Category Archives: Croydon Park Hotel

Council planners push developers to add 9 storeys to tower

Our housing correspondent, BARRATT HOLMES, on the reasonable concerns of residents in East Croydon about plans for the Croydon Park Hotel site Locals in East Croydon and Addiscombe have organised a campaign opposing the proposals from property developers Amro Partners … Continue reading

Posted in Addiscombe West, Business, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Housing, Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Newman breaks his silence to tell Mail: I did no wrong

CROYDON IN CRISIS: With the Penn Report into possible wrong-doing at the council expected to be released by officials shortly, the former council leader has responded to reports in the national press. By STEVEN DOWNES The Daily Mail today became … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Inside Croydon, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Simpson, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Simon Hall, Stuart King, The Penn Report, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

K-erch-ing! Lobbyists consult on £200m scheme for hotel site

Our housing correspondent, BARRATT HOLMES, reports on the cosy relationship between developers’ PR firm and a senior figure at the council The property developer lobbyists who employ the leader of the Labour group at Croydon Town Hall are to stage … Continue reading

Posted in Addiscombe West, Business, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Housing, Property, Simon Hall, Stuart King, The Lilibet, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Serious questions raised on King’s rule over asset disposals

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Council’s erstwhile deputy leader has been named among 75 councillors across the capital who are working for the property and development industry. By STEVEN DOWNES Stuart King, who until Wednesday, at least, was the deputy leader of … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Planning, Property, Stuart King, Tony Newman, Val Shawcross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lots of reservations after Selsdon hotel and golf course close

It was once considered among the country’s finest hotels, and thanks to a pre-election meeting staged there by Ted Heath, it gave the nation the expression ‘Selsdon Man’. But despite millions spent on refurbishments, the future of the Selsdon Park … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Croydon Park Hotel, Selsdon and Addington Village, Selsdon Park Hotel, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Croydon 2021: voter apathy, petrol queues and dodgy deals

DID WE HAVE NEWS FOR YOU: In our final instalment of our annual review of the stories that attracted the most attention in 2021, we reach the season of missed opportunities and not much fruitfulness, as far as Croydon Labour … Continue reading

Posted in 2021 Mayor Referendum, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Brick by Brick, Business, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Fairfield Halls, Hamida Ali, Jo Negrini, Paul Scott, Planning, Sean Fitzsimons, Steve Reed MP, Stuart King, Tony Newman, Wendy's | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Croydon 2021: a tale of lockdowns, let-downs and meltdowns

DID WE HAVE NEWS FOR YOU: Croydon entered 2021 as a bankrupt borough, yet there was worse still to come. Inside Croydon has been there, reporting on every twist and turn of events around the cash-strapped council as it entered … Continue reading

Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Community associations, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Rachel Flowers, Regina Road Residents' Support Group, Report in the Public Interest, Simon Hall, South Norwood Community Kitchen, Stuart King, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Multi-million-pound loss on hotel ‘not ideal’ says panel

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Whitehall-appointed inspectors raise serious doubts over the council’s property sales. By STEVEN DOWNES The council’s sale of the Croydon Park Hotel at a loss of as much as £10million has been condemned by government-appointed officials. Such a … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Callton Young, Chris Buss, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Planning, Section 114 notice, Stuart King, Tony McArdle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Council puts hotel and College Green up for sale for just £40m

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Two prime sites, owned by the council, are the latest public assets to be off-loaded on the cheap. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES The cash-strapped council’s fire-sale of public assets continues, with the Croydon Park Hotel and College … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, East Croydon, Housing, Jo Negrini, Property, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Council starts the biggest fire-sale ever seen in south London

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Last night’s cabinet meeting agreed to flog off 15 sites around the borough, as the council seeks to pay down its £1.5bn debt. But they will struggle to recoup the £35.7m paid for a hotel just three … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Planning, Stuart King, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Jenrick issues ‘strongly-worded’ warning over property deals

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Government minister targets bankrupt borough when he tells LGA conference ‘Councils shouldn’t make investments for which they are not well-equipped’. By WALTER CRONXITE It seems increasingly likely that Whitehall will insist on Croydon flogging off many of … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Colonnades, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Why selling the unsaleable is not the answer on Brick by Brick

CROYDON IN CRISIS: It is nearly three years since this website began exposing the financial disaster that Brick by Brick was creating for Croydon Council. NICHOLAS PANES, the construction industry expert who advised on our reports, looks at the options … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Colm Lacey, Colonnades, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Planning, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Wood comes knocking with brief to investigate Brick by Brick

