With alternative areas to central London increasing in demand, we thought we'd shine a spotlight on Croydon; one of London's fastest growing areas. There has been resurgence in Croydon, with a boost to the infrastructure in areas such as leisure, entertainment and employment. This has attracted home buyers making Croydon one of `the' places to live in the coming years.
That's entertainment
Bars, pubs, restaurants and local galleries are all on the menu here. Croydon is home to Albert's Table: a Michelin-starred restaurant serving innovative British inspired food that uses the best local produce available.
If quirky and interesting bars are more up your street, you should pay a visit to Bad Apple (pictured above). The club has been the winner of the 'Best Late Night Venue' at the Best Bar None Awards for the past two years, as well as winning 'Best Customer Experience 2014'. This is surely a must visit for club enthusiasts, they even serve Pot Noodle as a bar snack!
For more relaxing pursuits, how about taking in the sights of the Rise Gallery? Dedicated to modern, contemporary and post-war pop art, the gallery has featured retrospectives of Banksy and Damien Hirst in recent years, drawing in people from around the UK. Matthew's Yard complements the theme of art in Croydon and is the first micro-gallery in the area. Add to this the comedy nights, theatre and film exhibitions and it's easy to see that Croydon is brimming with things to do.
Home sweet home
With all these infrastructure changes occurring, the demand to live in Croydon has reached new heights. There are plans to build up to 10,000 homes over the next five years and this is no surprise, as those moving to the area now are taking advantage of some of the best priced property in London. With prices having increased by 23% over the last 12 months, the future looks bright for any forward-thinking investors. When you add to this the 20-minute train ride to London Victoria and London Bridge, the location couldn't be better for those working in the city.
Shop 'til you drop
Croydon is about to receive a huge fillip with Westfield Shopping Centre due to open in 2017. The £1.5bn shopping centre will be built by the Hammerson and Westfield Group and is due to transform the area with its new shops and entertainment. Croydon already has the UK's 13th largest shopping population and the new shopping centre will increase this even more.
Alongside Westfield, other contemporary companies are investing in the area, including an 80 unit Boxpark complex due to open in early 2016. Entrepreneur Roger Wade launched a successful Boxpark development in Shoreditch with pop-up fashion boutiques and furniture shops. Croydon can look forward to its own modern shipping container-based shopping complex rivalling that of the trendy Shoreditch area.
Tech savvy
Technology companies have also been moving to Croydon in recent years. This has led to the area becoming London's fastest growing 'tech cluster'. Last year the area had the highest growth percentage of new tech and media business standing at 23%, much higher than the 11.3% UK average.
The total number of tech businesses in the centre of Croydon now reaches 1085. Up-and-coming tech companies such as QuidCycle and more established companies such as the email service provider Dotmailer are both based there. If you are searching for a career in new technology or looking to start up your own tech company, Croydon is the place to be.
Come and say 'hi'
We have a new office in Croydon! Come and visit us at 2 High Street and speak to the team about how your property search is going, they'll be happy to help.
Is Croydon the place you are looking for? Visit our new office and see what properties we have available.
Know how much your property is worth? Whether living in Croydon or elsewhere in the Greater London area see how much your home is worth today..
