Quirky

Best Before Sunday

4 December 2024

This Saturday, 7 December, a new comedy show comes to town and there’s not a stand-up comedian in sight. Sketchy, by Best Before Productions is a combination of sketch and musical comedy and takes...
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Norwood’s Red Riding Hood

21 November 2024

After having a very hectic panto season last year with trips to not one but two Croydon pantos, we’re back on it for 2024 to find out what the ‘magical’ season has in store...
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4000 years of toys

7 November 2024

Last month during the Walnut Fair weekend we finally made it along to Pollocks Toy Museum, which has its current temporary home near Turf Projects in the Whitgift Centre. One of the oldest toy...
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A spooky story with Hip Hop

31 October 2024

This year the spooky season spills into November as Stanley Arts’ Days of the Dead Festival takes place next week. On the festival programme there is a new immersive theatre production called Selecting a...
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Creative buzz by the park

3 October 2024

A couple of weeks ago I spent my Friday evening holding a paintbrush and sipping prosecco at Hive – the new arts space on the edge of the leafy rec in the heart of...
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Did someone say walnuts?

26 September 2024

Did you know that there used to be a Walnut Fair in Croydon? When I say ‘used to be’ we’re talking a long long time ago – if we discount the 1987 revival at...
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A right royal party

21 August 2024

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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Beach Centrale

8 August 2024

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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Hetain Patel’s hobby heaven

18 July 2024

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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Classical in concrete?

20 June 2024

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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A little bit different from normal

10 January 2024

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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Aladdin versus Jack

21 December 2023

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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Gliding over Croydon

5 October 2023

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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This is Carnival of Invention

28 August 2023

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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This is Croydon Stands Tall

17 August 2023

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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Reset, recreate, rewild

1 June 2023

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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Flipping fun

20 October 2022

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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Fairytale escapees

14 August 2022

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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Jubi-lovely

26 May 2022

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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Wine and cheese and a party vibe

10 February 2022

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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Bidding you a merry christmas

8 December 2021

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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Responsible indulgence

2 December 2021

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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A Boxpark bullseye

10 November 2021

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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Positively festive

28 October 2021

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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Sarf London Cockneys

14 October 2021

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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Starting a monster month

30 September 2021

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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The magic of Croydon

15 April 2021

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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Dear Croydon Santa

4 December 2020

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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Going Underground

20 February 2020

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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Green is the new black

23 July 2019

#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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Eat, doodle and be merry

8 May 2019

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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Croydon to the stars

14 February 2019

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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Treasure Trove Triangle

18 October 2018

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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A charity shop twist

3 October 2018

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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Croydon’s retro rebels

13 September 2018

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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Reality bites the dust

11 January 2018

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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Christmas shopping, Cronx style

6 December 2017

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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Snip, snap, chat

3 October 2017

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 woman, countless characters

6 July 2017

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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Celebrating one year of the Croydonist

2 May 2017

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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Mushroom magic

21 March 2017

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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The Wilds of West Croydon

14 March 2017

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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Yes Minster

22 December 2016

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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All things bright and beautiful

20 December 2016

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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Eyes down, sunny side up

14 December 2016

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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Little Bay, big personality

28 November 2016

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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Lights, Camera, Christmas!

14 November 2016

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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Stand by for take-off (in a wicker chair)

2 August 2016

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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Meatballs, Zombies and adult Lego

14 June 2016

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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Amsterdam, Norfolk, or Croydon?

24 May 2016

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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Croydon’s Coolest Car park

16 May 2016

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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