5 Great Things In Croydon
- There is a time in everyone’s life when, for some bizarre reason or another, they find themselves in Croydon. Due to some less than glowing publicity over the years, some are apprehensive about winding up in this little borough south of London, but we’re here to tell you just how brilliant it is, and how to make the most out of London.
- Transport: Firstly, the transport to central London is often quicker than being in Central London. Trains leave every 3 minutes or so to London Bridge or London Victoria and take 9 and 17 minutes respectively when running well. There are 24-hour night buses to Trafalgar Square via Elephant and Castle and West Croydon is on the Overground Line (the orange one), giving you a direct link to the wonders of East London.
- Great value: So those are some compelling reasons to stay outside the capital. Throw in the fact that it’s cheap (much cheaper than Central London) and you’re laughing. If you do opt to stay in Croydon to save money, you’ll also find there’s a huge amount of stuff to keep you occupied before you commute into the big smoke.
- Below is only a sampling – or “pick of the crop” – in terms of what Croydon has to offer, but we’re confident that if you wind up staying in this town, you’ll have just as good a stay if you ramble around the immediate vicinity as you would if you went into London every day!
Fair enough, shopping isn’t the most money-saving of activities. However, with the Whitgift Centre, Centrale, High Street and more, you’ll find lots of great value shops, and the best part is, it’s cheaper than London. All of your Oxford Street brands are represented either in their own boutiques or as part of one of the larger department stores, of which there are four.
In fact, given its proximity to Gatwick airport (about 20 minutes in the car, less on the train), it’s becoming increasingly popular for tourists to stock up on their much-needed British essentials and pop off home again without ever going into Central London.
Croydon’s awash with interesting history, such as Park Hill Park being Queen Elizabeth I’s favourite racecourse, and the town being the home of the Archbishop of Canterbury at the time, John Whitgift, who set up a whole host of charitable foundations, including Whitgift School, which was founded in 1596. You can now visit the original almshouses that the school was first housed in.
If your hankering for history takes you further back, Croydon even has its own bronze-age settlement, situated on the heathy summit of a tor in South Croydon, called Croham Hurst. If you go for a wander through the wooded thickets on your way to the top, you might even see a deer. This tor doubles up as a nature reserve, giving you a good chance of seeing some stunning wildlife as well as offering a spellbinding 360-degree view of the South East.
Can’t afford dinner at the Wolseley? Well, let’s be frank, who can in this day and age? But in Central London, you can be hard-pushed to find a reasonably-priced meal that isn’t either so gimmicky it puts you off eating or so corporate that you don’t believe the food on your plate is really organic matter. Many parts of London can be over the top. Of course, a savvy tourist knows where to go, and one of those places is… you’ve guessed it: Croydon.
South End in Croydon is about a mile and a half long, and at least 75 per cent of it is restaurants. You can have the Wolseley experience for a fraction of the price and, frankly, better food at the charming Albert’s Table. Or expand your culinary horizons at the French/Mauritian hybrid Côte d’Azur. If you’d like something a bit rough and ready (but also authentic and genuine) then get yourself over to The Oval Tavern for a fun, home-cooked menu of hearty excellence.
Global cuisine is pretty comprehensively covered, with independent tapas restaurant Galicia the toast of the town, plus there are some superb curry houses (particularly the take-away/delivery only Zaytun near South Croydon Station for a night in).
Italian cuisine lovers will find the charming, opera-box-themed Little Bay in South Croydon has a large menu and that wonderful bistro atmosphere to really pile on the nostalgia. Nearby is the no-frills-but-great-fun Boulevard, offering decent food at prices that make you feel like you’ve gotten away with something naughty. There’s much, much more besides, so if you’re strapped for cash and staying in Croydon, there’s no reason not to treat yourself!
