It’s September, which means the Open House Festival is just around the corner. As a bit of an architecture fan, it’s a festival I always look forward to, especially as the nosy part of...
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It seems fittingly summery, to finish August immersed in nature. So this week we chat with our current social media artist and Croydon resident Mirri Rowland who runs Drawn to Nature. A watercolour artist...
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Looking for local things to do to kick off the bank holiday weekend? Well look no further than the Queen’s Gardens Party (see what they did there with the name) which takes place this...
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Yes, it’s the middle of August and it feels like we’ve got weeks and weeks of lazy summer days where we can soak up the holiday atmosphere, before we need to brush off our...
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Now I love a ‘repurposing’ of a car park (think of the wonderful Lost Format Society from a few year’s back), so I was dead excited to hear about Centrale & Whitgift’s rooftop beach...
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Back in April we featured Shaniqua Benjamin’s multi-generational project called ‘Out of Silence’ which is her final project as Croydon’s Poet Laureate. In case you missed it, the project engaged a diverse mix of...
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This year the Creative Croydon exhibition took on a bit of a different format. We teamed up again with Croydon BID and our alter ego 31% Wool (aka our day job) to curate the...
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I’m sure most people have collected something at some point in their lives: I used to collect badges and keyrings; Angela, Beanie Babies; my parents, teapots… Why am I telling you this? Well a...
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In just over a week Pride returns to Croydon. This year it’s billed as Croydon’s Mini PrideFest, because it’s on a smaller scale than the previous years’ celebrations in Wandle Park. Earlier this year...
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Summer is well under way, so for many performers that means decamping to Scotland for ‘The greatest platform for creative freedom in the world.’ Yes folks, I’m talking about the Edinburgh Fringe. This week...
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Did you know that drumming can boost your IQ? Well Croydon drummer Bella Matthews must be very smart, as earlier this year, she was the only female finalist out of 10 young drummers in...
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This week we heard about an exciting musical ensemble that will be coming our way next month. Called The Multi-Story Orchestra, the south-east-London-based collective performs in car parks and other unconventional settings, and will...
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I’ve lived in the Park Hill area of Croydon for a decade now, and have probably walked up and down Park Hill Road several thousand times, but I had never visited the modernist church...
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This week our guest writer Shehrazade Zafar-Arif reviews the new exhibition at Croydon Art Space, on until 10 August. I almost walked right past Croydon Art Space, tucked inconspicuously as it is between grocery...
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Last Friday we swapped the bright lights and skyscrapers of Croydon for the bright lights and skyscrapers of the Barbican, as we attended the press night of Zoo Co’s Perfect Show For Rachel. Zoo...
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This week we catch up with performance artist Vijay Patel ahead of his show, Brotherly, Otherly, Disorderly, arriving at Stanley Arts on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 June. The show, described as ‘an access...
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If you want to feel like you’re in the middle of the countryside, The White Bear is the pub for you. Nestled in a hamlet called Fickleshole (no I haven’t made it up), between...
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Get your dancing shoes on, as Commons festival returns to our shores from next Tuesday until 26 May, with homegrown dance organisations Beeja, Birdgang and SLiDE leading the way. We caught up with the...
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I would just like to say, how lucky are we to have the David Lean Cinema? Seriously, there’s always something decent on and recently we’ve been treated to incredible Q&As with the likes of...
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Spring has officially sprung, and there is no better way to wake up and blow away those winter cobwebs than listening to fresh live music. The weekend before last was spent doing exactly that...
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Earlier this week I met up with the artistic director of Maya Productions, Suzanne Gorman, at the Museum of Croydon to see their current exhibition Routes to Roots, as well as to hear more...
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This week our guest writer Zoe O’Donnell, reviews a new community event ‘The Park Hill showcase’ that took place for the first time last month. Situated to the south of East Croydon station with...
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Over the last few months (in my day job as a graphic designer) I’ve had the pleasure of working with Shaniqua Benjamin to help create a set of poetry posters which form part of...
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Over the last few seasons, we’ve had a bit of a gap in our climate series where we discuss the climate crisis with Croydon organisations and individuals. This was mainly because of our Borough...
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There’s just over three weeks to go until our Cro Cro Land Festival, so we wanted to chat with more of our awesome artists, to hear about their music, their thoughts on the festival,...
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Croydon’s London Borough of Culture year is coming to a close, and to celebrate, This Is Croydon has curated a series of eclectic music events called Croydon Remix for the closing weekend, which runs...
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Today is of course International Women’s Day 2024, and this year the focus is on inspiring inclusion by celebrating diversity and empowerment. So what better day to catch up with three of our female...
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Autistic Youth Hub is a relatively new local collective, which launched last summer as a supported space for young adults who self-identify as autistic or similarly neurodivergent. As part of This is Croydon, the...
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Hurrah for live music and the final return of the next installment of our music festival, Cro Cro Land. As a rule sequels can suck, filmwise, but happily that is not the case for...
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Last week we visited the Little Manhattan exhibition, at the Croydon Clocktower, which celebrates Croydon’s striking skyline, and captures the memories of those who lived through the regeneration of the area between the 1950s...
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Yesterday evening we popped to the opening of Rewind: This is Croydon’s Music. The new exhibition at the Museum of Croydon, celebrating our borough’s rich history of music, is a treasure trove for anyone...
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This weekend a new immersive production opens at Stanley Arts as part of the This Is Croydon programme. Inspired by true stories of refugees and displacement, Journey of a Refugee is a blend of...
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As a huge fan of our borough’s modernist architecture, I thought I knew all of the architectural gems that existed around Croydon. That was until I chatted with author Joshua Abbott, who is in...
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Interesting fact for you: Tilda Swinton did actually meet the famous Croydon-born film director David Lean shortly before his death, when she did a screen test for his unrealised film Nostromo in the early...
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It’s January, it’s cold, it’s wet, we’re back to work and school, Christmas is a distant memory and Easter a mere dot on the horizon. So what’s different to do to perk up a...
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Happy 2024, Croydon! If you’re a regular reader you’ll know we start each January with a group feature on thoughts for the year ahead. In 2024 Croydon finishes its tenure as the London Borough...
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It’s that time of year again, when we like to look back at some of our favourite features from the last 12 months. So here’s our review of 2023 with our top 10, in...
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This week me and our 6-year-old, Beth, have been to not one but two Croydon pantomimes. Oh yes we have. Sunday night was spent watching Aladdin at Fairfield Halls and Wednesday evening was Jack...
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As you’ll know from our feature last week, pantomime season is almost upon us, and this year the Cronx has not one but two big pantos taking place. Oh no it doesn’t, oh yes...
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Panto season is nearly upon us, and this year Croydon has not one but two big pantomimes happening. (I’m really resisting a panto gag here). First up we chat with the director of the...
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Although my usual rule is not to mention the festive C word before December begins, it is in fact the start of the twelfth month this very friday (yes it seems to come round...
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Last week I headed to the opening night of Zoo Co’s new production, Night Shift, which is running until this Saturday (25 November) at Stanley Arts. Not having seen a Zoo Co show since...
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Autumn is indeed a season for theatre, especially in Croydon. This week we chat with Sam Canning, who is the director of the Upper-Norwood-based amateur dramatics company, The Downsview Players. We talk about their...
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Who doesn’t enjoy some outdoor art to brighten our streets? We were delighted when Croydon BID asked us to curate a second season of the Creative Croydon exhibition, after we brought the work of...
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I recently visited local artist Kate Marsden in her studio at ASC Grafton Road. For those of you who don’t know ASC Grafton Road, it is home to over 100 studios for artists and...
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This week we catch up with our current social media header artist, Divya Sharma – a multi-disciplinary artist whose current work leads with the medium of textiles and threads, she has a studio in...
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Coming to our favourite independent cinema at the end of this month is a punk film festival (from Monday 30 October to Saturday 4 November). As part of the This Is Croydon programme The...
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Billed as comedy, cabaret and creativity, A Bit of a Do – the annual festival curated by accessible arts charity Drunken Chorus – returns to Croydon next week, from 18–28 October. We caught up...
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Last week I took to the skies of Croydon and crossed off an activity that’s long been on my bucket list. No, not a plane or a helicopter or even a hot air balloon,...
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It’s nearly that time of year when our favourite theatre and performance festival returns to Croydon. That’s right, Croydonites Festival is back this Autumn from 2 to 18 November bringing us some awesome theatre...
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Last Saturday we joined a Croydon Music Heritage Trail tour around the centre of Croydon. We (along with a dozen or so other walkers) met our three friendly guides from the Museum of Croydon...
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One balmy evening last week Julia and our guest writer Lisa visited Elodie for dinner – Birch Selsdon’s new signature restaurant with food by Michelin-starred chef, Lee Westcott. Lisa: My visit was a whole lot...
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September, the start of autumn and the last of those glorious warm evenings before the weather turns and the darker evenings set in… it’s one of my favourite months of the year, but not...
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There’s another carnival coming to Croydon, but this is a carnival with a difference, as its theme is invention (yes you heard right). On Sunday 10 September the Carnival of Invention will be taking...
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The next London Borough of Culture festival on our radar is Liberty. The free arts festival celebrating the work of deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists hits our town for three days from Friday 1...
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You may remember back in February us talking about giraffes covered in art roaming our streets. No? Well if not see here. Since then Croydon BID and Wild in Art (who are the organisations...
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It’s great to hear that Croydon’s festival season continues beyond August. Now we’re nearing the halfway mark of the school summer holidays, I’m scanning the September calendar for events to look forward to. One...
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I continue to be surprised and impressed by the number of names linked to Croydon; famous actors, musicians, inventors, activists, writers… the list goes on. So this week dear readers, in my research I...
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Summer festival season is well underway in Croydon, and this year because we’re the London Borough of Culture (in case you didn’t know 🙂) the festivals are coming at us thicker and faster than...
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It’s been a few years since we last caught up with MD of Signal Brewery Charlie Luckin. Tucked around the corner from Therapia Lane Tram Stop and Croydon Ikea, Signal have been busy expanding...
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This weekend is a busy one with free* double festival fun in Wandle Park. Croydon PrideFest returns this Saturday (15 July) and Croydon Mela is back on Sunday (16 July). This year both festivals...
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Earlier this week we headed to Thornton Heath Library for the launch of the Rural Croydon exhibition by artist, photographer and writer Ameena Rojee. Commissioned by This Is Croydon in partnership with The National...
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Last week I headed to a new art gallery in town – well a new gallery to me anyway, because actually Croydon Art Space has been just a short walk from East Croydon Station, on...
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This week we catch up with the award-winning founder, choreographer, and artistic director of Orleta Polish Dance Company, Basia Klimas-Sawyer, to find out about the company’s upcoming 50th anniversary concert. On Saturday 1 July,...
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I was excited to see Talawa’s new production, Recognition, earlier this week, which forms part of the This Is Croydon programme. Written by Amanda Wilkin and directed by Rachael Nanyonjo, Recognition parallels the stories...
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Earlier this week I popped along to the Arts Bar, which, if you are unfamiliar, is the bar connected to the David Lean Cinema, in the Clocktower complex. I was there at the invitation...
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Last week we had the pleasure of heading to Croydon’s ‘newest’ hotel in Selsdon. Us seasoned locals will likely always think of the location as Selsdon Park Hotel, but what was last De Vere...
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This week we chat with Croydon-based artist Melanie Russell whose art we showcased on our social media headers earlier this year. A Streatham resident, Melanie works in a studio at ASC Art House, Grafton...
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Continuing our series of features on the climate, where we discuss the climate crisis with Croydon businesses and individuals, this week we chat with founder of Sustainable Thornton Heath, Ian Morris, ahead of their...
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Now we do ‘occasionally’ head outside of Croydon, and even sometimes into our neighbouring borough of Sutton (albeit usually to mix up our park visits with watery greenspaces like Beddington Park or Carshalton Ponds)....
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Since 2019 we have been running a series of features on the climate, where we chat with different Croydon businesses and individuals about the ways in which they combat the climate crisis. This week...
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Croydon is now officially the London Borough of Culture, so this week we continue our chats with creative organisations involved in the programme. Here we chat with Fashion Meets Music co-founders, sisters, Lizzy Lambie and Dennica...
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We have long been fans of the fantastic Mr Fox on Surrey Street with their exquisite cocktails and the best veggie burgers in town (in my opinion anyway). Therefore I had been eagerly anticipating...
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Whilst I was at the Fairfield Halls earlier this month enjoying the Oratorio of Hope in the Concert Hall, it got me thinking about their other main performance space, the Ashcroft Theatre, and its...
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Croydon’s music scene and connections continue to flourish, spanning multiple genres and cultures. This week’s connection is pretty much one of the most talked about new artists on the tipping point of huge stardom....
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This weekend sees the opening event of Croydon’s year as London Borough of Culture with the Oratorio of Hope at the Fairfield Halls. An original eight-movement composition commissioned by London Mozart Players it’s an...
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The launch of Croydon’s London Borough of Culture is just over a week away, so we are continuing our chats with creative organisations involved with the programme. Here we catch up with Kendra Horsburgh,...
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This week saw the launch of Croydon’s London Borough of Culture programme, ahead of the opening event in a couple of weeks. So what better time to have another chat with one of the...
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Today is International Women’s Day and this year’s theme is #EmbraceEquity. Equality is all well and good but is about treating everyone in the same way, which doesn’t help when people’s circumstances differ. Equity...
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And we’re now in March, which in case you didn’t know is Women’s History Month. In the coming weeks we also of course celebrate International Women’s Day (next Wednesday 8 March) and Mother’s Day...
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Last October we went along to Croydon’s LSBU (aka Electric House) for the launch of the Croydon Stands Tall project, delivered by Croydon BID in collaboration with Wild in Art. Croydon Stands Tall is...
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Croydon’s London Borough of Culture starts in under 2 months, so we’re chatting with some of the Croydon organisations involved. Second up we find out more about Subrang Arts – an arts charity promoting...
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As Croydon’s London Borough of Culture kicks off in less than 2 months, we’re catching up with some of the Croydon organisations involved. It’s currently LGBT+ History month so it seems appropriate to start...
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Earlier this week I headed to the edge of Shirley to visit Bethlem gallery and museum. The listed deco building that the two organisations share sits within the sizable grounds of Bethlem Royal Hospital...
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Norbury seems to have taken on a new lease of life in the past couple of years with noteworthy restaurants and cafés and more to come in 2023. The Norbury of today takes me...
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Croydon has a rich music heritage that spans genres far and wide across the decades and centuries and is still, to this day, a place where bedroom lyricists can become worldwide superstars and that...
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If your new year’s resolution is to embrace more local arts and culture ahead of Croydon becoming the Borough of Culture in spring, well then this one’s for you. Odd Eyes Theatre is bringing...
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Happy new year, Croydon! If you’re a regular here you’ll know we begin the year with a group feature where we ask Croydonist friends and collaborators for their thoughts on the year ahead. Of...
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It’s that time again, when the year is drawing to a close, and we like to look back at some of our favourite things we covered over the last 12 months. So let’s review...
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Fairy dust, flying over rooftops, mermaids, pirates and a healthy topping of double entendre – it can only mean one thing – Panto season is here the Fairfield Halls Croydon with ‘The Further Adventures...
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Looking for a festive gift for a loved one that’s a bit different? Or searching for a beneficial activity for yourself for the new year? Well, Croydon Yoga Hub might be just for you,...
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If you’ve been out walking in Croydon over the last couple of days, you may have noticed some new art springing up around the town centre. Through the Croydonist, one of my passions is...
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‘Let’s put up the Christmas tree this weekend’ says Angela. ‘No talk about Christmas until December’, scolds Julia. Yes, it’s hit that time of year (‘oh no it hasn’t’ pipes up Julia) when we...
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It is almost the festive countdown to Christmas stockings and dinner with all the trimmings! My dad, believe it or not, has already put up his Christmas decorations to make the most of the...
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This week we chat with our current social media cover artist, the South Norwood based Jonny Kemp. He’s been having a very busy 2022, so you may recognise his work from South Drawood – his exhibition...
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Since summer 2019 we have been running a series of features on the climate, where we speak to different Croydon businesses and individuals about the ways in which they combat the climate crisis. This...
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On a rainy autumn evening fish ‘n’ chips has to be my favourite takeaway. We recently discovered our new local ‘For Cod’s Hake’, which opened at the end of last year in Boxpark. I...
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Croydon’s branch of Flip Out (think big indoor adventure park) opened in the basement of Centrale about 18 months ago, and at the time I had mentally filed it as only for older kids...
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Continuing our ‘theatrical’ theme this month we catch up with co-director of Drunken Chorus, Sheena Holliday, to find out about this year’s A Bit Of A Do festival which runs from 21 to 29...
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‘Tis evidently the season for theatre in Croydon, as this week we chat with Stanley Arts’ Heritage Engagement Manager Moa Taylor Hodin about their upcoming immersive show Unscene, which runs from 5 to 9...
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Croydon’s favourite theatre festival returns next thursday (6 October), bringing us over two weeks of theatre, performance, dance, song, comedy and film. Yes, Croydonites (or to give their full title, Croydonites Festival of New...
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Three days of beer comes to Stanley Arts from Thursday 29 September to Saturday 1 October 2022. Yes you heard right – from ale and bitter to cider, perries, lager and more, they’ll be...
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It’s a new year (if we’re talking schools) and I don’t think many adults shake that back to school vibe that September brings. Here our guest writer Peter Hall takes us on one final...
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This week we chat with local artist and curator Rosie Crane Eckmire ahead of her Pill packet pottery workshop this Saturday, 10 September, which explores the therapeutic properties of clay. The workshop at Turf...
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‘What did the grape say when it was crushed? Nothing, it just let out a little wine’. Did you know that the average Brit consumes the equivalent of 108 bottles of wine a year....
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4 Locos has just celebrated its 4th birthday. It doesn’t seem that long ago that we first went through its doors when it opened. It was launched in 2018 by four friends, keen to...
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What does a huge paint brush, gargantuan tentacles, a floating pencil and a destructive beanstalk have in common? Well if you’ve been walking around the centre of Croydon over the last couple of days...
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This week we chat with one impressive business woman – Dr Diahanne Rhiney BCAe. Diahanne is a leading psychologist, gender equality advocate and author of self-empowerment books ‘I am Intersectionality’ and ‘All About Me’. She...
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If you frequent the centre of Croydon I doubt it will have escaped your notice that we have a new park! Ok, not a ‘new’ new park. However The Queens Gardens (now with a...
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School’s out for summer and this is the perfect walk to do with kids, with a couple of playgrounds and a café for refreshments en route. Here guest writer Peter Hall takes us on...
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Amongst the first Croydon-based bands to be announced in our Cro Cro Land festival line-up for October is Ski Lift, who were recommended to us by the ever wonderful John Kennedy from Radio X...
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As Croydon’s festival season continues, we’re very happy to see Croydon Pridefest return to Wandle Park this Saturday, 16 July, after its absence in 2020 and 2021. This is the fifth festival after the...
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This Sunday (10 July) the South London Comic & Zine Fair lands at Stanley Arts. Organised by a team of three Croydon locals, Hannah Lee Miller, Rebecca Jones, and Pete Morey, the fair promises...
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Last summer, South Norwood Community Festival was one of the few IRL festivals we attended – the sun shone, the music played, the crowds danced and the kids ran around enjoying ice cream and fairground...
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Shake out your napkins and pack your fold-up forks, because this Sunday (26 June) sees the long-awaited return of the Croydon Food & Music Festival, after a three-year hiatus. If you haven’t been before,...
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It’s been a long time in the planning, with just the ‘little’ issue of a global pandemic to set us back, but this week we are delighted to announce that our music festival Cro...
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If you fancy a bit of history whilst you’re enjoying Croydon’s greenspaces, then this is the walk for you. Here guest writer Peter Hall takes us on his Green Line walk part 5, through...
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If you’re a regular visitor to the Croydonist you’ll know we are publishing a series of features on the climate, where we look at some of the things businesses and individuals do in Croydon...
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So, this time next week we’ll be in the middle of a national four-day long weekend to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Almost like a Christmas break in June! But what have you planned...
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Now we have warmer days and lighter evenings, there is every excuse to go exploring Croydon’s green spaces. Why not enjoy the final few weeks of Spring by taking a stroll along the river...
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This week we catch up with our current social media header artist Cordelia Peacock on how she became a mixed media artist, her intuitive creative process, inspirations in nature and art, and more. Croydonist:...
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With all the summer music festivals coming soon IRL (fingers crossed), May is the perfect month to brush up on our dance techniques, after being stuck toe-tapping on Zoom and Teams for way too...
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Summer is almost upon us and I’ve been daydreaming of an ice cold beer in the sun. It doesn’t have to be summer of course to enjoy beer, and anyone who knows me will...
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This week we chat to South London visual artist ELNO who has recently worked with local teenage girls and non-binary teens to create a new mural in South Norwood, organised by the Croydon Living...
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This week sees the launch of our brand new ‘As The Cro Cro Flies‘ monthly music night at The Front Room where we promise to bring some of the UK’s most exciting bands to...
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This week a new group art exhibition opens in the Whitgift Centre, at the Project Space, upstairs at Turf Projects. Named ‘Never Mind The Concrete’, it’s been curated by well-known Croydon artist and photographer...
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It’s now officially Spring and Croydon’s parks and tree-lined streets have been adorned with beautiful blossoms for a couple of weeks now. Why not catch a glimpse by taking a stroll around the town...
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If you’re a regular reader you’ll know we are running a series of Croydonist features on the climate, where we look at some of the things businesses and individuals do in Croydon to help...
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If you are craving South Indian and Sri Lankan food, West Croydon is a haven to satisfy all tastes. Sri Lankan food and South Indian food overlap so you will find they both have...
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We last spoke to John Grindrod as his book ‘How To Love Brutalism’ was published back in 2018. Of course a lot has happened globally since then, but the New Addington raised author and...
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This week we headed to the Whitgift Centre to visit an exhibition and events space on the upper level. The space, which opened last summer, is run by local charity, the Windrush Generation Legacy...
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March is nearly upon us which means this year’s International Women’s Day is only just over a week away, with the 2022 focus being #BreakTheBias. But why only raise awareness for a day when...
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Oh how we’ve missed gatherings and socialising (IRL) with people over the past couple of years. So drum roll please, because this Friday evening will quite possibly see the most hotly attended Croydon party...
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Lush foliage and racks and racks of wine bottles gleaming in the downlights greet you as you enter Old Coulsdon’s dazzling The Aycorn Shoppe. Mixing an unbelievable array of plants and foliage – moss...
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It’s February and I saw a daffodil on my walk this morning, so we must be on our way to Spring. The perfect time to try out the next instalment of guest writer Peter...
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Festival Season starts early this year in Croydon with the return of The Bop Live. Mark down Saturday 5 February in your calendar folks as the line-up is off the scale! Presented by SDS...
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The start of the year always seems a bit drab and dreary. January blues, followed by the biting chill of February. However, this year there’s the sparkle of balls, screenings, Q&As galore, storytelling and...
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For our first chat of 2022 we catch up with the multi-talented Salihah Agbaje. From arts practitioner, children’s author, and podcaster, to passionate educationalist, and founder of Theatre in Education organisation Spoken World Productions,...
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And just like that, we’re in the first week of 2022! If you’re a regular reader you’ll know by now that we invariably start the year with a group post where we ask Croydonist...
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We are nearing the close of 2021, which means one thing for the Croydonist – looking back at some of our favourite features of the year. We’ve now all had to adjust to the ‘new...
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We always find the festive break a great time to get out into Croydon’s green spaces for some much needed exercise, to walk off the extra helpings of roast potatoes, whilst enjoying some local nature....
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Croydon is jam packed with creative talent and it’s a pool that is ever expanding. On a recent trip to the Clock Tower Market in South Norwood I was pleasantly surprised by how many...
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Oh no you’re not! He’s behind you! Boooooooo! Yep you guessed it, Panto season is well and truly here but with a new addition to traditional sayings ‘BOGIES’. Welcome to The Fairfield Halls and...
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Although it seems our Christmas plans are being reigned in (again) by the collective cloud that is Covid (and I’m unfortunately not talking sleigh reigns – best pun I could think of, sorry) there is...
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The festive season is in full swing once again. We’ve been spending our time rediscovering our favourite haunts, but also adding some new ones to our list in South Norwood. It’s tempting to stick...
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From the sunshine coast of Brighton, Urban Legend has branched out to Croydon with their low calorie and low sugar donuts. You will find them in a shipping container that is Barbie pink inside,...
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This week we chat to the author of Black Enterprize, D. A. Miller. I first came across Dwayne’s work when Black Enterprize, which tells the stories of successful black innovators through history, was turned...
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This week we catch up with arts organisation Drunken Chorus, as their free-to-attend inclusive festival of theatre, dance and cabaret, A Bit Of A Do returns to Stanley Arts. We chat to joint directors Chris Williams...
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Axe Throwing in Croydon! That’s right, you can throw axes in Croydon. Axe throwing comes from Canada where people casually throw axes in their backyard. It is a popular sport in Canada as well as the...
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This week we catch up with the founders of Wavey Faded to find out more about their live music nights and their thoughts on Croydon’s music scene ahead of their next event at the...
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The evenings are drawing in, there’s a chill in the air, and the mince pies are already on supermarket shelves. You’ve guessed it, it’s beginning to look alot like Christmas. I realise we haven’t...
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You may have heard recent murmurings of dragons in South Norwood Country Park or ghosts in Stanley Halls. We wanted to find out more about the local arts organisation behind these events, so we...
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This week guest writer and Croydon-based foodie enthusiast Helena reviews local institution (and anomaly) Cockneys of Croydon. I love pie and mash so I feel compelled to try every place that serves it because it...
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I have visited BOXPARK Croydon a few times since Covid restrictions have eased, and on a recent evening trip I found their bar BeatBox to be a great place to chill with a drink...
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October is the month of ghosts, ghouls, pumpkins and monsters as we fast approach All Hallows Eve. Yes Halloween is only one day, but for me, October is always Halloween month and I’ll spend...
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This week we chat with our current social media cover artist, Miguel Sopena. Miguel is an artist and photographer originally from Valencia, Spain, who works out of Turf’s artist studios. He trained as a...
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In our Croydonist climate series, we look at some of the things businesses and individuals do in Croydon to help combat the climate crisis. The Great Big Green Week starts this Saturday (18th September)....
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As you probably already know, Open House London opened its doors (literally) last weekend. The Croydon architectural gems on offer included the medieval/Victorian Croydon Minster, the 1920s Airport House and South Norwood’s 1960s brutalist...
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It was a friday night so of course cocktails were in order with a side order of live jazz music. So where in the blazes can you head to for that? None other than...
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I’ve always considered the ‘VW’ building on the Purley Oaks part of Brighton Road to be a striking piece of modernist architecture. Of course it’s now known as Capella Court, but it’s been the...
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Comfort food that is fresh, tasty and has health benefits… don’t think these three go together? Well think again! Ever heard of Koshary? Well, you may have, but we certainly hadn’t and so when...
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This week we catch up with our recent social media header artist Jason Chow. Jason is a self taught illustrator who runs Prints Jason. During the second lockdown he had lots of spare time...
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This week we catch up with Jamal Chong who is artistic director of Croydon-based theatre company Misprint. You may remember Jamal’s name from his days as artistic director and venue manager at Theatre Utopia...
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This week we catch up with Croydon’s first Poet Laureate, Shaniqua Benjamin, ahead of her online exhibition launching at the Museum of Croydon on Monday (2 August). The exhibition called ‘Voices of Croydon’ is...
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Last week I popped by the new Conditions Shop to meet artist, educator and Conditions Studio co-founder Matthew Noel-Tod. Haven’t heard of Conditions? Read on… Conditions Shop is a new store which opened earlier...
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I have recently been seeking out blue plaques and creating my own running trails connecting them together (see here and here). I’ve been doing this in various locations but at the request of some...
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Festival season has had its knocks these past 18 or so months, but suddenly there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel. South Norwood Community Festival has been given the green...
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After a year of having limited opportunities to go out and about to restaurants for dinner, this week I’ve been planning a date night. Being central Croydoners, we are well used to having a...
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Most Croydon regulars interested in the arts have probably visited South Norwood’s Stanley Halls for a cultural event in recent years. For those of you new to Croydon, the venue is a beautiful Grade...
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This week we caught up with the lovely Joanna Scanlan to talk about her new film as well as all things Croydon. And yes I do mean the Joanna Scanlan who you’ll probably know...
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Croydon you are spoiling us with the extremely scrumptious taste bud teasers available at the one, the only, Big Mike’s Calypso Kitchen. Bringing flavours of the Caribbean to Croydon’s Boxpark, Big Mike’s is refreshingly...
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All you Vegan non-believers get ready for a love affair with Vegan Express. Your taste buds will be dazzled and your pallet enriched with what I personally think is some of the best vegan...
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Our new favourite find at the moment is Shirley Heath – a wooded area you can enter on Bridle Road just where Shirley Church Road becomes Spout Hill. We’ve driven past the entrance sign...
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Welcome to the second in our series of blue plaque runs. Ok this one isn’t 100% blue plaque as it features a green plaque too, but it’s an optional stop, so if you want...
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Last autumn Centrale & Whitgift put out a call for local artists and collectives to submit ideas to be included in an art trail stretching across their shopping centres with the theme of ‘Croydon...
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On 5 May 2016 we published our first two articles on the Croydonist here and here. 259 articles and 5 years later we decided to look back at some of our favourite features to...
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Now that my days lack a train commute and I have an energetic three-year-old to tire me out, I don’t have time to read as much as I used to. However when I heard...
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In recent years Croydon town centre has been synonymous with street art, and the art has gradually expanded north, to West Croydon and up – indeed Thornton Heath has a pretty awesome street art trail...
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Both the Elizabethan and Victorian eras in England have always been promoted as eras of enlightenment, scientific advancement; and where religion played an important part in everyone’s lives. Especially with the witch trials from...
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Lockdown has sucked hasn’t it, but I have tried to look at the positives throughout, like not having to commute, getting chores done during the week rather than taking up my whole weekend, and...
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What better way to kick off a (fingers crossed) sunny but also (according to my weather app) snowy Easter weekend, than by hearing about a Croydon illustrator who creates some very joyful and Spring-like...
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Whilst I was reading about architect Jane Drew, who we featured last month, I happened upon a friend of hers and fellow Croydon-born creative, Barbara Mildred Jones. Despite being a rather influential post-war artist,...
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If you take a look at my Instagram account you’ll see that I really only post pictures of two topics. One is wine and grapes, the other is grilled, smoked and rotisserie food. So,...
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This year Croydonites Festival of New Theatre looks a little different for obvious reasons. The fifth festival was supposed to happen from 26-29 March 2020, but Lockdown 1 halted proceedings, so they have embraced...
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What has powered a lot of us through Covid? Well if you’re like me, it’s coffee. I’ve been rather dismayed in the last year when some coffee shops stopped serving me coffee in my...
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This last week has really started to feel more hopeful. The sun has been shining, giving life an air of Spring, and, although we might not be out of lockdown yet, we now at...
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Whilst I was enjoying a trip down a Google rabbit warren (as I often do) when I was researching modernist architecture for my chat with Keith van Loen last week, I happened upon a...
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Last month I met architecture photographer Keith van Loen through the Peckham-based (but currently online) monthly creative meet-up, Rye Here Rye Now. We got chatting and it turns out Keith is a fellow fan...
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This week we had the privilege to chat with multi-award-winning journalist and bestselling author Yomi Adegoke, who also just so happens to be a Croydon resident. She has a quite frankly formidable CV having...
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A building that has long been a landmark on the Westow Hill side of Crystal Palace Triangle used to be called Upper Norwood Library. My mum worked there before I was born, so I...
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New author and local resident Danielle Clarke has been very productive in the last 6 months – she has created a series of children’s books called ‘What Makes Our Family Special’ to celebrate different cultures,...
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Music has always been dear to my heart. I’m in a band, curate a festival and now also have a music podcast, but I’m also a huge fan of history. I was recently reading...
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For our first creative chat of 2021 we speak to local maker Rosie Naismith, who I discovered last summer when I purchased one of her awesome Frida Kahlo fabric face masks. Better known by...
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Well it’s 2021 folks, and we wish you all a happy and healthy new year. I imagine everyone is relieved to see the back of 2020 and we have our fingers crossed for better...
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Well, what can we say? 2020 has been quite a year. And hopefully there won’t be another like it. Despite all the challenges a global pandemic brings we’ve seen the resilience of our community...
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We’re coming to that time of year where thinking about sustainability tends to somewhat go out of the window, what with all the extra wrapping and packaging we often accumulate over the festive season....
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As I’ve mentioned before, history isn’t my strong point, having sadly dropped the subject at school aged 14. I have a fascination with Croydon’s 20th Century history when our space-age skyline started to form,...
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This year I have broken my own unofficial festive rule. I don’t normally agree to Christmas decorations before December, but then I suppose it’s not a ‘normal’ year. So I now find myself writing...
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Just when you thought you’d exhausted all the fun things to do in lockdown the first time around, and the prospect of ANOTHER weekend watching telly and reordering your bookshelves doesn’t fill you with...
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This time of year as the evenings draw in and the weather gets all wintery I always fancy some comfort food by the time we reach a Friday evening. Add in a second lockdown...
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A few weeks ago we met the lovely lady behind Love a Lemon Ceramics at a workshop for local creatives at Croydon Clocktower. As soon as we saw Lemon’s beautiful and quirky bespoke ceramics...
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We first came across 80 Stone Coffee Roasters when we noticed that the new Matthews Yard were serving coffee from a local roaster. We hadn’t realised there was a coffee roaster nearby so we...
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If you can remember what the world looked like in 2019 (that world before face-masks, hand-sanitiser and Zoom-drinks), you’ll remember that the Climate Emergency was very much at the forefront of everyone’s minds. In...
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In June this year when we met Croydon community arts company SDS we were also introduced to visual artist Tatenda Michael Manyarara who regularly works on commissions for the organisation. We were immediately taken...
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If you’re on Instagram, you may have noticed a new account bursting with creative Croydon content pop up in your feed in the last couple of weeks. Called Croydon Shared, this is an initiative...
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Local community has become more important than ever this year, as we’ve spent less time travelling and more time at home, appreciating our neighbours and immediate surroundings. South Norwood already had a close-knit community...
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At the start of 2020 the sad announcement was shared that our beloved local gem, Matthews Yard would be closing. Over the years we had enjoyed many a pint and too much wine, in...
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I grew up on the southern edge of Croydon and my childhood home was just down the road from Kenley Common, so I’ve been visiting this beautiful greenspace ever since I can remember… I...
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All Croydon locals already know our borough is a rather literary place, with writers abound from history as well as plenty walking our streets today. We’ve talked about various Croydon-linked authors over the years,...
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Adventures have mostly been put on hold this year for obvious reasons, but in recent weeks I’ve been masked up, with anti-bac at the ready and ditched cash for contactless as I’ve headed back...
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This week we discovered a beautiful set of photos by local photographic artist Carole Evans, that she is turning into a photobook via Kickstarter, to document the history of her community during lockdown. Titled...
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One of the events we particularly missed because of Covid this summer was Croydon Pride. It’s become a firm fixture in our calendar since 2016 and we love it for its celebratory feel, where...
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Now we do like a zine at the Croydonist. An independent publication is always a labour of love, and when we saw ‘A Love Letter to Croydon’ by Waddon-based photographer Ameena Rojee we knew...
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There’s so much more to brutalist architecture than grey concrete, but seeing the buildings photographed in vibrant colours is definitely unusual. Croydon-based photographer Christopher Hope-Fitch does just this with his personal project ‘Brutalism in...
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In 2018 writer Miranda Roszkowski curated a podcast to mark the centenary of the first womens’ vote, which brought together 100 diverse and inspiring stories from 100 female identifying writers from around the UK....
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If you go down to Selsdon Wood today, you’re sure of a big surprise (if you haven’t been before, that is), as you’ll see a huge (teddy) bear staring back at you as you...
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Once upon a time there was a place called Croindene, where presumably its residents wandered about amongst fields of saffron (and we’re not talking about Croydon Saffron Central). A time before the Battle of...
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This week one of our favourite Croydon-based creatives – free embroidery artist Tina Crawford – joins us as guest writer to talk about her rather extraordinary art piece she created during lockdown. ‘Connected by...
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This week we go on a tour of the Museum of Croydon (in digital form), as we catch up with Marie Tulley-Rose over a virtual cuppa, and discuss everything from representing a diverse community...
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This week we are joined by guest writer Grace Healy, who is a Peckham-based piano teacher and plays keys in Croydon band Bugeye. Grace, who is campaigning for the inclusion of black composers on...
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For a long long time Croydon has been a town of architectural development, from our space-age skyscrapers of the sixties to the regeneration going on right now. I’d never really thought much about where...
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If you don’t already know about SDS (or Setting Da Standards), it’s time you do, as they are a community arts company on the rise, right here in Croydon. They are literally ‘setting da...
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This week Croydon-based photographer Michael Shilling joins us as guest writer to talk about his 360 London street photography project, and how his interest in Victorian photography in Croydon led him to start a...
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‘Something old, something new, something borrowed…’ is how Tim Eveleigh describes his new EP ‘In Kilnsea’ which is digitally released on 9 June. More on the inspirations behind the music later. When Tim got...
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We’ve been huge fans of Kate Marsden’s vibrant illustrations and fabric designs for some time now. Her work has a distinct mid-century vibe and often features modernist architecture, and sometimes (luckily for us) buildings...
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We are still lamenting the loss of this year’s Croydonites festival, being massive fans of Croydon’s annual theatrical event. We talked earlier in the year about all the exciting and innovative theatre we were...
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Rewind a year or so and I was drinking coffee with Vicki Workman in Boxpark discussing our love of guitar bands as well as the Croydonist’s upcoming music festival Cro Cro Land. Vicki, founder...
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During the Covid-19 lockdown, writer Elizabeth Sheppard has been using her phone camera to document Croydon’s altered urban landscape. — Early in the mornings during Covid-19, I’ve come out of the side streets and gone...
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The creative work of Eleanor Suess is hard to categorise as her practice straddles the disciplines of both architecture and art. Eleanor describes herself as an architect, artist, and educator. As well as working...
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As we entered our new world of lockdown in the second half of March, we began our ‘Croydon at home’ series to help us all to still fly the flag for Croydon from our...
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I didn’t realise until recently that tucked behind Factory Lane and a stone’s throw from Ikea, there are over a hundred studios for creatives in a development called Art House Studios in Grafton Quarter....
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If you’re missing your local boozer, you’re certainly not alone, but being in quarantine doesn’t have to mean that you miss out on the socials that normally take place in the pub. I sort...
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This week we’re focusing on the delightful sounds and sights delivered to you via the wonders of digital, as part of our series of ‘Croydon at home’ articles to help us all to still...
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As we adjust to our new life indoors, we are running a series of ‘Croydon at home’ articles to help us all to still fly the flag for Croydon from our sofas. This week...
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This week, we have all entered a new and rather scary world, with all the issues the Coronavirus brings with it. Arts, culture, leisure and entertainment won’t be as we know it for a...
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As you’ll all well know by now, one of the things we love about Croydon is its iconic 60s architecture – we’ve talked about it here, quite a bit over the last few years. Imagine...
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I kicked off my social calendar in 2020 by attending a photography talk hosted by Lenses of Croydon – this was the first time I’d headed along to one of their events, and although I’m...
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This week we complete our trio of features on the creative organisations who now call the Fairfield Halls their home. SAVVY Theatre is an award-winning company, creating ambitious, inclusive productions and theatre experiences that...
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I’m sure you’re all aware that around the centre of Croydon we have a series of underused subways in all their 60’s mosaiced glory. I didn’t quite realise until writing this that there are...
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We’ve been waxing lyrical about the abundance of Croydon culture, from theatre and dance, to art, design and more, since we started the Croydonist in 2016. And indeed our borough has been formally acknowledged...
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Croydonites Festival of New Theatre comes back to our shores at the end of next month, with an exciting new format. The festival is packing its fantastic line-up all into a long weekend (Thursday...
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If I say the name Rich Simmons most of you will think of some of our most iconic Croydon street art. Rich’s art is sometimes political, sometimes controversial, and always stunning – he has...
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I always like to have my perceptions challenged by new experiences. Growing up in Croydon’s suburbs in the eighties and nineties I formed a certain opinion of the Church of England through traditions taught...
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This may sound like an oxymoron, but we bought the sexiest chopping board we’d ever seen at the Made In Croydon Makers Market at Boxpark in December. Crafted by local woodworking company Ernest &...
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What better way to start the new year than with some new art? We’ve been quite taken by some new artworks we’ve seen around town (digitally and physically) created by design duo Samantha Warren...
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Happy new year folks, and welcome to a brand new decade. It’s now the twenties (which I think is going to sound strange for a while), so what better way to start them than...
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Can you believe the last year of the decade is coming to a close? We’ve just finished off the final Christmas pudding of the teens, and are stocking up the bubbly to ring in...
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If you are like me and are rather disorganised when it comes to Christmas, and still have gifts to buy for friends who like art, then this is definitely for you. Turf Projects have...
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Now that the Fairfield Halls has reopened its doors, we have lots of arts events to book into our diaries. Our arts centre also has three very different resident organisations that now call Fairfield...
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Last month Croydon’s 423-year old charity The Whitgift Foundation launched its new brand and announced its name change to John Whitgift Foundation, putting the full name of the charity’s founder to the front of...
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To refill of course. Although that can be easier said than done, when most of us shop in supermarkets for our regular groceries and household items, bringing home countless single-use plastics in the process....
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I very much look forward to posts from Angela Crow on Instagram. The vibrant diversity of her art often combining pattern, landscape and the human figure (with the occasional animal) lights up my feed,...
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In the Croydonist household we’re divided about Christmas. If Angela had her way we’d be putting up the Christmas decs in August, whereas I’m more at the denial end of the scale, where the...
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Now that the Fairfield Halls has reopened its doors in the heart of our borough, we have many varied arts events and opportunities to look forward to in the coming months. One of the...
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For a good while now Surrey Street and its environs has been one of our main areas of choice to spend an evening out with friends. From having the creative space of Matthews Yard...
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Music has always been an incredibly important part of my life, both as a writer and fan. One of the things I love about it is its infinite possibilities; reinventing and evolving at an...
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The opening season at the Fairfield Halls is gaining momentum with events catering for all tastes, and an array of talent from near and far to entertain us. This Sunday evening one of our...
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As part of our Croydonist climate series we catch up with one of our favourite Croydon artists, Tina Crawford ahead of her exhibition at the Museum of Croydon. As a free embroidery artist Tina...
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Boxpark Croydon has seen quite a few comings and goings in its shipping containers over the past three years, but if the food formula is right, then the good eateries tend to stay. August...
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As the global climate strikes continue this week, another devastating report by a UN panel of scientists has been published highlighting our alarming impact on the planet. Looking at ways to lessen our ecological...
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Croydon is home to a growing number of excellent co-working spaces, which cater for businesses in all shapes and sizes, from freelancers to fully-fledged companies, and are tailored to various different business sectors. In...
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The Croydon art scene is getting a whole lot more interesting from the end of the month, as a new series of art events come to Nexus Creative Hub. Croydon native and founder of...
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Global climate strikes are happening this month, and British students are taking to the streets to protest on 20 September, led by the UKSCN. Finding ways to reduce our ecological footprint has never been...
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Drum roll please. Or more appropriately perhaps, a scale on the reinstalled Concert Hall organ, because in just over two weeks The Fairfield Halls reopens its doors to the public, becoming the largest multi-disciplinary...
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SimOne is an artist in demand – recently exhibiting in a collective show in New Cross and working on pop-ups all over London, from Peckham to Google’s HQ. You’ll probably recognise her vibrant work from...
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Those who live or work in Sanderstead will know that whilst us locals love a good curry and can often be found indulging in a large cod and chips from several of the fantastic...
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We’re well into the swing of the school summer holidays and the UK weather is definitely not disappointing us with its usual flip-flop from sun to rain that I remember well from my childhood...
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Croydon is home to a growing number of excellent co-working spaces, which cater for businesses in all shapes and sizes, from freelancers to fully-fledged companies, and are tailored to various different business sectors. In...
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#ClimateEmergency is very much a global trending phrase – indeed if it’s not at the front of your mind, it definitely should be. This week we start a Croydonist series looking at some of...
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Many of you will have heard of Club Soda, the charity that supports people in Croydon with learning disabilities. In fact they are celebrating their 10th birthday this year. For those of you who...
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The sun is out (hopefully at time of reading) and our Croydon summer is in full swing. This weekend sees a double bill of free festival fun at Wandle Park, with the borough’s fourth...
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Croydon is home to a growing number of excellent co-working spaces, which cater for businesses in all shapes and sizes, from freelancers to fully-fledged companies, and are tailored to various different business sectors. In...
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You don’t need to pack your wellies, head to the fields and pitch a tent that turns out to not be waterproof (speaking from experience) to enjoy a festival. Croydon’s festival calendar is pretty...
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In recent years, craft beer has really kicked off in a big way. Once dominated by overseas super brands, we’re now seeing the likes of Brew Dog and Camden Lager holding their own and...
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A couple of weeks ago we were invited to a brunch to celebrate the official unveiling of the new art by Gavin Kinch, set over three floors of AMP House on Dingwall Road –...
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Future sounds, space invaders and a visual wonder are just a few words that we would use to sum up Imagine Sound. Providing soundtracks and soundscapes, the duo, Croydon-based Sam Murray and his creative...
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Earlier this month we headed down to the first TMRW Sessions – an evening featuring 6 emerging artists from Croydon’s BRIT School (you know, the place that has produced a HELLUVA lot of talent,...
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Theatre really seems to be amping up in Croydon. We’re nearing the end of an amazing festival for Croydonites this year with the likes of the otherworldly Döden from Sweden, Gill Manly and TV’s...
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Liv Healey is an artist with a fascinating and unusual muse – the orchid. Describing the flower as ‘diverse and detailed’, she creates exquisite and unexpected paintings and drawings centred around this exotic plant....
