Author Archives: insidecroydon

About insidecroydon

News views and analysis about the people of Croydon, their lives and political times in the diverse and most-populated borough in London. Based in Croydon and edited by Steven Downes. To contact us, email inside.croydon@btinternet.com

Which? brands SE25 eateries among worst in country

Fast food outlets in part of Croydon are among the worst in the country for hygiene standards, according to a report published today by the consumer watchdog, Which? And don’t stray too far away across south London, because Bexley tops … Continue reading

Posted in Pubs, Restaurants, South Norwood, Selhurst | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Croydon hooker manages to come third (with Clare Balding)

Local author Steven Gauge last night had his book, My Life As Hooker, named as the third-best rugby book of the year. That’s surely over-achievement for a book about life with the Warlingham 4th XV, once reckoned to be the … Continue reading

Posted in Sport, Activities, Art, Rugby Union, Warlingham RFC | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Countdown to council elections begins in Toy Town gowns

CROYDON COMMENTARY: It is one year until the council elections, and for some, they have everything to lose, writes STEVEN DOWNES Last night’s instalment of a new Mayor of Croydon, Sanderstead councillor Yvette Hopley, marked the firing of the starter’s … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", 2012 by-election, 2014 council elections, 2015 General Election, Addiscombe, Alison Butler, Badsha Quadir, Boris Johnson, Centrale, Clare Hilley, Coulsdon East, Crime, Croydon 8/8, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Croydon South, Dudley Mead, Eddy Arram, Environment, Gavin Barwell MP, Health, Louisa Woodley, Margaret Mead, Mike Fisher, New Addington, Policing, Purley, Richard Ottaway MP, Sanderstead, Selsdon & Ballards, Simon Hoar, Tony Harris, Tony Newman, Waddon, Waste incinerator, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Oi! Could the Town Hall do the Lambeth Walk under Labour?

Croydon’s Labour party looks like adopting a new approach to offer to the electorate ahead of the 2014 local elections. Labour wants to offer “a council run for the town, not the Town Hall”, according to the deputy leader of … Continue reading

Posted in 2014 council elections, Alison Butler, Boris Johnson, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Lambeth Council, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Even in Croydon, the Tories are split over Europe

The splits in the Conservative party over Europe, so widely reported nationally, are even apparent between two of Croydon’s MPs, reports ANDREW PELLING With UKIP polling as high as 20 per cent in opinion polls this week, Croydon’s Conservative MPs … Continue reading

Posted in 2015 General Election, Andrew Pelling, Croydon Central, Croydon North, Croydon South, Gavin Barwell MP, Peter Staveley, Richard Ottaway MP, Steve Reed MP | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

How to set-up a busy street market in less than 12 months

Compare and contrast. Yesterday, for the second week, a busy and buzzing street market was staged in Crystal Palace, at Haynes Lane, off Westow Street. Around a dozen independent traders, selling locally sourced products, had stalls at the market. More … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Crystal Palace Community Association, Environment, Surrey Street, Tramlink, Transition Town, Upper Norwood | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Power to the people, not the snakes in Savile Row suits

CROYDON COMMENTARY: Our loyal reader questioned whether this site could, or should, be carrying articles from local UKIP representatives. Far too right wing, they suggested. But the Sage of Waddon, ARFUR TOWCRATE read the piece about local democracy and saw … Continue reading

Posted in 2014 council elections, 2015 General Election, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Environment, Gavin Barwell MP, Planning, Waddon, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

That’s Oddie: HSBC takes dislike to questions from a Goodie

Wonder whatever happened to Bill Oddie? Was he lost in the undergrowth at Springwatch? Did he get eaten by a giant kitten? Neither. He’s been out stalking bankers. The resulting short film report does not make for pretty viewing, and … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Environment, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Let them bake cake: Croydon Portas team’s £16,000 spend

Croydon’s Portas Pilot scheme, which saw the historic Surrey Street Market granted £100,000 of government money a year ago, is spending nearly £16,000 of that cash to stage a handful of baking competitions and to “improve” Exchange Square. Inside Croydon … Continue reading

Posted in Activities, Business, Centrale, Clare Hilley, Croydon Council, Gavin Barwell MP, Surrey Street, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Norwood Lake is having a fun day: June 8

The Lakes Playground Action Group, which wants to regenerate the South Norwood lake playground, is holding an event for all the family on Saturday, June 8, with lots of activities for children including storytelling by Little Supernovas, a bouncy castle … Continue reading

Posted in Activities, Community associations, Environment, Lakes Playground Action Group, South Norwood, Steve Reed MP | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Channel 4 producers seek youngsters to face pay day alone

Posted in Activities, Pay Day | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Inside Croydon’s Hero of the Week: Wilfried Zaha

Cometh the hour and a half, cometh the man. Even some of Wilfried Zaha‘s most devout fans had acknowledged that, well, maybe the young winger had seemed a little weary, perhaps even distracted, since his stunning start to the season, … Continue reading

Posted in Crystal Palace FC, Football, Sport, Wilfried Zaha | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Seni Lewis case raises “profound and frightening” issues

The death after police intervention of a 23-year-old IT graduate from South Norwood, Seni Lewis, was raised in the House of Commons yesterday by Croydon MP Steve Reed, who told parliament, “The questions that this case raises are profound and … Continue reading

Posted in Crime, Croydon North, Policing, South Norwood, Steve Reed MP | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

UKIP’s solution on hot local issues? Hold a vote on them

Is there a better way? PETER STAVELEY, a UKIP candidate at next year’s Croydon Council elections, says his party would stage a public vote on important issues such as the incinerator When the controversial proposal for an incinerator at Beddington … Continue reading

Posted in 2014 council elections, 2015 General Election, Addiscombe, Peter Staveley, Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Hammersfield choose architects for Croydon’s re-design

The architects selected to redesign the Whitgift Centre and Centrale were named today as London firms Allies and Morrison and Leonard Design Architects, as a brief news story in Property Week suggested that the joint scheme between developers Hammerson and … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Centrale, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments