Urban75 Home About Offline BrixtonBuzz Contact

Croydon - nightlife, accommodation, things to do and general chat

Crime would not deter me from buying somewhere, everywhere has crime, some areas a bit worse than others, some areas have
different types of crimes. It is something we have to put up with unfortunately. In my immediate neighbourhood, we have had the odd
murder or two over recent years (probably kds on kids), we have had busts nearby for some serious armoury and despite our
"defences" I have had two bicycles stolen from a vewry secure area.

Speaking to someone from the "pond" today, he tells me that Croydon is one of the most ethnically diverse areas in the country as well
as having the Palace!
 
loving the posts, croydon really is a marmite place ie love it or hate it....may i return to my op, moving BACK to croydon...have not lived there fir a long time. looking for comfortable modern flat with easy eccess to station...

Marmite... definitely :)

It's got an entrenched image problem that'll be hard to shake off, but I don't see that it's any worse than any other outer-suburban area (e.g. crime etc), and has quite a few advantages. I'm far from a hardcore city dweller but we moved down here when our little 'un came along for a bigger place, and this Spring bought a house in Broad Green, and it's been fine so far. Lots of folk would disagree but I really like the walk up London Road from W Croydon station, past all the busy grocery shops. Also it's close enough to central London that I can cycle it in well under an hour, but equally I can get the train towards Caterham or Tattenham Corner and be right in the countryside with gorgeous woods & hills.

As for modern flats... don't know the details but seems as though there's quite a few, e.g. Altitude 25 and Saffron Square, and I think the ex-Nestle building is being converted to residential too. Trouble is I get the impression they're all being marketed to overseas buy-to-let prospectors, and might be unreasonably expensive for what they are :(
 
I would have thought Wandsworth (my current borough) would have been one of the greenest, what with all the Commons...

Tattoo's and piercing's, been there done that one!
Sutton and Bromley both claim to it. Both in with a chance, I reckon. It certainly isn't Croydon or Wandsworth though.
 
Another thing to bear in mind is the Westfield/Hammersons development plans are due to be submitted in a couple of weeks - so the whole place could be a building site for next 3 or more years!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pgd
Sutton and Bromley both claim to it. Both in with a chance, I reckon. It certainly isn't Croydon or Wandsworth though.

It might also be Richmond, with both Richmond and Bushy Parks.

Depends whether you're including farmland, too, or just publically-accessible open space. Bromley (and e.g. Hillingdon) are enormous boroughs with enormous amounts of open land, but most of it's farmland. [ETA: or golf courses.] Sutton, by contrast, is tiny, so might well be up there on a relative basis. Eyeballing the map, I'd say on an absolute basis Croydon has slightly more open space than Sutton.

Surely someone's looked at this properly -- Google isn't being very helpful for me.
 
Sutton and Bromley both claim to it. Both in with a chance, I reckon. It certainly isn't Croydon or Wandsworth though.

Hummm, a GLA report says Croydon is the seventh greenest out of 33 boroughs with 32% open greenery.

The Royal Horticultural Society's said it was the 'Greenest large city'. Slightly odd thing to say as it's not a city.
 
We are thinking of moving, staying with in the general London area and have thought about moving back to Croydon. Is it a goer?
There are a few modern high rise developements there, quite high spec and would buy us a lot more than what we have now, should we do it, what do people think?
I moved there in 2005 for 8 months, very glad to leave! It was by Mayday hospital, where the area was OK, but going into the town to get to work etc was always fraught with angst. Way too crowded and crappy transport links. The b/f got mugged there too. On the plus side ther are, or was, plenty of fresh fish shops!
 
I moved there in 2005 for 8 months, very glad to leave! It was by Mayday hospital, where the area was OK, but going into the town to get to work etc was always fraught with angst. Way too crowded and crappy transport links. The b/f got mugged there too. On the plus side ther are, or was, plenty of fresh fish shops!
Not sure to or where you were going from each day but unless something odd happends I never get transport angst going to London.
Best fishmongers is Prawnbrokers in Addiscombe.
I'm not a fan of the mayday hospital area though. If we were only talking about west croydon then I would agree with the some of the anti croydon remarks on the thread. It's a big place, there is a lot to like and dislike here.

When I lived in SE1 I was only 15-20 minutes walk away from tower bridge but my direct location was a dangerous shit hole of an area with no redeeming features
 
I moved there in 2005 for 8 months, very glad to leave! It was by Mayday hospital, where the area was OK, but going into the town to get to work etc was always fraught with angst. Way too crowded and crappy transport links. The b/f got mugged there too. On the plus side ther are, or was, plenty of fresh fish shops!

You sure that was Croydon? Sure, there's a lot about the place I don't like, but the transport links are pretty hard to beat.
 
My advice to you would be - If you've got any other option, ANYWHERE, take it, Croydon's an utter shithole....the only positive is the multitude of travel options that take you away from the desolate, violent, souless, drab place.

I try not to dislike things too much but I find myself drawn to this opinion too. I really can't find anything likeable about Croydon.

I don't believe in Satan but I believe he designed this place.
 
I try not to dislike things too much but I find myself drawn to this opinion too. I really can't find anything likeable about Croydon.

I don't believe in Satan but I believe he designed this place.

The only thing I can say is the same thing again. It's a big place. There are lots of shit bits, but a lot of it is lovely. I live about 10 minutes walk from East Croydon Station but I have just been for a 45 minute jog across big open countryside park lands and though woods. Hopping over logs and through trees. If someone says that all of Croydon is a dump then I know for sure they have not seen all of croydon.
I'm not saying it's all wonderful, but it most certainly does not deserve the sweeping generalisations it tends to be given.
 