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Looking for something a bit different for an evening out? Want to get creative, but don’t usually get the chance? Fancy meeting a renowned London street artist? If that’s a yes, yes and yes,...
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Old Palace School, formerly Croydon Palace is one of the oldest buildings in Croydon. It was originally a stately home that dates back to both the Norman and Tudor eras; a summer residence for...
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Festival season is underway in Croydon, with more appearing in the calendar year after year. We certainly are lucky Croydonians to have such an array of events from music, to gin, food, comedy, and...
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It was completely crazy at Croydon’s very own festival last weekend at the Urban Xchange, with a range of the best indie and alternative bands that were specifically selected. Working closely with the Lives...
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April is panning out to be quite the month of music for Croydon, as this coming Saturday (13 April) one of the borough’s oldest record shops, Reggaemasters, will be celebrating Record Store Day. For those...
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Tigers caught in Croydon? Ridiculous you may say, but Tiger Mimic have been spotted roaming around Croydon. Established in the States, they are an indie/rock band with a unique, groovy style. Officially formed here...
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What do you get if you cross a DJ, a promoter and a music journalist? Mari Lane from Get In Her Ears of course! If you haven’t yet heard of Get In Her Ears,...
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Like us, you may already follow Glenn Foster (aka @croydon_photographer) on Instagram, and enjoy seeing his awe-inspiring photos of Croydon and beyond. For those of you who don’t, I guarantee you’ll want to after...
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Change starts with an idea. And one particular idea happened back in July 2007 when Croydon teenager Eliza Rebeiro started a campaign with a statement printed boldly on a T-shirt. The statement read LIVES...
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It’s International Women’s Day, and there are various fantastic celebrations taking place in and around Croydon today, this weekend, and beyond. One such celebration is a new photography exhibition called Ladies First. Which gallery,...
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SPINE festival turns 5 this year, and is celebrating creativity and community across 17 London boroughs, from 7 to 16 March. If you haven’t heard of this multi-disciplinary arts festival we suggest you take...
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Like us you may have noticed striking black and white posters mysteriously popping up around town recently. Or like us, you may have started following an uber cool new instagram feed with censored faces...
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Fifty years ago this summer, the first manned spacecraft landed on the moon, and as you’ll know (especially if you’re a regular reader here) Croydon was quite taken with Space at that time, building...
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Described as ‘rocket-fuelled pop-punk’ by Pure Rawk after their Croydon Rocks slot last autumn, Croydon-linked band The Weird Things are a 5-piece that are made up of some serious punk talent, from the bass...
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We have finally made it through the blue month of January folks, and tomorrow we enter the red month of love. Yes, it’s only two weeks today until Valentine’s Day! Whether you like to...
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Croydon’s creative community is thriving, and many local organisations are putting on awesome events for our enjoyment. Most weekends (and weekdays too) we’re spoilt for choice on events to attend, whether it be a...
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Last year we saw the celebrations of a 100 years since the first women in the UK got the vote. Croydon held various events to mark the occasion. 1918 was really just the start...
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Festival season seems to be ever expanding each year in Croydon, from performance art and theatre to Pride and Mela celebrations. We’ve seen recent events and activity thrive, such as Croydon Rocks, Croydon FM,...
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First up this year we talk to Croydon stencil artist The 3rd Man, whose vivid paintings focus on the human form. His work is predominantly canvas-based but you may have spotted a few of...
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It’s coming to the end of 2018, so it’s time to say out with the old and in with the new. Yes 2019 may be a challenging year for the country as a whole,...
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So now that we’re winding down for the festive season and have wrapped up the pressies and sorted out Christmas lunch (no and no!), it’s time to sit back, relax and look back at...
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A few weekends ago we popped by the ace new pub in town, the Joker Croydon (see what we did there?), which sits in the heart of the South End restaurant quarter. Seasoned Croydonians...
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As you know, Angela and I at the Croydonist and Cassie Whittell from Croydon Literary Festival spent November reading all the short stories entered to our competition, which celebrated the Literary Festival back in...
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At the end of October I went to Croydon Literary Festival and attended the Elizabeth Sheppard and Nicky Nicholls session about their new book. Titled Not A Proper Child, Croydon author Elizabeth tells the...
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There is a new theatre company on the block! Their first full show may not be premiering in our borough (at least you can see it south of the river), but the man behind...
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Christmas is coming round the corner folks – under 6 weeks to go… I know, I haven’t thought about starting my christmas shopping either. But why not begin with your christmas cards? This year, to...
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Life is busy, Croydon is busy and at times it can be hard to look after our mental health. I’m here to write about a few small things we can do to look after...
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Now dear readers, have you heard of CODA? If not, why not, as they are celebrating their 75th anniversary this year. If yes, chances are you have enjoyed more than a few of their...
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Croydon’s connection with music has always been impressive, and the list of names connected to the borough is ever growing. From both past and present, as I dig deeper and deeper new gems appear...
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A few saturdays ago we headed for some retail therapy in Crystal Palace. We’re rather partial to a spot of window shopping in the Triangle’s antique and modern furniture shops, you see. (Who can...
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If you are a Croydonist regular, you probably know by now that the Croydon Literary Festival is fast approaching. We’re sure a lot of you have already purchased your tickets for some of the...
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We have a new café on the block in Croydon town centre. And one with a rather unique selling point, as it forms part of the newly opened Crisis charity shop on Crown Hill....
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JUMP TO: Episode 1. Episode 2. Episode 3. Episode 4. Episode 5. Episode 6. In case you missed our exciting news last week, we shared that we are branching out into the world of audio,...
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Who doesn’t like a good ol’ story? A loved or hated protagonist, a location you’re instantly transported to, with plot twists and turns along the way. To celebrate this year’s Croydon Literary Festival which...
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The Purley Way shopping experience just got infinitely more exciting with the opening of Atomica. If you’re fans of Croydon’s sixties architecture like we are, you’ll definitely be fans of this shop. A hidden...
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Summer may have come to an end but in the words of Nancy Sinatra, the beat goes on. You’ll remember dear readers, a few weeks back, the announcement that Croydon is the capital of...
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Once upon a time you’d get a smack on the wrist if you decided to decorate your local high street with graffiti. Ok that still happens, but with the rise of urban art, more...
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“Pound a bowl, pound a bowl!”, “cherry, cherry, cherry!”. Hear that? That’s the sound of Surrey Street Market, the largest and longest established market in the Croydon borough. Awash with colour, texture and scents,...
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The other week we hopped over the Croydon border to spend a pleasant afternoon strolling around Crystal Palace Park. The park sits just the other side of the Crystal Palace triangle in our neighbouring...
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Characterised by his colourful undulating and free-flowing patterns, Morgan Davy is a prolific, full-time, spraypaint artist from Croydon who got into graffiti in early 2002. These days his improvisational street art can be seen...
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It’s been a busy year so far for artist Kay Lovesah. You may already recognise her vibrant and colourful portraits from our social media headers, or from Croydon-based exhibitions she has shown her work...
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This summer you’ll be able to experience a butterfly of a different kind with the arrival of Croydon’s biggest music festival to date, The Butterfly Effect. Taking place this weekend at Lloyd Park, the...
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Coombe Road, which winds its way from Croydon’s High Street, and meanders towards Addington with the tram route trundling along side, is most definitely the Road of Nature. On one side alone, there are...
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It is more than likely you’ve met Rob Wilson Jr around town, as he can be frequently spotted at events, documenting Croydon life with his camera. Did you know though he also has his...
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Croydon’s culinary scene is ever growing and as a borough we are truly blessed for the diverse range of cuisine on offer. From Southend to Boxpark, you can travel the globe with your taste...
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We have a whole host of reasons to get out and about in Croydon in July. Our festival season laps up the summer sun and continues with gusto into next month. Don’t forget that...
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Woods, streams, fairy tale bridges and a beer garden – Beddington Park has it all – making it one of our favourite spots for a sunny afternoon walk with Smudge (our beloved dog). Just...
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Many moons ago, Croydon was famed for its performance spaces. The Davis, Empire, Grand and Warehouse Theatres are all sadly ghosts of the past these days, but fear not my friends, for Croydon is...
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When you type embroidery into Google it brings up pictures of circular hoops containing flowery designs, which immediately remind me of ladies sitting by the open fire in Jane Austin novels. You’ll rethink that...
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Festival season is upon us. Up and down the country we’re digging out the wellies, airing mouldy tents that we forgot to clean out from last year, and getting excited about the adventures we’ll...
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Summer is nearing and I must say I do like a good read to go with my cocktail and sunshine… or more likely, pint indoors avoiding the rain, but whatever the weather, a good...
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If you enjoy experiencing something a bit different on an evening out, as we do, Croydon is definitely where it’s at. Our borough is becoming quite the place to be able to immerse yourselves...
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What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you read the word ‘Opera’? Lots of lovely descriptions if you’re already sold, hook line and sinker on the art but for those who aren’t...
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Once upon a time, not so many moons ago, Croydon’s high street just beyond the strip, appeared to have lost its buzz. Aside from Surrey Street Market and Matthews Yard, there seemed to be...
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Frankie Curtis describes herself as an illustrator with an overactive imagination. We think her intricate illustrations are as if her mind has taken a wander into a playful parallel universe of crazy characters. These...
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It’s our birthday and we’re celebrating. We’re putting on a free event at The Oval Tavern on Saturday 5 May, to raise money for South Norwood Community Kitchen, and you’re all invited. Expect live...
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We can’t resist a good old-fashioned woodland walk – the rustle of leaves beneath our feet, birdsong in our ears, and looking up at a canopy of branches far above our heads. One of...
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As you probably know by now, we at the Croydonist are massive fans of the concrete monoliths that soar over our town centre – I don’t think we’ll ever tire of their angular shapes...
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Have you been to Croydon’s hotel district lately? I’m talking about when you head out the yellow back exit of East Croydon station and walk down Lansdowne Road to the Whitgift Centre. If you’re...
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The Croydonites Festival of New Theatre returns for its third year to Croydon’s shores from 27 April to 20 May… Staying true to its roots of supporting local talent as well as UK national...
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Mention the history of Croydon School of Art and I think about the 1960s and 1970s era of alumni – op artist Bridget Riley, Jamie Reid and Malcolm McLaren of Sex Pistols fame, or...
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Concrete. To some, it’s synonymous with Croydon. Our reputation for concrete car parks, concrete high-rises and concrete flyovers precedes us. Many of our most striking buildings in the town centre are inspired by brutalist...
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As I’m sure you all know by now, this year we are celebrating 100 years since our Parliament allowed the first women to vote. That of course makes this year’s International Women’s Day next...
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Most Croydon culture regulars know that our beloved arts space tucked behind Surrey Street has been living in uncertainty for a little while now, and what with various recent changes in the line-up of...
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Ever wondered what happens to all that wasted food in supermarkets? No? Well South Norwood residents Laura Whittall and Paul Mitchell did more than wonder, they collect unwanted food every saturday morning to cook...
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One of the things I like most about winter is wrapping up warm, heading out into the countryside for a bit of fresh air and ending the day in front of a fire in...
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Cherilyn Yeates is a Croydon based artist who works in resin and mixed media. You might spot her in and around Croydon Arts Store as her studio is at Turf Projects. We wanted to...
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I’ve been a fan of Bridget Riley since I discovered op art at art school in my late teens. Her geometric patterns tricked my eyes like nothing I’d seen before in a static piece...
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I’m a relative newbie to Art Rebellion, Coulsdon’s quirky combined café and art gallery. Nestled conveniently between Coulsdon Town and Coulsdon South train stations, I first visited for a private view of artist Bareface’s...
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Reality bites the dust with mind bending experiences and pure escapism. No I’m not talking about LSD or any other kind of illegal substance. I’m talking virtual reality baby. Forget VR experiences of the...
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To quote the Lauren Baker neon artwork under the bridge on Surrey Street Market, ‘A simple hello could lead to a million things’. A group of third year students on the Kingston School of...
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The new year is nearly upon us – the last mince pie has been eaten, and there’s prosecco at the ready in the fridge for New Year’s Eve. Now is the perfect time to...
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Well hello lovely readers, and here we are nearly at the end of 2017 – not such a good year admittedly either nationally or globally (if you’re liberal-leaning that is), but locally our brilliant...
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Every park should have a café – it’s a place to escape the rain, quench your thirst on a hot summer’s day or enjoy a bite to eat and a hot drink to warm...
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In the words of rock band Slade, ‘IT’S CHRISTMAS’… well almost, and I’m thankful that I still have a good couple of weeks to get organised on the present shopping front. If you’re stumped...
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I’ve always thought of culture and sport as very separate entities. (Although I know the government would beg to differ with their department combining them). At my school people were either arty or sporty...
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At the end of September the Whitgift Centre got a whole lot more cultured when a multi-level arts space landed in the heart of our favourite shopping centre. If you haven’t come across it...
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Croydon is filled to the brim with creativity, more so than I ever imagined when myself and partner in crime, Julia, first began the Croydonist back in May 2016. We’ve seen pop-up theatre events,...
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We have a cultural feast awaiting us this winter at the Museum of Croydon. A free exhibition inspired by Subrang Arts (a Croydon-based Gujarati community organisation) focuses on the journey made by the Gujarati...
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The clocks have changed folks. And we’re now into that autumn season. You know. One day it’s beautiful sunshine casting long shadows onto the pavements. Then the next, it’s umbrellas up to shield us...
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If music be the food of love then look no further than Beats & Eats for your fix of some mighty fine live music and food to send your taste buds soaring. With their...
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Croydon has a rich history of musical talent, from the likes of The Damned and St Etienne to more recent names such as Stormzy and Grime duo Krept and Konan. There’s something about our...
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When Boxpark landed next to East Croydon station to a fanfare of Grime music and Boxercise, it also brought with it an array of eateries and food. With forty different restaurants, cafes, bars and...
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Thinking of having your barnet cut? (A bit of cockney slang for you). This month Off The Record bring a whole new meaning to a trip to the barbers with their project ‘Mind My...
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One sunny friday last month I headed down to Surrey Street to look for the theatre tent nestled amongst the stall holders. Yes you read correctly – theatre on the market. The Human Zoo Theatre Company,...
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Croydon is big on art and even bigger on street art. Rich Simmons is an artist who is at the heart of our art scene – even if you don’t know his name I...
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If I say Ladybird Books to you, I imagine it will automatically conjure thoughts of childhood. (Unless you received one of the ironic adult Ladybirds Books last Christmas that is.) Hoarder that I am,...
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September in Croydon is most certainly action packed, with Warhol Croydon underway, new culinary delights’ opening up shop, plus this month sees the very first Croydon Literary Festival taking place this Saturday (9 September)...
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If you haven’t heard already, September is Warhol month in Croydon. Yes that’s right folks, a whole month of events dedicated to the god of pop art Andy Warhol right here on our doorstep...
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I grew up with both parents being avid gardeners – rather traditionally perhaps, mum did the flowers and dad grew the veg – so I should really have green fingers in my genes. However I...
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Close your eyes and try to imagine the smell of freshly baked bread, coffee and something mouth wateringly sweet and delicious. No it’s not the sinister gingerbread house from the Grimm fairy tales and...
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The other week, we were invited along to the The David Lean Cinema for the screening of a documentary about international youth project, The Complete Freedom of Truth (TCFT). The ambition of TCFT is...
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Last month we were invited along to the private view of ‘Laid Bare’ at Art Rebellion. There we met artist Bareface, the man behind the solo show. We were eager to find out more...
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Since the age of being able to roll a dice, I’ve loved a good board game, so it was no surprise that I carried on this path throughout life and even transcended into the...
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Croydon needs and deserves good pizza. Decent pizzerias have popped up every now and then and whilst Pizza Express and the like have their place they can’t always deliver what I and other Croydonians...
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Croydon Pridefest 2017’s local LGBT+ celebrations are almost upon us and this year marks 50 years of progress on the road towards equality. From the beginnings of decriminalising homosexuality in 1967 to gay marriage...
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The Croydon Comedy Festival is well underway, with many a fine entertainer gracing a Croydon stage or two. One such comedic genius, and raising star is none other than Briony Redman. If it sounds...
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You may have already noticed the crocus installation if you’ve glanced up whilst walking by the entrance to the Whitgift Centre in the last week. What does it mean and why is it there,...
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We first saw and fell in love with Gavin Kinch’s art in the ladies loo at the Oval a couple of years ago! Since then his mesmerising futuristic scenes have gained quite the presence in...
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I seem to have spent much of the past month tutting in my impatient Croydon way at Italians taking an age to purchase their train tickets, or struggling to raise my backpack onto a...
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This year Croydon Heritage Festival celebrates its fifth birthday with the theme of evolution. Some might say Croydon lives to evolve, as it’s always been rather good at it – from the times of Henry...
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I strongly believe that Croydon’s diversity is one of its greatest assets. I also believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Surely nothing could be better than combining these beliefs...
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Last year I absorbed a hell of a lot of history about late sixties counter culture, whilst designing the V&A book for the exhibition ‘You Say You Want A Revolution’. I came up the...
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This June sees the return of the Croydon Comedy Festival, now in its third year, and the schedule looks very exciting indeed. We’re already plotting out who to see and have found we’re completely...
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Croydon isn’t short of a curry house or two and it can take something special to stand out from the crowd. From the several visits we’ve paid to Karnavar over the past few months...
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Our first birthday party is but a few days away, and we have an awesome line-up of bands to entertain us throughout the evening this friday at The Oval Tavern. It’s free entry, and...
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We’ve been admiring the quirky collages of jaybee_art on Instagram for quite a while. Surreal to the extreme, they remind me of some of my favs from art history – from Picasso to Gris...
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Our recent woodland rediscovery is in Sanderstead. Kings Wood sits between Old Farleigh Road and Limpsfield Road and is a beautiful ancient woodland. It’s relatively flat and criss-crossed by pathways, making it an easy...
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We are complete fans of Kate Marsden’s illustrations – we of course have her Croydon fabric wallets to hold our oyster cards, and a print of her Fairfield Halls design hangs in pride of...
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Brgr&Beer celebrate two years of business on Saturday 15 April with a birthday bash at Matthews Yard. We caught up with the guys to talk about their Brgr highs and lows. Croydonist: Tell us...
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The other week I met up with Croydon resident, Kake, for a cuppa at the Golden Chef café, number 18 London Road. You may wonder why I’m telling you the exact address of the...
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Croydon has well and truly landed as the home of brunch. In fact we Croydonians are quite spoilt for choice. Breakfast being my favourite meal of the day, I’m always on the lookout for...
