Category Archives: Centrale

While admiring town centre’s new art, try not to get arrested

The newly installed street art around the town centre has its appeal, the overtly hostile security policy in Centrale less so, says KEN TOWL It was quite a thrill to be described as “the IC1 male taking pictures with a … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Art, Business, Centrale, Ken Towl, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Rolex and gem boutique Loupe opens £3m store in Centrale

Following a £3million investment, Loupe Croydon opened its doors on Friday. The luxury diamond, fine jewellery and watch outlet is in Centrale, off North End, and occupies 4,300sqft of retail space, and features a showroom for Rolex with an Authorised … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Centrale, Loupe | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

2023 in Croydon – as told through our best-read articles

THE YEAR IN REVIEW Part 1 – January to April The parlous state of the council’s finances would remain a thorny issue throughout the year, after Tory Mayor Jason Perry issued a Section 114 notice of his own in November … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Birch (Selsdon), Business, Centrale, Crime, Croydon Council, Heathfield House, History, Inside Croydon, Knife crime, Mayor Jason Perry, Sarah Jones MP, Selsdon Park Hotel, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tory Perry launches ‘Urban Room’ where nothing’s happening

Our retailing correspondent, MT WALLETTE, reports on the latest half-cock initiative from the council to ‘revive’ the ailing town centre: an insta account and a desperate plea for ideas from the public Mayor Jason Perry’s latest feeble effort to somehow … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Andrew Pelling, Business, Centrale, Croydon BID, Croydon Council, Environment, Fairfield, Growth Zone, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, Peter Underwood, Planning, Ria Patel, Secret Cinema, Stiles Harold Williams, TfL, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Millionaire pulls plug on Mayor Perry’s ‘big idea’ for Allders

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The businessman behind Secret Cinema folded five companies in August, as ambitious plans for the ‘turning point for the future of entertainment’ in Croydon’s dilapidated town centre are abandoned. By STEVEN DOWNES Jason Perry put on his … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Business, Centrale, Croydon BID, Croydon Council, Mayor Jason Perry, Secret Cinema, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Diwali festival of light set to brighten up the Whitgift Centre

The Whitgift shopping centre is inviting Croydon residents to join in the festivities as they celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Light, on Saturday November 4. Diwali is one of the most significant festivals in Hinduism, symbolising the triumph of light … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Centrale, Church and religions, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Westfield boss says Croydon scheme could take 15 more years

‘Sustainable’ plans for redeveloping the town centre could see as many as 30,000 new flats built, according to one council figure, but a scheme that was originally due to be completed in 2017 now might only be finished more than … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Business, Centrale, Sean Fitzsimons, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Hammer blow for Whitgift Centre with new delay to masterplan

CROYDON IN CRISIS: No more ‘Death Star’-type, £1.4bn Westfield shopping mall say developers, who want to build ‘thousands’ of flats, as Paris-based firm looks for a more sustainable approach In a hammer blow to any hope of urgently rescuing the … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Centrale, Croydon Council, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry, Planning, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

After 54 years, Sainsbury’s enters final week in Whitgift Centre

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The departure of one of the shopping centre’s ever-presents will only reinforce the feeling of decay and decline in the town centre Sainsbury’s has confirmed that the final day of trading for its Whitgift Centre store will … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Centrale, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

FREE spring rolls as Chopstix opens for business in Centrale

Chopstix, the noodle chain, opens its newest store in Croydon’s Centrale next week with a mouthwatering offer of spring rolls to be given away free of charge to the first 1,000 customers. The new Chopstix store includes the brand’s “living … Continue reading →

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

Sainsbury’s confirms it is to close Whitgift Centre store

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Supermarket chain says it was a ‘difficult decision’ to close flagship shop – but at least they have five higher-profit ‘Local’ shops nearby. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Britain’s second-largest chain of supermarkets has admitted that it can … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Centrale, Planning, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

What will the ‘new’ Westfield deal really mean for Croydon?

