Hopes rise of return to good old days as new retailers commit to set up at Whitgift

By Harrison Galliven, Local Democracy Reporter

Croydon’s Centrale and Whitgift shopping centres are attempting to reestablish their status as vibrant retail hubs by signing seven new stores and renewing 11 leases from established companies.

This comes after years of uncertainty over the future of the borough’s main shopping centres.

Owners Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) have announced a host of new companies coming to the central Croydon malls. These include London’s only pinball club,  Pinball Republic, Dressmode, Maflora, Rebel Clothing, and homewares company Stacks.

Alongside the new signings, a number of high-profile retailers have also renewed their leases. House of Fraser, Sports Direct, Claire’s, Holland & Barrett, and Waterstones have all signed up for longer stays.

The iconic former department store, which closed in 2013, has sat behind colourful hoardings since January.

Mayor Jason Perry said: “The proposed development is set to bring a fresh, dynamic atmosphere back to the High Street, restoring a sense of place and pride to our community. We hope to see this transformation begin early next year, providing a fantastic opportunity for local businesses to thrive.”

A few months ago, Mayor Perry took X to say: “After years in the doldrums, is Croydon finally back on the retail map? The answer is yes.”

Westfield and Hammerson entered a joint venture for the £1.4bn redevelopment of the Whitgift Centre and Centrale shopping centre in 2013, but the project was beset by financial difficulties, made worse by the epidemic.

Last year, URW acquired the remaining 50 per cent stake in the development plans from Hammerson, which put an end to the deal.

Pictured top: The Whitgift Centre all decked out for Christmas the night before the second lockdown (Picture: Tara O’Connor/LDRS).