h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Croydon seems to undergo a great deal of re - invention, but it seems that nobody knows what the new invention's purpose is. To wit - the Buddah Lounge mentioned in the previous entry looks attractive enough, but it is fairly likely to have a very limited shelf life, as the
building it's encased in is due to be torn down. St George's Walk ( as it is called ) is Croydon's first major Amercian style Shopping Mall. However, it was built in the mid 1960's, and looks more like a covered corridor that you can urinate in. Croydon does want to become a city - a desire mocked by the people that actually live there - but there is no real reason why it should'nt. If you look at Coventry, which is fairly close in style to Croydon, it's horrid, and has only a statue of Lady Godiva to take away the tedium. But perhaps that statue is enough. Croydon just does not make the effort. Its major arts centre is tired, old, and laughable ( see seprate entry ), and the Warehouse Theatre, which promotes new writing, should be advertised as a sort of Donmar for the South. In fact, it is in constant danger of closing down. A city is not dictated by size, or age, or even geographical importance, but by character. At least Brixton has character, and, despite being ( generally ) poorer than Croydon, and having an eightie's night every so often ( you know what I mean ) is far more deserving of becoming a city than Croydon is. The most depressing thing about Croydon is not that it can be an awful place to live, but that it really should'nt be. It's basically a stop -off point between London and Brighton. With those two to choose from, why would you want to stay in the town that gave us Ronnie Corbett?

a horrible place to live in?
their are much worse places than croydon and most of the people living there are fine is a town ment to be known for what famous people lived their?..NO! so who cares about ronnie corbit or kate bush croydon is
a busy full of life entertaining place with lots to do! 2 major shopping malls the grants centre that has a great cinemar kids dome and clubs and shops. and another shopping mall being built (in time of writing 2003) leave a huge library pubs cafes and clubs (inc the blue orchid) and fairfield halls great for productions and award ceramonys for croydons schools they may not be the best but a school cant stop a child from learning if one wishes to have a great aim in life theyll get their eventually
croydon alone!
come live here and if u do then why are you disrespecting your own enviroment!

Derivation: Croyne Dene (Valley of the Crocuses)

History: Cattle market becomes Victorian shopping centre (really); influx of Methodists fleeing persecution (really); admired for its architecture ... by the Vogons (all right, not really).

Claims to fame: it used to be Britain's (one and only) international airport; it used to be the main stopping off point for the Archbishop of Canterbury (on his way from Lambeth to Canterbury); it is indeed the home of Ronnie Corbett, and a host of other minor celebrities too; more trains run through East Croydon station per year than any other station in the country (including Clapham Junction, so I am assured); Sarah Jane Smith lives in South Croydon (if you don't know who Sarah Jane Smith is, don't worry, this fact won't mean anything to you anyway); it has more shops than the rest of the planet put together.

Skeletons in the closet: None known (to me).

Good points: The Clocktower (civic centre, with library, small museum, reasonable souvenir shop, tourist centre, tiny cinema showing good films, trendy restaurant); the battalions of buses mostly run on time these days, and only a few of the drivers are rude; there are still a few corners of Victorian elegance remaining, if you look; a non-loony council (adequate, not great); for the most part, the inhabitants are human.

Bad points: West Croydon on a Friday night (sudden death, no kidding); areas of residual sixties architecture (depressing enough to make you welcome sudden death); too much urban - and suburban - landscape; the odd enclave of political deep blue (scary); traffic almost as bad as central London; a high degree of population transience (making community building very difficult).

I've lived in Croydon all my life. The biggest problem is that living in Croydon is about as exciting as a piece of wet cardboard.

Croydon used to be a cattle market (the biggest south of London). In the place where the market actually was there now stands a tawdry little block of flats, with - if you look very carefully - a small blue plaque commemorating the fact. I think that sums it all up, really. Clearly nobody has ever lived long enough in Croydon to care about its history. Everyone I've ever asked who grew up here has only ever had one ambition with regard to the town: to leave it.

Thank you, I think you drew attention to some interesting points.

Croydon's not perfect, but it has its fair share of parks and some extensive transport connections.

I'm not sure what it's supposed to live up to, it is what it is, it's a product of its geography and history. Is everywhere else so perfect?

The only thing I can see wrong with Croydon is trying to become a city. That's the bit that doesn't make sense, but hopefully everyone has put that right out of their minds by now.

Ok, second thing, getting rid of the Wandle river was a bad move I think. But that's still only two things.

Neil