is a rebuild of 1867–69 to the designs ofGeorge Gilbert Scott. It still contains several important monuments and fittings saved from the old church.[89]
According to the2011 census, Croydon had a population of 363,378, making it the most populated borough inGreater London. The estimated population in 2017 was around 384,800. 186,900 were males, with 197,900 females. The density was 4,448 inhabitants per km2. 248,200 residents of Croydon were between the age of 16 and 64.[90]
The table shows population change since 1801, including the percentage change since the previous census. Although the London Borough of Croydon has existed only since 1965, earlier figures have been generated by combining data from the towns, villages, andcivil parishes that would later be absorbed into the authority.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1801 | 6,742 | — |
| 1811 | 8,911 | +32.2% |
| 1821 | 10,567 | +18.6% |
| 1831 | 14,031 | +32.8% |
| 1841 | 18,638 | +32.8% |
| 1851 | 21,849 | +17.2% |
| 1861 | 42,197 | +93.1% |
| 1871 | 62,545 | +48.2% |
| 1881 | 82,893 | +32.5% |
| 1891 | 108,339 | +30.7% |
| 1901 | 141,918 | +31.0% |
| 1911 | 185,914 | +31.0% |
| 1921 | 221,692 | +19.2% |
| 1931 | 264,358 | +19.2% |
| 1941 | 281,273 | +6.4% |
| 1951 | 299,271 | +6.4% |
| 1961 | 316,084 | +5.6% |
| 1971 | 333,942 | +5.6% |
| 1981 | 316,296 | −5.3% |
| 1991 | 319,218 | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 330,688 | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 363,378 | +9.9% |
| 2021 | 390,719 | +7.5% |
| Source:A Vision of Britain through time | ||
The most common householder type wasowner occupied with only a small percentage rented. Many new housing schemes and developments are currently taking place in Croydon, such as The Exchange and Bridge House,[91]IYLO,Wellesley Square (now known as Saffron Square) andAltitude 25.
In 2006, TheMetropolitan Police recorded a 10% fall in the number of crimes committed in Croydon, better than the rate at which crime in London as a whole is falling.[92] Croydon has had the highest fall in the number of cases of violence against the person in south London, and is one of the top 10 safest local authorities in London. According toYour Croydon (a local community magazine) this is due to a stronger partnership between Croydon Council and the police.[93] In 2007, overall crime figures across the borough saw a decrease of 5%, with the number of incidents dropping from 32,506 in 2006 to 30,862 in 2007.[94] However, in the year ending April 2012, The Metropolitan Police recorded the highest rates for murder and rape throughout London in Croydon, accounting for almost 10% of all murders, and 7% of all rapes.
In 2011, white was the majority ethnicity with 55.1%. Black was the second-largest ethnicity with 20.2%; 16.4% were Asian and 8.3% stated to be something other.[95]
| Ethnic Group | Year | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 estimations[96] | 1981 estimations[97] | 1991 census[98] | 2001 census[99] | 2011 census[100] | 2021 census[101] | |||||||
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| White: Total | – | 93.9% | 286,146 | 89.3% | 262,342 | 82.2% | 231,945 | 70.2% | 200,195 | 55.1% | 188,985 | 48.4% |
| White:British | – | – | – | – | – | – | 210,573 | 63.7% | 171,740 | 47.3% | 146,268 | 37.4% |
