Category Archives: Centrale

As Newman ‘celebrates’, Whitgift workers fret over future

Posted on September 24, 2015 by insidecroydon

The £1bn Hammersfield supermall may prove to be regenerative for Croydon’s economy. Once it is built. But as STEVEN DOWNES reports, uncertainty over development timescales is blighting existing businesses The start of building work on the redevelopment of Croydon town … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", 2018 council elections, Allders, Boris Johnson, Boxpark, Business, Centrale, CPO, Croydon Council, Environment, Fairfield, Gavin Barwell, Housing, Jo Negrini, John Burton, Mayor of London, Mike Fisher, Parking, Planning, Property, Richard Chatterjee, Shirley North, Tony Newman, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Two months late, Minister rubber-stamps Westfield CPO

Posted on September 16, 2015 by insidecroydon

The government inspector has finally delivered his report on the Compulsory Purchase Order for a vast swathe of central Croydon, giving the go-ahead for the £1 billion Hammersfield shopping mall to be built. The Department for Communities and Local Government … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Business, Centrale, CPO, Croydon Council, Gavin Barwell, Jo Negrini, John Burton, Planning, Tony Newman, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

How to gridlock Croydon in 100 million easy moves

Posted on July 10, 2015 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: London’s Tory Mayor Boris Johnson, with Labour-run Croydon Council and through Transport for London, has earmarked more than £100 million for road schemes and to re-configure the tram system in the town centre, all for the sake of … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Addiscombe West, Boris Johnson, Business, Centrale, Commuting, Connected Croydon, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Cycling, Duppas Hill Park, East Croydon, Environment, Fairfield, Gavin Barwell, Housing, Mayor of London, Parking, Planning, Property, Tramlink, Transport, West Croydon, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

£700 in prizes await winners of Centrale’s Ping tournament

Posted on July 2, 2015 by insidecroydon

Croydon’s top table tennis talents have the chance of winning a total of £700 in prizes in a tournament being staged at the Centrale shopping centre on July 16 – which apparently is National Table Tennis Day. The tournament is … Continue reading →

Posted in Activities, Centrale, Sport | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Croydon’s Search for a Star, Centrale, July 4

Posted on June 26, 2015 by insidecroydon
Posted in Activities, Art, Centrale, Comedy, Dance, Music | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Boxpark loan deal turns councillors into a bunch of bankers

Posted on June 18, 2015 by insidecroydon

£3 million. So now we know how much tax-payers’ money it takes to bring a decent-sized business to the town centre. The Croydon Guardian reports that Croydon Council has gone into the banking business, making a £3 million loan to … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Boxpark, Business, Centrale, Croydon Council, East Croydon, Jo Negrini, Jon Rouse, Nathan Elvery, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, URV, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

TfL’s loopy proposals will cut some tram services by 13%

Posted on June 10, 2015 by insidecroydon

Another week. Another pointless, self-fulfilling “consultation”, this time from Transport for London as they steam-roller through their scheme to sever the tram network in Croydon town centre, all for the benefit of Hammersfield, and mainly at massive public expense. This … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Boris Johnson, Centrale, Commuting, Croydon Council, East Croydon, Jo Negrini, Kenley, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, New Addington South, Planning, Steve O'Connell, Tramlink, Transport, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

TfL’s £48m loop schemes could break the link in Tramlink

Posted on May 19, 2015 by insidecroydon

Transport for London seems determined to double the cost of new Tramlink loops in the centre of Croydon – to around £48 million of public cash – and all at the behest of local council planners who want to reduce … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Addiscombe West, Boris Johnson, Business, Centrale, Commuting, Croydon Council, East Croydon, Environment, Fairfield, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Parking, Planning, Tramlink, Transport, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Ruskin Square site finally proves to be something to bank on

Posted on May 11, 2015 by insidecroydon

Overlooked in the build-up to the election last week came some news in the trade press that could prove more significant to Croydon’s future event than the £1 billion Hammersfield development. Who would have thought at any time over the … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Centrale, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, East Croydon, Gavin Barwell, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, Warehouse Theatre, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

£1bn and at least three years’ disruption. And all for what?

Posted on March 29, 2015 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: There’s a procession through the centre of town, with the Emperor at its head. Everyone is cheering and clapping. And then a little boy, ANTHONY MILLER, points and says, “What’s the point of the Hammersfield development?” Several years … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Business, Centrale, Gavin Barwell, Planning, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Developers’ PR company announces the #CroydonTakeover

Posted on March 24, 2015 by insidecroydon

The Croydon Flyover. The Croydon Facelift. Now we have the Croydon Takeover. Or #CroydonTakeover, as the council’s favouritest PR bunglers, Grey Label, managed to hashtag it when they were off on the jolly to the South of France for the … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Centrale, CPO, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Planning, Stiles Harold Williams, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Serious Whitgift CPO objections could end up in law courts

Posted on February 12, 2015 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: The complaints to the Whitgift Centre CPO have been raised by some of the country’s biggest businesses, and DAVID CALLAM says that their public opposition could end up in the law courts Like Susan Oliver and commenter David … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Business, Centrale, CPO, Croydon Council, David Callam, Gavin Barwell, Housing, Jo Negrini, London-wide issues, Planning, Property, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How the Whitgift CPO is proving bad for Croydon’s business

Posted on February 10, 2015 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: As the inquiry into Croydon Council’s Compulsory Purchase Order for the Westfield and Hammerson development of the Whitgift Centre enters its second week at Fisher’s Folly, SUSAN OLIVER, left, asks what it may be doing to the town’s … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Business, Centrale, CPO, Croydon Council, Environment, Fairfield, Gavin Barwell, Jo Negrini, Planning, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Borough Solicitor issues councillors with CPO gagging order