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Last week I was excited to take a look around Croydon’s latest pop-up, the Croydon Reuse Organisation (or CRO as it’s more commonly known). Run by locals, Eunice and Andrew Dickinson, the not-for-profit enterprise...
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So when someone mentions Morris dancing, what do you think of? A quaint English village setting perhaps, with a team of men wearing white outfits, and straw hats with flowers. Or maybe bells on...
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Artists starting out can often struggle finding affordable exhibition space with decent commission rates to allow them to earn their bread and butter. Thankfully, we’re blessed in Croydon with a hugely supportive community, and...
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Ah, the Oscars. The 89th Academy Awards 2017. The red carpets, the lights, the stars, the moment you realise you’ve given the wrong award to the wrong person… la la la la la… Don’t worry,...
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Croydon is well and truly on the map these days as a slice of foodie heaven. Roll a world map out on the table (we all have one of those right?), close your eyes...
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I LOVE neon and I LOVE letters and typography, so I was always going to love the new show on at RISE gallery: The Light Within. Neon, which for nearly a hundred years, has...
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Next month there’s a theatre festival in town – that’s right folks, Croydonites Festival of New Theatre returns for its second year, running from 16 March to 1 April. A number of Croydon venues,...
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After the excesses of the Christmas and New Year break, I often find myself with a hankering for the clean, fresh and warming flavours of Vietnamese food. Vietnamese cuisine is wide and varied in...
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Matt Bannister is an illustrator who loves depicting the people and places of the Cronx. Living in nearby Wallington he’s regularly in our hood, searching for his next scene. We tracked Matt down to chat...
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Okay, 2017 is actually the year of the rooster in the Chinese calendar, but it’s definitely the year of the goat for South Norwood, with its new pub, the Shelverdine Goathouse*. Opening at the end of...
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It’s that time of year again where we’re all skint, it’s cold outside and we’re most likely having an alcohol free month and/or have started some depressing new fad diet. Bets are on that...
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Bleak winter mornings, limited daylight and a frosty chill in the air. That pretty much sums up January for most, although I do quite like winter, but that first month of the year is...
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We’ve reached that limbo part of December, between the mulled wine of Christmas and the prosecco of New Year’s Eve, when we’re all either curled up in front of trash telly, or sorting out...
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Being Christmas week we thought it was fitting to have a chat with Lee Taylor, associate vicar of Croydon Minster (our would-be Cathedral of Croydon). We talked about everything from Christmas (obviously), to history...
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It’s time for the announcement of our favourite Croydon Christmas lights folks. We’ve seen some fantastically festive lights the length and the breadth of the borough from Selhurst to Selsdon, Addiscombe to New Addington,...
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It’s been just over a month since The Breakfast Club, and indeed Boxpark Croydon, opened their doors to an eagerly awaiting public. Having won the hearts of many of London’s East Enders, The Breakfast...
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Lis Watkins describes herself as drawing her way through life – she is an illustrator who lives just over the Croydon border in sunny SE20, but you can regularly spot her out and about in...
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I have been dining at Little Bay in South Croydon all my adult life. For those of you who don’t know it (first of all why not, and secondly why the hell not) the...
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It’s cold, it’s raining (or it was yesterday), and I’m not getting enough sunlight. You know the story, get up and leave the house, and it’s dark outside. Exit the office, and guess what?...
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The festive season has arrived, and what better way to kick off the final countdown than with a Croydon Christmas competition for our rather smashing readers – yes you! A competition means prizes, so...
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It’s currently harvest time at Croydon Saffron Central. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, this is the world’s largest urban pop-up saffron farm. And thousands of crocus corms are beginning to...
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Monday 31st October saw the fences come down and the shutters open for Boxpark Croydon – the latest addition to our ever expanding food and entertainment spaces in the borough. Spearheading casual dining on...
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This year saw the two year closure commence of our beloved Fairfield Halls, raising many a concern for the theatrical decline in the borough that it would leave. We may have temporarily lost this...
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TMRW landed on our high street earlier this year, providing a spacious and flexible home for freelancers and businesses alike. Oh and there’s a great cafe which is also open to the public. We...
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2016 has certainly been James Oliver’s year, with three solo shows, and more arranged for 2017 his art is becoming highly collectible, having sold over 150 pieces to date. Best known for his colourful...
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The late 1960s are definitely in fashion at the moment, what with the V&A’s current blockbuster exhibition on revolutions of the period, and the Saatchi Gallery’s Rolling Stones exhibition earlier this year. Then there...
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If you’re a pizza fan looking for that something a little different from the norm, then look no further than Four Hundred Rabbits. Situated in the triangle area of Crystal Palace (the Croydon part),...
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Croydon has been at the forefront of many exciting things in its time – world record breaking flights, innovation in aviation and rail – plus it has a rich history in arts and entertainment. In fact, Croydon was...
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If you hop on the tram at East Croydon and go just three stops on the Elmers End/Beckenham Junction branch, you’ll arrive in the heart of Addiscombe. We all know there’s a lot more to...
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Last week I discovered the rather fab 101 Records which can be found round the back of Centrale, on the same strip as Turf Gallery. I spent a good hour in there, flicking through...
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If you’re like me and enjoy a good nose round other people’s pads, or have rolling episodes of Grand Designs on the telly as background noise to relax, you’ll be looking forward to Open...
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This year is the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, a battle that lasted 5 months, with a death toll of over 1 million French, German and British soldiers. The first day...
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Last year on August bank holiday weekend Angela and I got hitched at Croydon Town Hall. So what better way to mark our first anniversary than to celebrate at the inaugural Croydon PrideFest? That’s...
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I don’t know about you, but for me it’s a real treat when I read a novel where I know the location in which it’s set. I sort of feel like I’m an extra...
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Once upon a time (let’s say Anglo-Saxon times), there was a market in Croydon, which went about its business of trading livestock and produce. In those days (or near about) a pub stood on...
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The Purley Way, known as a Saturday traffic nightmare of DIY shoppers, is actually quite a fascinating place. Rich in history, it was once upon a time at the forefront of an exciting new...
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This summer I’ve rediscovered Wandle Park. I have vague memories of being dragged round its rather grotty grassy expanse by my parents in my tweenage years, before hitting the infinitely more exciting Whitgift Centre...
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Music trivia here… ‘Closed mouths don’t get fed on this Boulevard’ is a quote from which song? No idea? It’s that old classic song from Ace Hood ‘Hustle Hard’ of course silly, and leads...
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What connects the following? 1) Centrale Shopping Centre 2) Crazy golf 3) A mole picture in Wandle Park 4) A commemorative set of boulders 5) Croydon airport No? The answer is Turf. Not the...
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Bugeye, made up of two-thirds Croydon residents, is an indie-disco band, of which the singer and lead guitarist is the Croydonist’s very own Angela Martin. Currently being played on BBC 6 Music, they release...
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The Tories have been swinging an axe at the arts budgets like a madman on amphetamines, ever since election (don’t worry this isn’t going to be a political rant, promise!). On top of this...
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When I first visited Matthews Yard for a charity gig night a few years ago, it felt like I’d wandered through a portal to a different world just off Surrey Street Market. I’d lived...
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We chatted to Jonny Rose, founder of Croydon Tech City, and more recently Croydon Vs The World, to get the lowdown on what both ventures are all about, as well as finding out a bit...
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In case you didn’t know, Croydon Comedy Festival is currently on with a rather impressive line-up of both current and future stars of comedy. Now in its second year, the festival brings together film,...
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I have a secret I’m going to share. Deep breath. I. Like. The food. In. IKEA. Now, you’re probably thinking ‘so what’. But I like it enough that a few years ago I even...
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Many places claim to serve pies when what they actually serve is a stew with a pastry lid. THIS IS NOT A PIE. No, really it isn’t, well not a proper pie anyway. To...
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If you happen to glance between where the foxgloves sway and the poppies turn towards the sun you may glimpse a fairy hiding amongst the flora… …Alright, I’m not on drugs, but if you...
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Croydonian, political activist and the father of iconic Sex Pistols imagery that defined a punk generation – artist, Jamie Reid, returns to where it all began, in good old Croydon with a brand new...
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So granted, it doesn’t have a pier like the Essex seaside town of the same name, but our South End packs in over a hundred shops and businesses (a vast amount independents) into a...
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When we think of windmills the first places that spring to mind are Amsterdam and Norfolk, followed by the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, oh and a random school trip to somewhere in Essex…...
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As RISE Gallery’s Jamie Reid show opens this week, we caught up with the man behind Croydon’s expanding art scene, Kevin Zuchowski-Morrison. Nestled in St George’s Walk, a rather rundown 1960s precinct, you’ll discover...
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Early evening on a bright sunny Sunday in Croydon and we’re at the borough’s coolest new hot spot, The Lost Format Society, for a catch-up with two of the masterminds behind the project, Justin...
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Personally I can’t decide between the two main halls at Fairfield: the smaller Ashcroft theatre (perfect for a murder mystery play) or the concert hall itself, where we’ve seen larger shows (Dawn French’s 30...
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Addington Hills is our dog Lilly’s current favourite woodland walk in Croydon. (OK, we’re just a bit in love with the place too). It all feels rather magical up there, with its unusual undulating...
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Croydon: I have always lived in this lovely London borough, and have spent years trying to convince anyone who’d care to listen how cool Croydon really is. We have trams, a windmill, an annual...
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