The only thing I can say is the same thing again. It's a big place. There are lots of shit bits, but a lot of it is lovely. I live about 10 minutes walk from East Croydon Station but I have just been for a 45 minute jog across big open countryside park lands and though woods. Hopping over logs and through trees. If someone says that all of Croydon is a dump then I know for sure they have not seen all of croydon.
I'm not saying it's all wonderful, but it most certainly does not deserve the sweeping generalisations it tends to be given.
You're right, of course, about the parks. There are some glorious areas around East and South Croydon. It's just the Town Centre that has been damaged beyond repair.

The last time I looked, the Council had given clearance for another bunch of skyscrapers and the irony is that the Town Hall (where the Council lives) is probably the only pretty thing in central Croydon
60197332.jpg
 
You're right, of course, about the parks. There are some glorious areas around East and South Croydon. It's just the Town Centre that has been damaged beyond repair.

The last time I looked, the Council had given clearance for another bunch of skyscrapers and the irony is that the Town Hall (where the Council lives) is probably the only pretty thing in central Croydon
60197332.jpg

That's true (though the clocktower is not the main council building, that's the god awful place across the road).
Closing down the clocktower, the cinema, the museum, and cafe (thank goodness they didn't manage a full shutdown of the library) is a shocking shame when they have just spent MILLIONS moving from a perfectly acceptable building into a brand new one built just for them across the road. The official reason? Now they will not waste tax payers money as waste time crossing the road when they have to talk to other departments. I assume they have not heard of phones or the internet? Even more shocking are the large amounts of empty office buildings with massive TO LET signs all over them right next door.

Sorry, we don't have a million pounds to keep the library but we do have billions to build a new building for ourselves. Yes they had a shit building, but if you don't have any money to look after your children, you don't buy yourself a new house.

I hate Croydon Council, they really do seem to just be there to make horrible business deals to big business building investments. There is always a massive public outcry, with crowds opposing the plans at official meetings, but somehow they always just plow ahead, they never listen to the residents.
 
That's true (though the clocktower is not the main council building, that's the god awful place across the road).
I hate Croydon Council, they really do seem to just be there to make horrible business deals to big business building investments. There is always a massive public outcry, with crowds opposing the plans at official meetings, but somehow they always just plow ahead, they never listen to the residents.
Again, I would not blame Croydon for this, it is the same with all councils. They can't afford to fight the proposals, get bought off by a unit or two of affordable housing being built, get bought off by one or two "improvements" being made to the local area and getting lots of people into a small space generates a lot more council tax for no outlay.
 
..... So, where's ok to stay? (company credit card, £100 per night say, prefer beer to lager and no poncing about)

Company starts big project in January. Need to be there, well, Beddington, two or three nights a month.

Can't say I relish it, how can l make it positive?

Thanks
 
If you need to get to Beddington West Croydon is closer and will have better transport links but East Croydon or South Croydon is probably preferable and has more places to stay. East Croydon has great transport links and South Croydon has loads of restaurants and some bars.

Are you looking for hotels/b&bs?

Might be with looking on airbnb but im not sure there is a lot for croydon on there.

Where will you be heading in from and what will you be looking to do while you are here?
 
Ahh well if we are having a general chat how about a current croydon roll call and an update to the thread as the stuff at the start is nearly 5 years old now!


Green dragon has gone downhill imo but The Oval Tavern is still good and is now run by the ex Green Dragon owner. I like all the pubs in that little area near East Croydon (The Porter and Sorter - Marstons, The Oval - indy, The Glamorgan - ?indy and The Builders Arms - Fullers).
 
If I stay put in my current job (SW Londonish) then I really do need to move a bit closer. I am pissed off with the balls-aching commute from darkest berkshire, and could do with being a bit nearer mum-tat who is not getting any younger.

In terms of travel and affordability, Croydon seems a reasonable option.

In all other respects, blargh.

I'm not sure there's anything I can put into words, but I have never liked Croydon. I regard it as the murky end of the 75 bus route and that's about it.

Can anyone persuade me Croydon is a good idea?
 
Ahh well if we are having a general chat how about a current croydon roll call and an update to the thread as the stuff at the start is nearly 5 years old now!


Green dragon has gone downhill imo but The Oval Tavern is still good and is now run by the ex Green Dragon owner. I like all the pubs in that little area near East Croydon (The Porter and Sorter - Marstons, The Oval - indy, The Glamorgan - ?indy and The Builders Arms - Fullers).
Shame I never go to the pub in Croydon, as I live only a minute from all of these.
 
Not me. I played a gig there a while ago and found the place SOUL DESTROYING.

I don't think that's fair. Croydon is shit for gigs for lots of reasons, I am however fond of the area for lots of other reasons. Its a big place, many parts are shit, but there is a lot to love, not least the fact that it is the first place I lived in London in 20 years that I felt any real sense of community.
 
I don't think that's fair. Croydon is shit for gigs for lots of reasons, I am however fond of the area for lots of other reasons. Its a big place, many parts are shit, but there is a lot to love, not least the fact that it is the first place I lived in London in 20 years that I felt any real sense of community.
I can only report as I found the place!

I've been there a few times and always found the architecture bleak, the pubs awful, the gig scene just about non-existent and the general vibe horrible. It feels like a London version of Milton Keynes.
 
Back
Top Bottom