Croydon railway station coffee kiosks signal green shoots of economic recovery

Train operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has welcomed the opening of two new food and drink kiosks at East Croydon railway station.

The kiosks have been set up on Paltforms 5 and 6 by the latest branch of The Carriage, a small but growing coffee chain.

For passengers using the station’s northern footbridge, a Caribbean snack kiosk, Tasty Bites, will be trading from a unit that had been vacant since the first Covid lockdown in 2020. 

The Croydon businesses join a wave of new lettings across the GTR network as the train operator recovers from the effects of the pandemic. 

With around 350 retail units in total at the stations it manages, GTR now has more than 60 tenancy agreements in progress, more than were completed in the whole of last year.

David Gornal, GTR’s commercial director, said: “As passenger numbers recover, station retail units are again being seen as good opportunities for thriving trade.

“And of course, it’s great news for our customers, who can enjoy more choice, better facilities and a better journey experience.

“Over the next few months, we’ll continue to announce a great variety of high-quality retail openings across the network.”

Pictured top: Southern’s area station manager Sophie Finn with new East Croydon retailers Ayse Mevlit (left) and Dan Tyson (right) (Picture: GTR)