Fortunately, owing to Croydon being largely made up of commuters with young families, there is a great mix of stuff for the kids all over the place. There are all of your family staples, like bowling at the Croydon TenPin in the Valley Park leisure complex, two cinemas, and swimming pools in Purley and Thornton Heath (the latter of which is a very historic building); however there’s a lot more on offer than meets the eye.
If you’re prepared to drive, then possibilities are endless. There’s Godstone Farm, which has expanded to include acres of outdoor play space and equipment, such as huge climbing frames, zip-wires, sandpits, loads of activities, viewing platforms and so on, and also includes indoor play areas. As well as being a farm with animals, obviously. If you like extreme sports, you could drive to Skaterham (in Caterham, hence the pun).
If you like your familiar comforts, then you could get to Croydon Library, which has an enormous kids’ section as well as near daily events for children and young people and there are often child-friendly art installations there too. Every Saturday between 1pm and 3pm, The Oval Tavern has “Story Time With Jenny” where you can bring your kids and let them be whisked off into a land of their own creation with professional storyteller Jenny Lockyer. There are materials to make things with, and you can have a refreshing drink in the knowledge that your kids are burning up all of that Saturday energy.
There are many parks in Croydon – Park Hill Park, Lloyd Park, Queen’s Gardens, Ashburton Park, Fairfield Gardens, Wandle Park, Coombe Park… the list keeps going. Many of these parks (particularly Lloyd Park, Wandle Park and Park Hill Park) have dedicated kids’ play areas and outdoor sporting activities like tennis courts, basketball courts and exercise equipment. Some (Park Hill and Coombe Park) are enclosed, giving a sense of quietness.
Once again, you’re spoilt for choice in Croydon, and in many ways it’s a microcosm of London. You’ve got a great selection of pubs from chains to independent free houses, as well as café/bars, nightclubs and those in-between places that defy categorisation.
The town is also conveniently laid out with a roman road taking you through its centre, and with everything worth doing (with one or two exceptions) laid out on that. We’d recommend starting in South Croydon at The Treehouse, which has a great beer garden and a gourmet menu to get you started.
Heading towards the centre, venues start getting more numerous and you’ll be able to pick and choose what’s right for you. There’s the Scream Lounge; a punk-rock bar addition to a grass-roots recording studio that has regular live music (from every genre) and a surprisingly high-brow décor. Nearby there’s The Edge, which has live music most nights. Half & Half is a tiny little place with an enormous beer selection and lots of good draught lagers that you rarely find, such as Budvar. Galicia, the aforementioned tapas bar, is over the road and if you just wanted to quaff a glass of wine with a bowl of olives, you’d be welcome to do so.
Heading further in still, the Crown and Pepper is a traditional British pub with a cracking Thai and Indian menu, and a little up the road and into the centre is the Green Dragon, again with great live music, reasonably priced drinks and a great atmosphere. Across the road is The Ship, a pretty metal-orientated pub but without all the unpleasantness.
Then you’re in the centre, and you’ve got your nightclubs: Reflex, Tiger Tiger and Lloyds make up the majority of the big ones, however there are others tucked away that are independent and offer a great night out, such as Bad Apple round the corner.
Hidden just off Surrey Street, where the daily market is (and has been for hundreds of years) is Matthews Yard, a café, bar, performance space and rentable workspace for when you need to send an email in a quiet environment that isn’t an office. They often have musical performances and occasionally host theatre and talks too.
Near East Croydon (if you’re coming back from London and in need of some refreshment) is the Porter and Sorter, traditionally frequented by postmen but sadly without any of the weird charm you’d expect from such a pub.
But by far and away the best pub in the town is the previously mentioned Oval Tavern, which is a mere four minutes’ walk from the station. There’s something on every night (except some Mondays), with a huge output of music, performances of a wide-nature, jazz, blues, rock, folk, DJs and so on, a large menu with large portions and a huge beer garden with a stage. As it’s off the beaten track, people staying in Croydon are unlikely to find this gem without looking for it, but it’s well worth the walk and has a great atmosphere.