STEVEN DOWNES outlines some of the likely consequences of this week’s announcement that Paris-based Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield have bought out their former partners Hammerson for the redevelopment of the town centre In all the flurry of civic excitement over the announcement that … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Centrale, CPO, Croydon Council, Growth Zone, Housing, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, Planning, Sadiq Khan, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

MP Jones: Time for Westfield to grasp Croydon opportunity

Sarah Jones, the MP for Croydon Central, today responded to the news that Westfield’s parent company had bought out Hammerson’s half-share in the Croydon Partnership, including the Centrale shopping mall, potentially removing the log-jam in the long-delayed redevelopment of Croydon … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Centrale, Croydon Central, Sarah Jones MP, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Perry blasted after trying to take credit for Westfield’s new deal

Political correspondent WALTER CRONXITE on how elected Mayor’s grandstanding over a deal with which he had no involvement has been seen through by ordinary Council Tax-payers Croydon Mayor Jason Perry came under fire last night, as he tried to take … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Centrale, Mayor Jason Perry, Sean Fitzsimons, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Westfield seals deal to buy Hammerson out of town centre

Westfield’s parent company has this afternoon confirmed that they have bought out Hammerson, the owners of the Centrale shopping centre, from their half-share of the Croydon Partnership, the joint venture which has inflicted a decade’s worth of development blight on … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Centrale, CPO, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Centrale’s owners set to sell-up to Westfield in cut-price deal

Our vacated shopping centre correspondent, MT WALLETTE, on the latest multi-million-pound boardroom manoeuvres over Croydon’s developer-blighted North End It has taken more than a decade, but Westfield’s hostile takeover of the Centrale shopping mall in Croydon town centre looks as … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Centrale, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Town Hall meetings halved as new Mayor dodges questioning

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Tonight’s cabinet meeting has on its agenda the borough’s underperforming schools, the Westfield failure, Council Tax Support and council rents… in all, 24 items need to be considered at a meeting where opposition councillors will barely be … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Centrale, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Education, Housing, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, Schools, Section 114 notice, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Westfield non-developers facing £5m fine for failed supermall

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Council concedes it is virtually powerless over land-owners and developers for long-delayed regeneration scheme, as influential scrutiny chair admits her committee is not convinced things will change. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES The company formed 10 years ago … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Centrale, CPO, Croydon Council, Growth Zone, Heather Cheesbrough, Jo Negrini, Mayor Jason Perry, Planning, Property, Rowenna Davis, Tony Newman, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

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

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

Westfield’s boss admits covid was ‘nail in coffin’ for Croydon

There’s no prospect any time soon of French-based developers ending the decade-long blight to the Whitgift Centre, according to the CEO of  Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. By our retailing correspondent, MT WALLETTE Covid was “the final nail in the coffin” for the £1.4billion … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Business, Centrale, Croydon Council, Debenhams, Gavin Barwell, House of Fraser, Jo Negrini, Tony Newman, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Centrale’s vaccination centre leads way for autumn covid jabs

The covid-19 vaccination centre inside the Centrale shopping centre in Croydon has begun the roll-out of autumn booster jabs, for now being offered to those over 65 years old. The severely immunosuppressed and frontline health and care workers, carers and … Continue reading →

Posted in Centrale, Health, Mayday Hospital | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BID rangers called ‘bullies in high-viz’ after High Street incident

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Serious questions have been raised about the behaviour of the Mayor-backed security staff drafted into the town centre supposedly to deter anti-social behaviour. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES An investigation is being conducted into the behaviour of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Centrale, Crime, Croydon BID, Mayor Jason Perry, Policing, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

M&S recruiting 130 staff ahead of opening Purley Way store

EXCLUSIVE: The company CEO’s life-long association with the Croydon store may have helped to give the beleaguered Whitgift Centre a reprieve. By STEVEN DOWNES Marks and Spencer is recruiting more than 130 staff in advance of its opening a new … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Boris Johnson, Business, Centrale, Croydon Council, Gavin Barwell, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, Planning, Purley Way, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Westfield wants to revive plans for Croydon’s blighted centre

More than three years after shelving their £1.4bn scheme for the town centre, the developers’ monster mall is back on the drawing board – but with significant differences. By STEVEN DOWNES Like a Frankenstein monster after being given a shot … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Business, Centrale, CPO, Croydon Council, Growth Zone, House of Fraser, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry, Planning, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 33 Comments