| White:Irish | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7,130 | 2.2% | 5,369 | 1.5% | 4,935 | 1.3% |
| White:Gypsy or Irish Traveller | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 234 | 0.1% | 212 | 0.1% |
| White: Roma | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1,120 | 0.3% |
| White:Other | – | – | – | – | – | – | 14,242 | 4.3% | 22,852 | 6.3% | 36,450 | 9.3% |
| Black or Black British: Total | – | – | 15,352 | 4.8% | 24,443 | 7.7% | 44,076 | 13.3% | 73,256 | 20.2% | 88,441 | 22.6% |
| Black or Black British:African | – | – | 2,933 | 5,099 | 14,627 | 4.4% | 28,981 | 8.0% | 40,219 | 10.3% | ||
| Black or Black British:Caribbean | – | – | 10,030 | 15,801 | 26,065 | 7.9% | 31,320 | 8.6% | 36,108 | 9.2% | ||
| Black or Black British:Other Black | – | – | 2,389 | 3,543 | 3,384 | 1.0% | 12,955 | 3.6% | 12,114 | 3.1% | ||
| Asian or Asian British: Total | – | – | 14,874 | 4.6% | 26,188 | 8.2% | 37,380 | 11.3% | 59,627 | 16.4% | 68,487 | 17.5% |
| Asian or Asian British:Indian | – | – | 9,080 | 15,191 | 21,246 | 6.4% | 24,660 | 6.8% | 29,563 | 7.6% | ||
| Asian or Asian British:Pakistani | – | – | 2,156 | 3,518 | 7,429 | 2.2% | 10,865 | 3.0% | 15,345 | 3.9% | ||
| Asian or Asian British:Bangladeshi | – | – | 394 | 817 | 1,765 | 0.5% | 2,570 | 0.7% | 3,549 | 0.9% | ||
| Asian or Asian British:Chinese | – | – | 997 | 1,748 | 2,212 | 0.7% | 3,925 | 1.1% | 3,950 | 1.0% | ||
| Asian or Asian British: Other Asian | – | – | 2,247 | 4,914 | 6,940 | 2.1% | 17,607 | 4.8% | 16,080 | 4.1% | ||
| Mixed or British Mixed: Total | – | – | – | – | – | – | 12,296 | 3.7% | 23,895 | 6.6% | 29,745 | 7.6% |
| Mixed: White and Black Caribbean | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4,721 | 1.4% | 9,650 | 2.7% | 10,380 | 2.7% |
| Mixed: White and Black African | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1,352 | 0.4% | 3,279 | 0.9% | 4,453 | 1.1% |
| Mixed: White and Asian | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3,480 | 1.1% | 5,140 | 1.4% | 5,740 | 1.5% |
| Mixed: Other Mixed | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2,743 | 0.8% | 5,826 | 1.6% | 9,172 | 2.3% |
| Other: Total | – | – | 3,935 | 6,227 | 2,678 | 0.8% | 6,405 | 1.8% | 15,066 | 3.9% | ||
| Other: Arab | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1,701 | 0.5% | 2,259 | 0.6% |
| Other: Any other ethnic group | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4,704 | 1.3% | 12,807 | 3.3% |
| Ethnic minority: Total | – | 6.1% | 34,161 | 10.7% | 56,858 | 17.8% | 98,642 | 29.8% | 163,183 | 44.9% | 201,739 | 51.6% |
| Total | – | 100% | 320,307 | 100% | 319,200 | 100% | 330,587 | 100.00% | 363,378 | 100.00% | 390,724 | 100% |
| Croydon | London | |
|---|---|---|
| No Religion | 101,119 | 2,380,404 |
| Buddhist | 2,371 | 77,425 |
| Christian | 190,880 | 3,577,681 |
| Hindu | 23,145 | 453,034 |
| Muslim | 40,717 | 1,318,754 |
| Sikh | 1,654 | 144,543 |
| Other Religions | 3,798 | 232,225 |
The predominant religion of the borough is Christianity. According to the2021 United Kingdom census, the borough has over 190,880 Christians, mainly Protestants. This is the largest religious following in the borough, followed by Islam with 40,717 Muslims resident.
101,119 Croydon residents stated that they areatheist ornon-religious in the 2021 Census.