Posted on January 24, 2015 by insidecroydon

WHO’S REALLY RUNNING CROYDON COUNCIL (Part 94): The borough’s 70 councillors, all democratically elected as recently as last May to represent the interests of the people of Croydon, have been ordered to express no opinion whatsoever about the £1billion Hammersfield … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Business, Centrale, CPO, Croydon Council, Gavin Barwell, Jo Negrini, Julie Belvir, Planning, Tony Newman, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Croydon streets being paved with gold – or public cash

Posted on January 14, 2015 by insidecroydon

Next Monday, the council starts work to give the area around East Croydon Station a £5million overhaul. But when all the work is finished, will we be able to say it is money well spent? If the quality of some … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Boris Johnson, Business, Centrale, Commuting, CPO, Croydon Council, East Croydon, Emily Benn, Environment, Fairfield, Gavin Barwell, Jon Rouse, Kathy Bee, Mayor of London, Menta Tower, Nathan Elvery, Planning, Property, Restaurants, Ruskin Square, Sarah Jones MP, South Croydon, South Croydon Community Association, Stiles Harold Williams, Tramlink, Transport, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ten compelling questions on the Whitgift Centre CPO

Posted on January 13, 2015 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: A once-in-a-lifetime regeneration, or a sinister land grab? SUSAN OLIVER, pictured, has some nagging doubts about the massive Compulsory Purchase Order on the Whitgift Centre taken out by Croydon Council on behalf of the Hammersfield developers I was … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Business, Centrale, CPO, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Planning, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Back to the future to find lessons from Croydon’s past

Posted on January 9, 2015 by insidecroydon

Architecture author JOHN GRINDROD re-views an old television documentary and sees some interesting warnings for the town’s regeneration Back in 1993, it’s fair to say that I had never given much thought to the architecture of my home town, Croydon. … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Art, Business, Centrale, Croydon Council, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Environment, History, Housing, Planning, Property, Taberner House, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Could Dead Mall Syndrome be coming to a high street here?

Posted on January 7, 2015 by insidecroydon

“Did you have a good Christmas?” is a question that takes on a different meaning for shop-keepers and retail analysts. STEVEN DOWNES on a shopping trend in America of which Croydon’s Hammersfield developers must be wary Next month will see … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Business, Centrale, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, John Burton, Planning, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Why do all roads lead to Hammersfield but not the costs?

Posted on December 12, 2014 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: In response to TfL proposals to build a flyover to the Croydon Flyover, DAVID WICKENS asks why the town centre’s £1bn shopping mall developers are not required to contribute more towards improving the borough’s transport network I believe … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Boris Johnson, Business, Centrale, Commuting, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, East Croydon, Environment, Jo Negrini, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Planning, Purley Way, Tramlink, Transport, Waddon, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Road schemes are out-dated and a threat to people’s health

Posted on December 10, 2014 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: AUSTEN COOPER provides evidence to show that Transport for London’s £100 million-worth of public money on road schemes will probably make traffic congestion and pollution in the town centre worse Some people think that the Waddon flyover scheme … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Broad Green, Business, Centrale, Croydon Council, Croydon Cycling Campaign, Croydon Greens, Cycling, Environment, Planning, Transport, Waddon, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

No evidence that Boris’s flyover will improve traffic flow

Posted on December 7, 2014 by insidecroydon

Croydon and Sutton residents whose Croydon Road and Duppas Hill homes, businesses and public park could be under threat from Boris Johnson’s multi-million-pound proposal to build a flyover to the Croydon Flyover may struggle to get any support from their … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Boris Johnson, Business, Centrale, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Croydon South, Darren Johnson, Environment, Jo Negrini, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Planning, Tony Newman, Tramlink, Transport, Waddon, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

£85m TfL road schemes include flyover to Croydon Flyover

Posted on December 3, 2014 by insidecroydon

STEVEN DOWNES reports on the latest example of millions of public money being spent for the benefit of private interests Boris Johnson’s Transport for London wants to build a flyover to link from the Sutton side of the Purley Way … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Boris Johnson, Business, Centrale, Commuting, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Cycling, Darren Johnson, Environment, Health, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Planning, Steve O'Connell, Tramlink, Transport, Waddon, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Newman goes big on promises on jobs, homes and investment

Posted on November 25, 2014 by insidecroydon

Is it mandatory to take large quantities of hallucinogenic drugs on assuming a senior position at Croydon Council or taking political office at the Town Hall? We only ask because it seems Tony Newman, the council leader, has been on … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Business, Centrale, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, John Burton, Nathan Elvery, RIF, Tony Newman, URV, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

MP Barwell ducks TV appearance as pressure begins to mount

Posted on November 21, 2014 by insidecroydon

REVERSE FERRET ALERT! Gavin Barwell, the Tory MP for the Whitgift Foundation, has pulled out of an appearance on this week’s BBC Sunday Politics programme. Barwell has never knowingly declined an invitation to attend even the opening of a fridge … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", 2015 General Election, Allders, Business, Centrale, Croydon Central, Croydon North, Crystal Palace Park, Gavin Barwell, John Burton, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed MP, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

‘Our time is now’? Newman is having a bit of a Mayor

Posted on November 20, 2014 by insidecroydon

WALTER CRONXITE, our man in the Town Hall reception flicking through the visitors’ book, says that the council leader’s “strategy” for funding cannot be delivered unless he agrees to abandoning the patronage on which he depends for his political power … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Centrale, City status, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Mayor of London, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments