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.
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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