Croydon Minster is the most notable of the borough's 35 churches.[102] This church was founded in Saxon times, since there is a record of "a priest of Croydon" in 960, although the first record of a church building is in theDomesday Book (1086). In its final medieval form, the church was mainly a Perpendicular-style structure. It was severely damaged by fire in 1867, following which only the tower, south porch, and outer walls remained. Under the direction of Sir George Gilbert Scott, the church was rebuilt, incorporating the remains and essentially following the design of the medieval building, and was reconsecrated in 1870. It still contains several important monuments and fittings saved from the old church.[89]
TheBishop of Croydon is a position as asuffragan Bishop in theAnglican Diocese of Southwark. The present bishop is the Right ReverendRosemarie Mallett.
| Metric | 2023 |
|---|---|
| Total employee jobs | 126,000 |
| Full-time | 85,000 |
| Part-time | 41,000 |
| Wholesale and Retail trade | 19,000 |
| Health and Social Work | 19,000 |
| Public Administration and Defense | 15,000 |
| Administration and Support | 11,000 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Activities | 11,000 |
| Construction | 7,000 |
| Manufacturing | 3,000 |
| Other | 41,000 |
The main employment sectors are retail and enterprise. In Central Croydon, thePurley Way shopping district is home to many businesses. Croydon town centre has been a major retail centre withhigh street and designer boutiques. Its main shopping areas are on theNorth End precinct, in theWhitgift Centre,Centrale andSt George's Walk.Surrey Street Market is Croydon's historic town centremarket, with aroyal charter dating from 1276. Shopping areas outside the town centre include theValley Park retail complex,Croydon Colonnades, Croydon Fiveways, and the Waddon Goods Park.
In 2005, Croydon was ranked 21st in Britain and second in Greater London in terms of retail expenditure, at £909 million.[104] The expanion in 2006 of the 23,000 m2 (250,000 sq ft)IKEA store built in 1992 on a formerCroydon power station site made it the fifth largest employer in Croydon at the time.[105][106][107]By 2010, after theGreat Recession from the2008 financial crisis, Croydon had fallen to sixth in Greater London and 29th in Britain in retail spend.[108]
Widespread economic restructuring predating theCOVID-19 pandemic, combined with changes in working and purchasing behaviours brought about by the pandemic itself, have contributed to a retail decline.[109] TheAllders in North End, formerly the third largest department store in Britain, closed in 2013 followed by the town centreDebenhams store in 2020, leaving only theHouse of Fraser department store in Centrale. Following the wider national trend, retail vacancy has been increasing.[109]Protracted delays to the refurbishment and redevelopment plans for the Centrale and Whitgift Centre retail complexes also contributed to increased retail vacancy and a decrease in foot traffic.[110] Croydon Council declared bankruptcy via asection 114 notice in December 2020, bailed out with a £120 million central government loan.[111]
Croydon is a major office area in Southeast England and one of the largest outside central London. In the early 2000s many large global companies had European or British headquarters in the town.American International Group (AIG) and theInstitute of Public Finance had offices inNo. 1 Croydon before moving to Fenchurch Street in central London.[112] Until they moved toGatwick in 2012, the Swiss companyNestlé had its UK headquarters inSt George's House, still known as Nestlé Tower.[113] The pharmaceutical testing company Real Digital International operate from a 6,500 m2 (70,000 sq ft) factory on Purley Way, built in 2006.[114]
Virgin Media has offices at Communications House, from its beginnings in 1984 as Croydon Cable, later renamedTelewest.[115]TheHome OfficeUK Visas and Immigration department has its headquarters inLunar House in Central Croydon.
East Croydon andWest Croydon are the main stations in the borough.South Croydon railway station is also a railway station inCroydon, but it is less prominent.
East Croydon is the largest and busiest station in Croydon and the third busiest in London, excludingLondon fare zone 1. It is served byGovia Thameslink Railway, operating under theSouthern and Thameslink brands. Services travel via theBrighton Main Line north toLondon Victoria,London Bridge,London St Pancras,Luton Airport,Bedford,Cambridge andPeterborough and south toGatwick Airport,Ore,Brighton,Littlehampton,Bognor Regis,Southampton andPortsmouth.[116]
East Croydon was also served by long-distanceArriva CrossCountry services toBirmingham and the North of England until they were withdrawn in December 2008.[117]
West Croydon is served byLondon Overground and Southern services north toHighbury & Islington, London Bridge and London Victoria, and south toSutton andEpsom Downs.[118]
South Croydon is mainly served byNetwork Rail services operated bySouthern for suburban lines to and from London Bridge, London Victoria and the eastern part ofSurrey.
