South Croydon - Leading Londons Business

Croydon is a populous South London borough and one of London's leading cultural, financial and business centres with considerable arts and entertainment influences. A suburb of Croydon, South Croydon has good transport links to central London and the south coast. South Croydon's excellent shopping and numerous bars and restaurants make it a popular and convenient place to live with easy access to central London and the countryside and only a 10 minute bus ride from Croydon centre.

South Croydon is conveniently located approximately 10 miles south of London within the London Travelcard Zone 5 catchment area. Southern Trains operate here and provide a quick and efficient service north into London Victoria and London Bridge and south to Brighton and the coast. The Tram Link is also quick and convenient. Lying approximately 8 miles within the M25 orbital motorway, South Croydon has easy access to the rest of the country and London Gatwick Airport is just 30 minutes away by train or car.

Surrounded by golf courses and leafy parks, South Croydon is an affordable area to live and is child friendly with a large number of good schools. Within easy walking distances you will find cinemas, friendly pubs, good restaurants and plenty of great shopping. An eclectic mix of mature residential areas, new apartments and upmarket conversions attract an equally mixed population to South Croydon, yet it still retains a village feel.

Croydon's main shopping area has recently expanded and is currently undergoing a big regeneration project known as Croydon Vision 2020 creating better access, shopping, offices and transportation to the area. Wellesley Square project will be a combination of retail and residential properties designed in eye-catching colour while 100 George Street is a proposed contemporary office block. These visions for regeneration are predicted to attract more tourists and businesses to the area in future years, creating more jobs.

In 1086 Croydon was just a small hamlet with a mill and church. The Middle Ages saw the village expand into a market town becoming a centre for leather tanning, charcoal production and brewing. In 1803 the Surrey Iron Railway opened becoming the world's first horse-drawn railway available to the public. This important transportation route facilitated the town's growth into a commuter town for the great City of London. By the early 1900s Croydon had become a significant industrial area, known for its metal work, car manufacturing and airport. By the 1960s these sectors were replaced by service industries and retail occurring due to large redevelopment which saw the rise of Whitgift shopping centre and numerous office blocks. In 1965 the town was amalgamated into Greater London.

South Croydon landmarks include St Augustine's Church, St Peter's Church, The Swan and Sugarloaf public house, Whitgift School and South Croydon Bus Garage. There is plenty of green space provided by the massive Purley Way Playing Fields and the tucked away Haling Grove, a beautiful green space and gardens. International Rugby and Cricket matches are frequently held on the playing fields of Whitgift School.

While central South Croydon is generally considered to be the area around the Red Deer public house located on the Brighton Road, the South Croydon postal district includes South Croydon, Selsdon, Sanderstead and two smaller parts of Addington, Monks Hill and Croham Valley.