Centrale shopping centre in Croydon to get cinema and new restaurants

“I prefer Bromley to Croydon, nicer shops and a nice area generally.”

“Its who moves into croydon area's, people at bromley have much better manners I find. That's my opinion.”

“It really amazes me how people can be so negative about where they live. How an earth is the town supposed to get any better when it's residents are so cynical about anything that may help to transform the fortunes of the town. I know not all posters on here write awful things about our town, but comments such as 'I don't want to pick my way between vomit and excrement to reach a cinema or to climb over inert junkies and drunks on the car park landing' and 'Croydon has gone so far downhill now that you won't turn it around by throwing money into the buildings' are just rediculous. I go into Croydon a lot and I have never had to walk between vomit and excrement, although I would add that I currently live in Brighton where I do quite regularly have to walk between vomit and excrement on the streets. People in Croydon seem to whinge constantly that the place is so bad, but from my experiences of living around the country it's definitely one of the better places I have lived, it has just fallen on hard times and it needs a bit of a spruce up which I am sure we'll be seeing over the coming few years!”

“We have been going to the cinema at Grants for quite a few years on Saturday afternoons or evenings. We have never seen vomit or excrement near the cinema nor have we ever had to climb over inert junkies and drunks on the car park landing.”

“I worked in Croydon for many years and know exactly what happens there in the evening. I don't want to pick my way between vomit and excrement to reach a cinema or to climb over inert junkies and drunks on the car park landing. (Oh yes, I have, many times).

As other posters have said, Croydon has gone so far downhill now that you won't turn it around by throwing money into the buildings. Bars need to stop serving people who have already consumed too much, drunks need to be locked away somewhere until they sober up, the whole town centre needs to be made more welcoming to decent people. Until then I will avoid Croydon in the evening. Having two competing cinemas won't change much, and the re-hashed shopping centres will contain the same old shops selling the same clothes to the same kids. Imagination and innovation are needed, not the same shops in different positions.

Come on Croydon, instead of selling out to the developers, start selling the town to new traders!”

“For Information
Council Car Parks
One hour £1 to £1.70
Four hours £2.50 - £ 5.20
Six plus £4 - £16.20

Return TFL Public transport (Buss/Tram) fare £4.60 per person.

Central Zone Street Parking
One hour £2.40
Four hours £ 5.00

NCP Allders or Whitgift
One hour £2
Three hours £6
Three plus £8

NCP Fairfield
One hour £2
Four hours £6
Four plus £12.00

NCP Dingwell Road
One hour £1
Four hours £4
Four plus £6.00

NCP Wandle
One hour £1
Four hours £4
Eight plus £10.00

Centrale
One hour £2
Four hours £4.50
Eight hours £14.00

Q Park
One hour £1.50
Four hours £6.00
Six hours £9.00

So it depends on how far you want to walk or where you are planning to spend your time. Personally I use Public transport, that way I can start at one end of Croydon then go to any other point and catch a bus or tram and don't have to worry about a long trek back to the carpark. Lets me see a whole range of shops and facilities.”

“I never said it was the cheapest. It is the most convenient for me, though. I don't go for cheapness - I go for convenience.”

“LAFANTASTICA, do you really think that Surrey Street market is the cheapest car park in Croydon? I thought it was Centrale, at least they always used to be about £1 an hour - maybe that's changed, as I now park in my office if I do bother to come into Croydon at the weekend.”

“I like to shop in Bromley rather than Croydon. Bromley has a much more diverse range of shops. Most of the shops in Croydon (as pointed out by another poster) are womens clothes shop.

Surrey street is on deaths door. There are only a handful of stalls during the week. The veg is still good quality but I'd never buy any fruits there. Such a shame and a long way from the glory days when people from all other South London would visit Croydon and Surrey Street.

I have not gone to Valley Park cinema for many years. It's dirty and I think a bit rough. The Vue in Croydon doesnt offer much more I'm afraid. I prefer to pay a little extra and go up town.”

“I don't like Bromley at all. Used to go occasionally to the old Odeon, but the car park close to that one is awful. The Glades is too big and one gets lost in it and trying to get to it. It was the Labour Council who sold our car parks to NCP, unfortunately. I do love going into Croydon. Would normally park at the Whitgift for shops there. I like their shops. Never use Centrale. I park at the very safe Surrey Street car park, which does not belong to NCP and is a little cheaper. Surrey Street market has some good stalls. The only thing I don't like is the fact that the stallholders insist on selling bananas by the bowl. I only want 4/6 bananas, and have found one stallholder (the only one) who lets me pay by weight. The Grants cinema is lovely. Lots of legroom and great films. And then, of course, just of Surrey Street, is the best coffee house in Croydon - Matthews Yard.”