Croydon is one of only five London Boroughs not to have at least oneLondon Underground station within its boundaries, with the closest tube station beingMorden.[119]
A sizeable bus infrastructure which is part of theLondon Buses network operates from a hub atWest Croydon bus station.[120] The original bus station opened in May 1985, closing in October 2014. A new bus station opened in October 2016.[121]
Addington Village Interchange is a regional bus terminal inAddington Village which has an interchange between Tramlink and bus services in the remote area. Services are operated under contract byArriva London,London Central,Metrobus,Quality Line,Selkent andTransport UK London Bus.
TheTramlink light rail system opened in 2000, serving the borough and surrounding areas. Its network consists of three lines, fromElmers End to West Croydon, fromBeckenham to West Croydon, and fromNew Addington toWimbledon, with all three lines running via the Croydon loop on which it is centred.[122] It is also the only tram system in London, but there is another light rail system, theDocklands Light Railway. It servesMitcham,Woodside,Addiscombe and thePurley Way retail and industrial area amongst others.
Croydon is linked to the national motorway network via theM23 andM25 orbital motorway. The M25 skirts the south of the borough, linking Croydon with other parts of London and the surrounding counties; the M23 branches from the M25 close to Coulsdon, linking the town with the south coast,Crawley,Reigate, andGatwick Airport. TheA23 connects the borough with the motorways. The A23 is the major trunk road through Croydon, linking it with central London, East Sussex, Horsham, and Littlehaven. The old London to Brighton Road passes through the west of the borough onPurley Way, bypassing the commercial centre of Croydon which it once did.
TheA22 andA23 are the major trunk roads through Croydon. These both run north–south, connecting to each other inPurley. The A22 connects Croydon, its starting point, toEast Grinstead,Tunbridge Wells,Uckfield, andEastbourne. Other major roads generally radiate spoke-like from the town centre. The A23 road cuts right through Croydon, and it starts fromLondon and links toBrighton andGatwick Airport.Wellesley Road is an urbandual carriageway which cuts through the middle of the central business district. It was constructed in the 1960s as part of a planned ring road for Croydon[citation needed] and includes anunderpass, which allows traffic to avoid going into the town centre.
The closest international airport to Croydon isGatwick Airport, which is located 19 miles (31 km) from the town centre. Gatwick Airport opened in August 1930 as an aerodrome and is a major international operational base forBritish Airways,EasyJet andVirgin Atlantic. It currently handles around 35 million passengers a year, making it London's second largest airport, and the second busiest airport in the United Kingdom afterHeathrow. Heathrow,London City andLuton airports all lie within a two-hour drive of Croydon. Gatwick and Luton Airports are connected to Croydon byfrequent direct trains, while Heathrow is accessible by theroute SL7 bus.
Although hilly, Croydon is compact and has few major trunk roads running through it. It is on one of theConnect2 schemes which are part of theNational Cycle Network route running around Croydon.[123] TheNorth Downs, an area of outstanding natural beauty popular with both on- and off-road cyclists, is so close to Croydon that part of the park lies within the borough boundary, and there are routes into the park almost from the civic centre.
Below is a table listing transport methods as used by residents aged 16 to 74 according to a 2011 survey.[needs update]
| Mode of Transport | Share of Residents (%)[124] |
|---|---|
| National Rail | 59.5 |
| Personal Vehicle (as driver) | 20.2 |
| Bus/Minibus/Coach | 7.5 |
| Walking | 5.1 |
| Metro Rail | 4.3 |
| Personal Vehicle (as passenger) | 1.5 |
| Work from home | 2.9 |
Home Office policing in Croydon is provided by theMetropolitan Police. The force's Croydon arm has its head offices for policing onPark Lane next to theFairfield Halls andCroydon College in central Croydon. Public transport is coordinated byTransport for London.Statutory emergency fire and rescue service is provided by theLondon Fire Brigade, which has five stations in Croydon.[125]
Croydon has five police stations. Croydon police station is on Park Lane in the centre of the town near theFairfield Halls; South Norwood police station is a newly refurbished building just off High Street; Norbury police station is on London Road; Kenley station is on Godstone Road; and New Addington police station is on Addington Village Road.
