Author Archives: insidecroydon

About insidecroydon

News, views and analysis about the people of Croydon, their lives and political times in the diverse and most-populated borough in London. Based in Croydon and edited by Steven Downes. To contact us, please email inside.croydon@btinternet.com

Coombe Lane’s Chateau restaurant forced to cancel Christmas

The Chateau restaurant on Coombe Lane has closed, with immediate effect, the latest part of Croydon’s business fabric to go under as a consequence of rising costs and the damage caused to its trade by the covid pandemic. Originally opened … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Lloyd Park, Restaurants, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

Cheaper fares on Southern and Thameslink through December

Govia, operator of Thameslink and Southern trains, has released Advance Fares for the festive period. Passengers can save up to 45per cent by booking in advance, compared to buying their tickets on the day. “Not only is taking the train … Continue reading

Posted in East Croydon, Norwood Junction, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Spine-chilling Christmas awaits in a magical forest of myth

The Coulsdon Theatre Workshop has a spine-chilling Christmas special lined up next month, all staged in a dark forest of magic and myth. Their latest production is Grimm Tales – a new theatrical adaptation weaving 10 of the best tales … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Coulsdon, Theatre, Theatre Workshop Coulsdon | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Pianist Kempf plans his homecoming with Estonian orchestra

Croydon-born Freddy Kempf, one of the world’s leading concert pianists, is to make a return to his home town next year in a special gala concert with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra at the Fairfield Halls, where tickets for under-18s … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Fairfield Halls, Music | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Shopping malls pick Croydon Health as nominated charity

The Croydon Health Charity, based at Mayday Hospital, has been announced as the nominated charity of the year for the Centrale and Whitgift shopping centres. The announcement is a boost for NHS staff and patients across the borough, as the … Continue reading

Posted in Centrale, Charity, Croydon Health Charity, Croydon NHS Trust, Health, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

White Eagle Ukraine Appeal Jobs Fair, Balham, Nov 23

Posted in Business | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

#KerswellBallsFund: We need your help to fight the council

By STEVEN DOWNES, Editor, Inside Croydon Croydon Council is trying to silence Inside Croydon. Last week, they tried to get an injunction at the High Court to stop us publishing documents which the council had already placed in the public … Continue reading

Posted in #KerswellBalls Fund, Croydon Council, Inside Croydon, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Stephen Lawrence-Orumwense, The Penn Report | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

Gove’s broadside at builders over their ‘ugly’ developments

Michael Gove, in his second spell as the Tories’ Levelling Up Secretary, has declared war against “ugly” buildings, in an effort to reduce opposition to residential developments. That could be bad news for the profit-hungry developers who seek to replace … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Environment, Housing, Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

NHS urges fans to take a shot for England at the World Cup

CROYDON COMMENTARY: Groups gathering together in pubs and bars to watch matches in the football World Cup could increase the risk of spreading flu and covid warns Dr CHRIS STREATHER, the medical director for the NHS in London, pictured right … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon NHS Trust, Health | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Waddon pet store’s face-lift will have its customers purring

Pets at Home has opened the doors to its new-look pet care centre in Waddon Retail Park, off the Purley Way. The store has been refurbished, including a “Pet Village”, for small animals to have plenty of room for them … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Waddon | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Norbury restaurant Via offers atmospheric stopping off point

Too many people might think that Norbury is just somewhere on the A23 that they pass on their way to Brixton or, in the opposite direction, to Croydon. Norbury is somewhere you go “via”. Thus, Norbury’s newest restaurant is called … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Norbury, Restaurants | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Environment campaigners take protest to ‘toxic’ Barclays

Extinction Rebellion activists were busy outside Barclays on Croydon High Street this morning, raising a “Toxic Barclays” banner and leafleting passers-by about the bank’s role in fuelling the unfolding climate catastrophe. Barclays is Europe’s largest financier of fossil fuels, the … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Environment, Extinction Rebellion | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

