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

Church appoints Mallett as first woman Bishop of Croydon

The Bishop of Croydon is, for the first time, to be a woman, after it was announced this morning that the Queen has approved the appointment of the Venerable Dr Rosemarie Mallett, who becomes the Church of England’s second black … Continue reading

Posted in Bishop of Croydon, Church and religions, Rosemarie Mallett | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Dear New Mayor: time to come clean with council’s secrets

CROYDON COMMENTARY:  Whoever is elected on Thursday as the borough’s first Mayor will inherit an in-tray weighed down with a raft of controversial reports and investigations into missing millions, the details of which have been kept secret for far too … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Pelling, Jason Perry, Robert Ward, Selsdon and Addington Village, Val Shawcross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Freedom Exhibition, Croydon Arts Space, May 7-May 28

Posted in Activities, Addiscombe West, Art | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Walk in the Roundshaw woods and revel in splashes of colour

NATURE NOTES/MAY 2022: Early spring flowers and woodland walks are not-to-be-missed treats. Plus news of the next Inside Croydon guided walk later this month Part of the sheer joy of Roundshaw Downs is its diversity. As wide open and wonderful … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon parks, Environment, Nature Notes | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Police investigate Mayor candidate for ‘election offence’

The police have been asked to investigate a possible case of electoral fraud involving one of the candidates standing to become Croydon’s first executive Mayor in this Thursday’s local elections. A formal complaint has been filed to the Metropolitan Police … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Croydon Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Downsview Players present The Thrill Of Love, May 19-21

Posted in Art, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Theatre | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

This mayor in the Minster earned his impressive memorials

SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT: In the week of Croydon’s first Mayoral elections, DAVID MORGAN has delved into the Minster archives to find records of the Lord Mayor of London buried there nearly 350 years ago High office, and where someone was buried, … Continue reading

Posted in Church and religions, Croydon Minster, David Morgan, History | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Paxton Centre to exhibit work of Polish women artists

An exhibition opens today at the Paxton Arts Centre on Anerley Hill today featuring the works of a group of Polish women artists, all based in south London. Polish Women Artists is a group combining different art practices but sharing … Continue reading

Posted in Activities, Art, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Paxton Centre | Leave a comment

Dozens of south London routes to be hit by bus drivers’ strike

There’s more disruption coming on the buses, with nearly 30 routes across south London likely to be affected when around 1,000 drivers based at Croydon, Brixton, Norwood and Thornton Heath garages stage three days of strike action in May. It … Continue reading

Posted in Commuting, South Croydon, TfL, Transport, West Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

St Peter’s Book Club, South Croydon, May 28

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

Not for the first time, questions were better than the answers

And with a week to election day, the last of the set-piece hustings was staged at The Wreck at the Fairfield Halls last night. KEN TOWL, pictured right, went along, so that you wouldn’t have to… So what did we … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Pelling, Fairfield Halls, Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Richard Howard, The Wreck, Val Shawcross, Winston McKenzie | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

Stumped on the stump: candidates caught out over 2nd choice

It has been said that politics is a form of performance art… so using a stage in The Wreck for election hustings last night was quite appropriate. But it was one question that stole the show It was the first … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Pelling, Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Richard Howard, Val Shawcross, Winston McKenzie | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

This is the stark human cost of the borough going bankrupt

CROYDON IN CRISIS: A mum of six children is facing destitution after the council has made her family more than £200 per month worse off by cutting her Council Tax Support and failing to provide its promised hardship scheme. EXCLUSIVE … Continue reading

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, South Norwood, Val Shawcross | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Labour ‘most worried’ about losing Croydon in local elections

As election day looms ever closer, WALTER CRONXITE, political editor, finds the borough’s third-rate politicians fretting over the possible loss of their first-rate council allowances Croydon Council is the London borough which the Labour Party says it is “most worried” … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Addiscombe West, Brick by Brick, Chris Philp MP, Jason Perry, Jo Negrini, New Addington, New Addington North, Planning, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed MP, Val Shawcross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Boxpark founder Wade to step down as business boss

Roger Wade, the founder of Boxpark, has announced he is to step down as chief executive of the business at the end of next month. The decision to step back from the business he founded 10 years ago, with Boozepark … Continue reading

Posted in Boxpark, Business, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Croydon Minster free lunchtime music recitals, May 6-Jul 1

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SEND demand sees council education deficit grow to £22.5m

A report published today by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism has discovered a £1.3bn ‘financial black hole at the centre of the special educational needs and disability system – and it is growing rapidly’ The deficit in Croydon Council’s DSG … Continue reading

Posted in Children's Services, Croydon Council, Education, Schools, SEND | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

If councillors ask questions, we deserve to be given answers

CROYDON COMMENTARY: With election day a week away, Conservative councillor and member of the scrutiny committee, ROBERT WARD, offers a few ideas for any incoming Mayor Dear New Mayor, Congratulations on your election victory. You have an opportunity to make … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Croydon Council, Robert Ward, Sean Fitzsimons, Selsdon and Addington Village | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

John Fisher governors get Ofsted backing in gay author row

Teachers are on strike at John Fisher School today, with the backing of the majority of parents, as well as former governors and even Ofsted, as the row with the school’s Roman Catholic Archdiocese rumbles into a third month. Governors … Continue reading

Posted in Church and religions, Education, John Fisher School, Purley, Ruth Dombey, Schools, Sutton Council, Wayne Lawlor | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Plaque unveiled for firefighter killed in Wimbledon blaze

A plaque to commemorate a firefighter who died in the line of duty has been unveiled in Wimbledon this morning, close to the anniversary of his death and close to where the incident took place. Anthony Marshall was 26 years … Continue reading

Posted in London Fire Brigade, London-wide issues | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Royal Marsden Man Van has New Addington on health drive

The Man Van, an innovative new outreach programme from the Royal Marsden, is offering appointments to the public in efforts to improve early diagnosis of prostate and other urological cancers. The mobile health clinic will be based at Parkway Medical … Continue reading

Posted in Health, New Addington | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Noel Coward’s Present Laughter, Sanderstead, May 12-14

Posted in Art, Sanderstead, Theatre | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

More Town Hall secrecy as auditors question Negrini’s pay-off

CROYDON IN CRISIS: A behind-closed-doors meeting this morning discussed the Labour leadership’s controversial £437,000 golden handshake to the ex-CEO, and recommendations over the £67m spent on the Fairfield Halls. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Grant Thornton, the council’s official auditors, have … Continue reading

Posted in Callton Young, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Hamida Ali, Jason Cummings, Jo Negrini, Joy Prince, Katherine Kerswell, Lynne Hale, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, Stuart King, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Tories’ record on policing numbers does not add up

Crime is an important issue in Croydon’s council and Mayoral elections. Or at least it should be. ANDREW FISHER polices the claims of the competing camps, and adds some essential context Policing matters. The amount of violent crime is higher … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Fisher, Boris Johnson, Broad Green, Chris Philp MP, Crime, Croydon BID, Dave Stringer, Fairfield, Jason Perry, Knife crime, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, New Addington, New Addington North, Policing, Sadiq Khan, Val Shawcross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Brewers’ latest beer appeal helps save Orangutans’ rain forest

Croydon craft brewery Anspach and Hobday has a new beer launched in support of the Orangutan Foundation. The brewers have also teamed up with comedian Phil Wang and The Wine Society over the launch and are promising 50p per can … Continue reading

Posted in Anspach and Hobday, Business | Tagged , | Leave a comment