NHS South West London Clinical Commissioning Group (a merger of the previous NHS Croydon CCG and others in Southwest London) is the body responsible forpublic health and for planning and funding health services in the borough. Croydon has 227 GPs in 64 practices, 156 dentists in 51 practices, 166 pharmacists and 70 optometrists in 28 practices.[126]
Croydon University Hospital, formerly known as Mayday Hospital, built on a 19-acre (7.7 ha) site in Thornton Heath at the west of Croydon's boundaries withMerton, is a largeNHS hospital administered byCroydon Health Services NHS Trust.[127] Former names of the hospital include the Croydon Union Infirmary from 1885 to 1923 and the Mayday Road Hospital from 1923 to around 1930.[128] It is a District General Hospital with a 24-houraccident and emergency department.NHS Direct has a regional centre based at the hospital. TheNHS Trust also provides services at Purley War Memorial Hospital, inPurley. Croydon General Hospital was on London Road but services transferred to Mayday, as the size of this hospital was insufficient to cope with the growing population of the borough. Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Centre and the Emergency Minor Treatment Centre are other smaller hospitals operated by the Mayday in the borough.Cane Hill was apsychiatric hospital in Coulsdon.
Waste management is coordinated by the local authority.[129] Unlike otherwaste disposal authorities in Greater London, Croydon's rubbish is collected independently and is not part of a shared waste authority unit. Locally producedinert waste for disposal is sent tolandfill in the south of Croydon.[130] There have recently been calls by the ODPM to bring waste management powers to theGreater London Authority, giving it a waste function.[129] The Mayor of London has made repeated attempts to bring the different waste authorities together, to form a single waste authority in London. This has faced significant opposition from existing authorities.[131] However, it has had significant support from all other sectors and the surrounding regions managing most of London's waste. Croydon has the joint best recycling rate in London, at 36%, but the refuse collectors have been criticised for their rushed performance lacking quality.[132] Croydon'sdistribution network operator for electricity isEDF Energy Networks; there are nopower stations in the borough.Thames Water manages Croydon'sdrinking andwastewater; water supplies are sourced from several local reservoirs, includingBeckton andKing George VI.[133] Before 1971, Croydon Corporation was responsible for water treatment in the borough.
The borough of Croydon is 86.52 km2, populating approximately 340,000 people. There are five fire stations within the borough: Addington (two pumping appliances), Croydon (two pumping appliances, incident response unit, fire rescue unit and a USAR appliance), Norbury (two pumping appliances), Purley (one pumping appliance) and Woodside (one pumping appliance). Purley has the largest station ground but dealt with the fewest incidents during 2006/07.[125]
The fire stations, as part of the Community Fire Safety scheme, visited 49 schools in 2006/2007.[125]
The borough, compared with other London boroughs, has the highest number of schools in it, with 26% of its population under 20 years old.[125] They include primary schools (95), secondary schools (21) and four further education establishments.[134]Croydon College has its main building in Central Croydon, and it is a high-rise building.[135]John Ruskin College[136] is one of the other colleges in the borough, located in Addington, and Coulsdon College[137] in Coulsdon. South Norwood has been the home ofSpurgeon's College, a world-famous Baptist theological college, since 1923; Spurgeon's is located on South Norwood Hill and currently has around 1,000 students. The London Borough of Croydon is thelocal education authority for the borough.[138]
Overall, Croydon was ranked 77th out of all the local education authorities in the UK, up from 92nd in 2007.[139] In 2007, the Croydon LEA was ranked 81st out of 149 in the country – and 21st in Greater London – based on the percentage of pupils attaining at least 5 A* – C grades at GCSE including maths and English (37.8% compared with the national average of 46.7%).[140] The most successful public sector schools in 2010 were Harris City Academy Crystal Palace and Coloma Convent Girls' School.[141] The percentage of pupils achieving 5 A* – C GCSEs including maths and English was above the national average in 2010.[142]
The borough of Croydon has 14 libraries, a joint library and a mobile library.[143] Many of the libraries were built a long time ago and therefore have become outdated, so the council started updating a few, includingAshburton Library, which moved from its former spot into the state-of-the-artAshburton Learning Village complex (on the former site of the old 'A Block' ofAshburton Community School). The library is now on one floor. This format was planned to be rolled out across all of the council's libraries but was deemed too costly to implement everywhere.
