Croydon, quite rightly, is taking its place alongside the majority of the capital’s boroughs, throwing open the doors of a number of public buildings for Open House London weekend on September 20-21, a free event which enables people to take a look behind the scenes of often cherished national assets, from 10 Downing Street to “The Office” of Croydon’s very own David Brent.
Most events are first-come-first-served, but some are available only to those who book in advance through a ballot, which is now open.
In 2012, we broke the news that, like a churlish, spoilt child having a tantrum, Croydon Council had withdrawn from the Open House London weekend.
As we reported at the time, it was “another spectacular own-goal” by our council and “short-sighted”, and all just to “save” the £4,000 subscription fee.
That now seems to be regarded as the aberration it clearly was.
Open House London 2014 offers the public access to a range of buildings, houses and gardens, including 10 Downing Street (tough to get in for this one, though if Inside Croydon’s loyal reader gets picked on the ballot, we’d be delighted to hear from them), as well as the new Cheesegrater building in The City, Marlborough House, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office among around 800 buildings around the capital.
Croydon CEO Nathan Elvery: you might get to see where he acts out The Office
Croydon’s contribution is a mere 11 buildings and events, possibly a disappointment in quantity, but they do include historic Airport House, Old Palace School, and the Almshouses.
Also, you get the chance for a public tour of Fisher’s Folly, the council offices for which we are all having to pay £220 million:
- Check out how the greenhouse effect of uncontrollable temperatures has been recreated in the open-plan office areas, with special micro-climates on every floor to really make the workers sweat (or shiver)!
- Visit the washrooms and marvel at some of the most expensive replacement taps ever installed in a public building, all installed for a “mere” £200,000!
- Gawp at the place where Nathan Elvery places his bottom each day as chief executive, a job that was never advertised!
- Details of all the buildings included in Open House 2014 can be found online here, together with booking details where necessary. Handbooks should be available in Croydon’s public libraries
Coming to Croydon
- Mythical Maze stories, Crystal Palace Maze, Aug 20
- David Lean Cinema: Stop The Pounding Heart, Aug 21
- Mythical Maze stories, Crystal Palace Maze, Aug 27
- David Lean Cinema: Frank, Aug 28
- Upper Norwood Library well-being groups, Aug 30
- David Lean Cinema: The Two Faces of January, Sep 4
- David Lean Cinema: Fading Giglolo, Sep 6
- David Lean Cinema: Camille Claudel, Sep 11
- Warlingham rugby dinner with international Richard Hill, Sep 12
- Norwood Society Talk: War Memorials, Sep 18
- David Lean Cinema: Chef, Sep 18
- Cinema Ruskin film show, Sep 20
- David Lean Cinema: A Night At The Cinema in 1914, Sep 22
- David Lean Cinema: Jimmy’s Hall, Sep 25
- Streatham Common 6M race, Sep 27
- Norwood Society Talk: From Fire Station to Theatre, Oct 16
- Cinema Ruskin film show, Oct 18
- Norwood Society Talk: Lambeth’s Archives, Nov 20
Inside Croydon: Croydon’s only independent news source, based in the heart of the borough: 407,847 page views (Jan-Jun 2014) If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, a residents’ or business association or local event, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
