The not-so-big-reveal: bit by bit, Westfield are slowly bringing a bit of life back to North End
EXCLUSIVE: After the Whitgift Centre’s florist shop joined the mass exodus of stores from the town centre, Westfield prepares to open a ‘kiosk’ in the old Allders building that will be selling… flowers
Inside Croydon can reveal that the next two “kiosks” to open in Allders, where there was once a grand old-style department store, are a florists’ shop and a boutique selling Turkish-made Islamic clothing.
There has been no formal announcement as yet from the management at Westfield, the shopping mall developers who have failed to develop their promised shopping mall in Croydon for almost 14 years.
But yesterday, the artwashing hoardings came down to reveal that Isle of Flowers and Abaci are the next pair of stores to open in what Westfield are calling “Allders Parade”.
“Allders Parade brings together a curated mix of local favourites and global names, creating a vibrant new retail destination for the community,” Westfield claims, though not many are buying the bullshit any longer. Apart from our gormless Mayor Jason Perry.
Isle of Flowers and Abaci follow Sky and Miniso, the first two kiosks to open a fortnight ago.
It leaves Coco and Nut, a coffee shop which has a branch in Sanderstead, and ice cream vendors Melting Moments, who once operated in the old Allders, as the last pair of kiosks to open for business, probably in two weeks’ time.
Isle of Flowers and Abaci were scheduled to open this Friday, October 10, as Westfield, now part of Paris-based Unibail Rodamco Westfield, makes its first positive development in the town centre since they first arrived in Croydon in 2012. That move was brokered by the then Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and the local Tory MP, Gavin, now “Lord”, Barwell.
Funding for the “Allders Parade” has come from a £6million planning fine that Westfield were obliged to pay Croydon Council for their failure to deliver on their previous scheme.
Abaci describes itself on the shopping mall developers’ website as: “A contemporary womenswear brand combining timeless elegance with modern design. From our roots in Istanbul to our boutiques in London and Melbourne, Abacı is known for refined tailoring, high-quality fabrics and effortless sophistication.
Florists: Isle of Flowers are already Westfield tenants elsewhere in London
“Abaci is a leading name in women’s outerwear, specialising in sophisticated and high-quality designs. Operating since 1983, we blend timeless craftsmanship with modern style to cater to an international clientele.”
Isle of Flowers already has a presence in Westfield’s other, London-based shopping malls, at Stratford and Shepherds Bush.
A kiosk opening on to the pedestrian precinct that is North End might be good for their business.
Another florists business, Pure Flowers, who were based inside the old, decaying Whitgift Centre, were among nearly 30 traders, and tenants of Westfield, to shut up shop in the town centre shopping mall in the past 12 months.
Read more: Another Whitgift store to close – and manager blames Westfield
Read more: ‘Permanently closed’: Whitgift Centre works mark end of days
Read more: Hammer blow for Whitgift Centre with new delay to masterplan
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So they are managing to open the second set within a month of the previous openings. A parade of irrelevance to long term footfall in central Croydon. How long is the notice they have to give to close down their tiny little cavern spaces?
I’m trying to ‘follow the money’ here.
URW has paid a £6m fine to Croydon Council for failing to build the consented and part Compulsory Purchase Ordered redevelopment of the Whitgift Centre.
However part of that fine has gone back to URW to pay for these six ‘kiosks’ which will pay them rent.
That does not seem so much a punitive fine as returned money?
Are Croydon in a position to fine Westfield, or do Westfield have Croydon over a barrel?
One of the previous planning permissions had a “non-delivery” clause of some kind. No such clause exists at present. Indeed, the council’s planners effectively handed control for a large chunk of the town centre to URW earlier this year with their “masterplan framework”.
is there a huge demand for Turkish made Islamic clothing in Croydon? There are already shops selling it ….
I don’t think any enterprise wants to open in Croydon given its reputation . From Louis Vuitton and Prada in Westfield Shephards Bush to a Turkish burqua shop in Westfield Croydon…you really couldn’t make this shit up…especially with the delusional mayor not missing a photo opportunity.
These kiosks will not improve the town centre, it’s being done to make them look like they are doing something as opposed to actual change. Little more than papering over a canyon because they have no genuine plan or strategy. In the medium term people aren’t going to go out of their way to visit this small amount of shops. This aligns perfectly with Perry’s strategy of temporarily removing a bit of graffiti in an area and painting a wall, like that will somehow turn the place around.
Perry’s got no vision and no idea of the root causes of issues. He recently cited Giuliani as one of his inspirations, what a clown mayor we have.