South Norwood Library,New Addington Library, Shirley Library, Selsdon Library, Sanderstead Library, Broad Green, Purley Library, Coulsdon Library and Bradmore Green Library are examples of older council libraries. The main library isCroydon Central Library, which holds many references, newspaper archives and a tourist information point (one of three in southeast London).Upper Norwood Library is a joint library with theLondon Borough of Lambeth. This means that both councils fund the library and its resources, but even though Lambeth has nearly doubled its funding for the library in the past several years, Croydon has kept its contribution the same,[144] leading to concerns about the library's future.
The borough has been criticised in the past for not having enough leisure facilities, which contributed to Croydon being rated a three-star borough.[145] Thornton Heath's ageing sports centre was demolished and replaced by a newer, more modern leisure centre.South Norwood Leisure Centre was closed down in 2006 so that it could be demolished and re-designed from scratch like Thornton Heath, at an estimated cost of around £10 million.[146]
South Norwood Forum had called for the new centre to be built on the site of the old one, but the Conservative council decided a refurbishment would be more economical than a full rebuild, causing some controversy.[147][148]
Sport Croydon,[149] is the commercial arm for leisure in the borough. Fusion currently provides leisure services for the council, a contract previously held by Parkwood Leisure.[150]
Football teams includeCrystal Palace F.C., which play atSelhurst Park, and in thePremier League.AFC Croydon Athletic, whose nickname is The Rams, is a football club who play atCroydon Sports Arena along withCroydon F.C., both in theCombined Counties League andHolmesdale, who were founded inSouth Norwood but currently play on Oakley Road inBromley, and compete in theSouthern Counties East Football League.
Non-football teams that play in Croydon areStreatham-Croydon RFC, arugby union club inThornton Heath who play at Frant Road, as well asSouth London Storm Rugby League Club, based atStreatham's ground, which compete in theRugby League Conference. TheLondon Olympians are anAmerican football team that play in Division 1 South in theBritish American Football League. TheCroydon Pirates are one of the most successful teams in theBritish Baseball Federation, though their ground is actually located just outside the borough inSutton.
There are a number offield hockey clubs based in and around Croydon that are part of theSouth East Hockey and theLondon Hockey league structures.[151][152][153] Current hockey clubs in and around the area are Addiscombe, Croydon Trinity Whitgiftian, Kenley, Purley, Purley Walcountians and Sanderstead.[154][155][156][157][158][159]
Croydon Amphibians SC plays in the Division 2 British Water Polo League. The team won the National League Division 2 in 2008.[160]
Croydon has over 120 parks and open spaces,[161] ranging from the 200-acre (0.81 km2)Selsdon Wood Nature Reserve to many recreation grounds and sports fields scattered throughout the Borough. This provides many places forrambling. TheWandle Trail links central London to Croydon and then theVanguard Way links East Croydon to the South Coast, intersecting theLondon Loop, theNorth Downs Way and thePilgrims' Way.