BBC returns to Minster to hear Croydon’s Choral Evensong

In its centenary year, the BBC is returning to Croydon Minster next month to record a service of Choral Evensong. The recording will take place on Tuesday December 20 at 4pm. Anyone wishing to attend must be seated in Croydon … Continue reading

Posted in Church and religions, Croydon Minster, Music | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Whitgift Centre is on a roll in the build-up to Christmas

Centrale and Whitgift shopping centres have announced that they will be opening a free roller rink in Whitgift Square on Saturday November 25, to be a feature of festive activities in the town centre right through until Christmas Eve. It … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Activities, Business, Centrale, Croydon BID, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Christmas Market, St Peter’s Hall, South Croydon, Nov 26

Posted in Activities, Church and religions, South Croydon | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Mayor condemned for ‘cruel’ treatment of street homeless

When other local authorities are looking to provide ‘warm banks’ for the poor and winter shelters for the homeless, Croydon’s cash-strapped council is seizing vulnerable people’s possessions in their effort to tidy up their swanky offices. By STEVEN DOWNES Tory … Continue reading

Posted in Bernard Weatherill House, Charity, Community associations, Croydon Council, Croydon Nightwatch, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry, Property, South Norwood Community Kitchen, Stuart King | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Bellway scales down plan for Lido site after locals’ complaints

Housing correspondent BARRATT HOLMES reports on a bit of a climb down from ‘The Platform’ House-builder Bellway has scaled down its plans for the site of the former Wyevale garden centre near the Purley Way, reducing the height of its … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Business, Joy Prince, Planning, Purley Way, Robert Canning, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Pengenista Drummers charity fund-raiser, Croydon FC, Dec 3

Posted in Charity, Community associations, Croydon FC, South Norwood, South Norwood Community Kitchen | Tagged , | Leave a comment

‘You seem to be trying to put the genie back in the bottle’

A High Court judge yesterday refused Croydon Council’s attempt to ‘unpublish’ documents that it had itself put into the public domain. STEVEN DOWNES, Editor of Inside Croydon, on a small victory for the freedom of the press Two years ago … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Inside Croydon, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Stephen Lawrence-Orumwense | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

Take a walk on the wild side with fungal foray in the woods

NATURE NOTES: Loyal reader ANTHONY MILLS takes a walk on the wild side – or what he calls a ‘fungal foray’ – with the City Commons Rangers through Croydon’s autumn woodland A fungal foray at Riddlesdown, part of the City … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Coulsdon, Croydon parks, Environment, Nature Notes, Wildlife | 2 Comments

Waitrose’s closure is another nail in town centre’s coffin

Another nail in the coffin of Croydon as a retail centre will be hammered in place tomorrow, with the closure of the Waitrose supermarket on George Street. The closure was announced by the groceries arm of the John Lewis Partnership … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business | Tagged , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Cash-strapped council hiring in expensive lawyers for planning

The residents’ fight-back against over-development continues, despite efforts by an external legal adviser to get councillors on the planning committee to alter their rulings. By STEVE WHITESIDE A year ago, I suggested on these pages that there might be “glimmers … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Property, Purley, Sanderstead | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Croydon artist’s works included in major Mall exhibition

Croydon artist Matt Bannister has had three of his works chosen for an exhibition at the prestigious Mall Galleries, which opens tomorrow. Bannister’s works – “Mini Croydon” 2, 3 and 4 – were all painted, acrylic on canvas, this year. … Continue reading

Posted in Art, East Croydon | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Free energy advice, CVA Resource Centre, Nov 19

Posted in Climate Crisis Commission, Community associations, CVA, Environment | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

#PennReport: No referrals sent to staff’s professional bodies

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Recommendations for action made by auditors, a Local Government Association report and two sets of legal experts have not been acted on by the current CEO. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Confidential legal advice provided to Croydon Council … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Hamida Ali, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Section 114 notice, Shifa Mustafa, Stuart King, The Penn Report | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments