Shoe retailer Deichmann is the latest business to decide to close their store in central Croydon.
Closing down sale: Deichmann on North End will be closing on July 1
As Inside Croydon reported exclusively earlier this week, the Sainsbury’s supermarket in the Whitgift Centre, which has traded there ever since the shopping mall opened in 1969, will be closing its doors for a final time in September.
Sainsbury’s departure is regarded as a hammer blow to the fortunes of the sadly declining town centre, and is part of an exodus of businesses from the Whitgift Centre caused by the development blight of more than a decade’s uncertainty over Westfield’s promised, but undelivered, regeneration.
German-owned company Deichmann is the largest footwear retailer in Europe.
But from July 1, they will no longer have an outlet on Croydon High Street, as that is the final day’s trading for their branch at 76 North End.
The site may not be vacant for very long. Sources suggest that another business is taking on the lease.
But while Deichmann will continue to trade from stores in Sutton and Bromley, Croydon will no longer form part of its high street retail offer.
Read more: Whitgift Centre ever-present Sainsbury’s opts to shut up shop
Read more: What will the ‘new’ Westfield deal really mean for Croydon?
- Inside Croydon – as seen on TV! – has been delivering local community news since 2010. 3million page views per year in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
- If you want real journalism, actually based in the borough, you should consider paying for it. Please sign up today. Click here for more details
- If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, or want to publicise your residents’ association or business, or if you have a local event to promote, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
As featured on Google News Showcase
- Our comments section on every report provides all readers with an immediate “right of reply” on all our content
Inside Croydon is a member of the Independent Community News Network
- Inside Croydon works together with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, as well as BBC London News and ITV London
ROTTEN BOROUGH AWARDS: Croydon was named among the country’s rottenest boroughs for a SIXTH successive year in 2022 in the annual round-up of civic cock-ups in Private Eye magazine
Will the last person to leave Croydon please turn the light off …….. given the costs of electricity and the cost of living crisis !
I laughed and then I cried.
And then I giggled insanely as the men in white coats came!!!
Das Boot.
Nope thats the new home office building – We all live in a jello submarine!
Croydon centre has changed for the worse in the past 20 years and is no longer a nice area to visit. It is looking very run down, with too many closed shops and other cheap shops and cheap food takeaways. Not nice and I stay well away these days.
It’s no loss. I went in there when it first opened, expecting quality, fashionable footwear. Just a load of cheap looking tat.
What is our useless new mayor foing about the Whitgift Croydon town centre shambles ?
He’s foing duck all Jon
The key is in Plastic – a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. Generally in their DNA is heavy polluting carbons like petroleum, but some have high levels of Corn and a modicum of pickin’ cotton.
Just like our Mayor – – –
The trend does seem to be the end of September with the closures.
Is that coincidence?
Perhaps leases are running out together on a lot of premises?. Either something is working it’s way out and groundwork is being done – or the Centre is really in the doghouse.
I am hoping that with the Elephant and Castle shopping centre coming down, the South American community will be moving to the new flats of Croydon, and that we will see the Whitgift transformed with shops and cafes that until recently have found a home there in the E and C centre.
Listen out for merengue and salsa soon.
To think that it was only a few years ago that Newman and his chums were encouraging John Lewis to open a new store in the Whitgift development. Did they really expect this to happen, or were they just playing for time and hoping for a miracle?
That’s a bit of a misrepresentation of what has been going on.
This has always been a private development, by private developers for private landowners.
It is (was) Westfield’s (reasonable) aim to bring John Lewis in as an anchor store: where Allders was, Waitrose on the ground floor (replacing what was then an existing store on George Street), and the home and other JLP offers upstairs (replacing the store that was on Purley Way). John Lewis gave up waiting.
The council, blue as well as red, instead of acting in the interests of existing businesses and residents, have been uncritical cheerleaders from Day 1… Newman, for his part, even covering up for Westfield’s slow progress.
auf Wiedersehen!