Croydon has cut funding to theWarehouse Theatre.[162]
In 2005, Croydon Council drew up aPublic Art Strategy, with a vision intended to be accessible and to enhance people's enjoyment of their surroundings.[163] The public art strategy delivered a new event calledCroydon's Summer Festival hosted inLloyd Park.[164] The festival consists of two days of events.[165] The first is calledCroydon's World Party which is a free one-day event with three stages featuring world, jazz and dance music from the UK and internationally. The final day's event is theCroydon Mela, a day of music with a mix of traditional Asian culture and east-meets-western club beats across four stages, as well as dozens of food stalls and a funfair. It has attracted crowds of over 50,000 people.[166] The strategy also created a creative industries hub inOld Town, ensured that public art is included in developments such asCollege Green andRuskin Square and investigated the possibility of gallery space in the Cultural Quarter.
Fairfield Halls, Arnhem Gallery and theAshcroft Theatre show productions that are held throughout the year such as drama, ballet, opera and pantomimes, and can be converted to show films. It also contains the Arnhem Gallery civic hall and anart gallery. Other cultural activities, including shopping and exhibitions, areSurrey Street Market which is mainly a meat and vegetables market near the main shopping environment of Croydon. The market has a Royal Charter dating back to 1276.Airport House is a newly refurbished conference and exhibition centre inside part ofCroydon Airport. TheWhitgift Centre is the current main shopping centre in the borough.Centrale is a new shopping centre that houses many more familiar names, as well as Croydon'sHouse of Fraser.
There are three local newspapers which operate within the borough. TheCroydon Advertiser began life in 1869,[167] and was in 2005 the third-best selling paid-for weekly newspaper in London.[168] The Advertiser is Croydon's major paid-for weekly paper and is on sale every Friday in five geographical editions: Croydon; Sutton &Epsom; Coulsdon & Purley; New Addington; andCaterham.[169] The paper converted from a broadsheet to a compact (tabloid) format on 31 March 2006. It was bought byNorthcliffe Media which is part of theDaily Mail and General Trust group on 6 July 2007. TheCroydon Post is a free newspaper available across the borough and is operated by the Advertiser group. The circulation of the newspaper was in 2008 more than the main title published by the Advertiser Group.[170]
TheCroydon Guardian is another local weekly paper, which is paid for at newsagents but free at Croydon Council libraries and via deliveries.[171] It is one of the best-circulated local newspapers in London and once had the highest circulation in Croydon with around one thousand more copies distributed than The Post.[172]
The borough is served by the London regional versions ofBBC andITV coverage, from either theCrystal Palace orCroydon transmitters.[173]
Croydon Television is owned by Croydon broadcasting corporation. Broadcasting from studios in Croydon, the CBC is fully independent. It does not receive any government or local council grants or funding and is supported by donations, sponsorship and by commercial advertising.
Capital Radio andGold serve the borough. Local BBC radio is provided byBBC London 94.9. Other stations includeKiss 100,Absolute Radio andMagic 105.4 FM fromBauer Radio andCapital Xtra,Heart 106.2 andSmooth Radio fromGlobal Radio.[174] In 2012, Croydon Radio, an online and FM radio station, and the first official FM radio station for the London Borough of Croydon, began serving the area.[175] The borough is also home to its own local TV station,Croydon TV.[176]
The London Borough of Croydon is twinned with the municipality ofArnhem which is located in the east of the Netherlands.[177] The city of Arnhem is one of the20 largest cities in the Netherlands. They have been twinned since 1946 after both towns had suffered extensive bomb damage during the recently ended war. There is also aGuyanese link supported by the council.[178]
In September 2009 it was revealed that Croydon Council had around £5.66 million of its pension fund for employees invested in shares inBritish American Tobacco. Members of the opposition Labour group on the council, who had banned such shareholdings when in control, described this as "dealing in death" and inconsistent with the council's tobacco control strategy.[179]
In 2014, it was reported that the Croydon Council had divested its pension funds from tobacco-related holdings, in addition to nuclear power and weapons.[180][181]
The following people and military units have received theFreedom of the Borough of Croydon.
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