Finally, in to the email inbox at Inside Croydon Towers, arrives an email from the council. More than 36 hours after Monday night’s disturbances, just after 3pm on Wednesday, and the council has managed to send out an email to local residents. Well done, Croydon Council, motto: “Proud to Serve”.

Except the email has not gone to all local residents. Some have yet to receive theirs. If they ever get to receive one at all.

Under the heading “Civil Unrest in Croydon”, the council’s email was clearly drafted and intended for distribution on Tuesday (it refers to August 8 as “yesterday”). It does not offer any explanation for the delay.

It claims, falsely, that “all major routes have been cleaned up by council teams and nearby volunteers”, and then goes on to contradict itself by explaining that some of the buildings torched on Monday night (Reeves Corner; London Road) are unsafe and being treated as crime scenes. By mid-afternoon on Wednesday, buses were still on diversion away from some of the scenes of arson, looting and pillaging.

Considering that Croydon Council spends £660,000 on an entire communications department, as well as having comms officers dotted through all other departments at Taberner House, you might expect them to be able to get something as straightforward as a news circular out by email at little more speedily than this, wouldn’t you?

Just in case you have not received the email, there is one element of it which is worth giving some consideration to, an appeal for donations to help the unfortunate people – our neighbours – who were rendered homeless by Monday night’s arson attacks:

Donations
We have a list of organisations accepting donations for those affected by the disturbances on Monday night. Items needed are clothes, food, toiletries, toys and books. These need to be small and easily carried. No furniture at the moment.

Please ensure that donations are received by the organisation during their opening times and not left on doorsteps.

• Parchmore Methodist Church – 55 Parchmore Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 8LY. Hall will be open for collection of clothes from 10am – 2pm Tues – Fri
• New Addington Good Samaritans – The Pop In, 1 Salcot Crescent, New Addington, CR0 0JG. Hall will be open for collection of clothes from 10am – 3pm Mon – Fri.
• Croydon Youth for Christ – Christ Church, Sumner Road, Croydon, CR0 3LJ
  Hall will be open for collection of clothes from 10am – 4pm today – Fri.
• Croydon Neighbourhood Care Association – Davidson Lodge, Freemason’s Road, CR0 6PD. Hall will be open for collection of clothes from 9.30am – 4pm Mon – Fri.
• St Luke’s Church – 8, Whyteleafe Hill, Whyteleafe, CR3 0AA
  Donations can be dropped in this Saturday between 12-2pm.

Related articles

• Croydon 8/8: Council chief admits mistakes were made (insidecroydon.com)
• “Clean Up Croydon” will need more than a dustpan and brush (insidecroydon.com)
• Croydon burns as looters storm the Whitgift Centre (insidecroydon.com)