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Can it really just be coincidence that the troubleshooter appointed to conduct an urgent review of the council also has extensive experience working at one of Jo Negrini’s former boroughs? WALTER CRONXITE reports It seems almost certain … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Colonnades, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Property, Report in the Public Interest, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Auditors look at legal sanctions over council’s finances

CROYDON IN CRISIS: A Town Hall committee has been told that the council was ‘in breach of financial regulations’ over its commercial dealings, as they delivered a report with 75 recommendations for improvements. By STEVEN DOWNES The resignation of Simon … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Colonnades, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Katherine Kerswell, Simon Hall | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Hold very tight: will Buss give Brick by Brick a rough ride?

Our Town Hall reporter, KEN LEE, on how the local council troubleshooter who was brought in to deal with Kensington and Chelsea’s finances in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire has now been hired by Croydon In the final … Continue reading

Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Business, Colonnades, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Paul Scott, Simon Hall, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Audit shows £9m shortfall in Hall’s property speculation deals

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Internal audit report will make very uncomfortable reading for the council leader and his finance chief, and shows worrying budget problems for most of the council-run schools. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor It is barely a week … Continue reading

Posted in Adult Social Care, Business, Children's Services, Colonnades, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Jo Negrini, Karen Jewitt, Katherine Kerswell, Schools, Simon Hall, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Administrators accuse council of forcing hotel out of business

EXCLUSIVE: The closure of the Croydon Park Hotel, with nearly 100 employees losing their jobs, could open the way for the site to be used to build more flats. By STEVEN DOWNES A confidential report from accountants carrying out the … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Planning, Simon Hall | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Croydon in crisis: Council has been axing jobs since January

EXCLUSIVE: The Town Hall leadership is spinning to giddying levels to pin the blame for the council’s parlous financial position on covid-19, the Tory government… indeed anyone but the people responsible: themselves. But it is now emerging that the council … Continue reading

Posted in Colonnades, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Jo Negrini, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Armageddon! Boxpark predicts 50% businesses won’t survive

KEN LEE reports on how one heavily subsidised private landlord in the town centre is now lobbying for yet more public funding Half of Croydon’s retail and hospitality businesses won’t survive the coronavirus lockdown, according to Roger Wade, the owner … Continue reading

Posted in Boxpark, Business, Croydon Park Hotel, Fairfield Halls, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Council-owned Croydon Park Hotel calls in administrators

EXCLUSIVE: All 91 members of staff at the 4-star town centre hotel were made redundant on Monday, as the impact of the coronavirus pandemic hits the local economy hard. By STEVEN DOWNES The company which operates the Croydon Park Hotel … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Simon Hall | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Shock as leader of council with £1bn property debts is ousted

The leader of a local council which has gambled hundreds of millions of pounds on the property market has been ousted by party colleagues, and may now face an independent investigation. No, loyal reader, don’t get too excited just yet… … Continue reading

Posted in Colonnades, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Outside Croydon, Surrey | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Chancellor is taking an axe to councils’ magic money tree

Croydon Council has more than £1bn of borrowings – half of which has gone on Brick by Brick and the purchase of some commercial properties. Proposals contained in the Budget this week could put an end to that, as KEN … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Bernard Weatherill House, Brick by Brick, Business, Centrale, Colonnades, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Croydon parks, Jo Negrini, New Addington, Planning, Property, Queens Gardens, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interest hike squeezes Brick by Brick’s speculative schemes

The Tory government’s obstinate fixation to drive the country off a Brexit cliff-edge at the end of October is driving down the value of the pound and causing massive problems for industry. Especially in construction – which could mean very … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Boxpark, Brick by Brick, Business, Colm Lacey, Colonnades, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Gavin Barwell, Housing, Jo Negrini, Planning, Tony Newman, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

£29m: Croydon tops the table for flogging off public assets

With inflated claims of returns from the council’s house-builder being compared to a Ponzi scheme, a former council official says, ‘We are in uncertain times and the risks being taken with public money are huge compared to the marginal potential … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Colonnades, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Jo Negrini, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Schroders’ £500m Ruskin Square stalls over Westfield doubts

Big business is getting twitchy over the slow pace of developments in Croydon, as KEN LEE reports The agenda for the Croydon Labour group brainstorming weekend in Eastbourne this weekend is said to be “thin”. That may be deliberate to … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Jo Negrini, Ruskin Square, Tony Newman, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments