London Borough of Croydon
London Borough of Croydon | |
|---|---|
Central Croydon from Morland Road in 2025. | |
|
Coat of arms Council logo | |
| Motto(s): Ad summa nitamur (Let us strive for perfection) | |
Croydon shown within Greater London | |
| Coordinates: 51°20′N 0°05′W / 51.333°N 0.083°W | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | London |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Created | 1 April 1965 |
| Admin HQ | Bernard Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon |
| Government | |
| • Type | London borough council |
| • Body | Croydon London Borough Council |
| • Executive Mayor | Jason Perry |
| • London Assembly | Neil Garratt (Con) AM for Croydon and Sutton |
| • MPs | Chris Philp (Conservative) Sarah Jones (Labour) Steve Reed (Labour) Natasha Irons (Labour) |
| Area | |
• Total | 34 sq mi (87 km2) |
| • Rank | 209th (of 296) |
| Population (2022) | |
• Total | 392,224 |
| • Rank | 18th (of 296) |
| • Density | 12,000/sq mi (4,500/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
| Postcodes | BR, CR, SE, SW |
| Area codes | 01689, 01737, 020 |
| ISO 3166 code | GB-CRY |
| ONS code | 00AH |
| GSS code | E09000008 |
| Police | Metropolitan Police |
| Website | http://www.croydon.gov.uk/ |
The London Borough of Croydon (ⓘ) is a borough within Outer London. It covers an area of 87 km2 (33.6 sq mi) and has a population of 397,741 as of mid-2023,[1][2] making it one of London's most populated boroughs. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon, from which the borough takes its name. Other urban centres include Thornton Heath, Coulsdon, Purley, South Norwood, Norbury, New Addington, and Selsdon. Croydon is mentioned in the Domesday Book.[3]
The borough developed from a small market town into what is now a significant business and cultural hub outside central London. Many contributions to entertainment and the arts have helped Croydon gain recognition as a metropolitan centre.[4]
The borough was formed in 1965 from the merger of the County Borough of Croydon with Coulsdon and Purley Urban District (previously in Surrey). The local authority, Croydon London Borough Council, is now part of London Councils, the local government association for Greater London.[5]
One significant factor in the development of Croydon as a business centre was the presence of Croydon Airport, opened in 1920, and once London's primary international airport. It closed on 30 September 1959 due to limited space for expansion. The former lodge to Croydon Airport Terminal is now a Grade II listed building and tourist attraction.[6][7]
Croydon Council and its predecessor, Croydon Corporation, have applied for city status on multiple occasions, but without success. The area is currently undergoing a major regeneration initiative, Croydon Vision 2020, aimed at attracting more businesses and tourists.
While Croydon is predominantly urban, the borough's southern areas feature suburban and rural landscapes. Since 2003, Croydon has been certified as a Fairtrade borough by the Fairtrade Foundation. It was the first London borough to be awarded Fairtrade status.[8][9]
The area has a cultural presence in London and South East England and is home to institutions such as the arts and entertainment centre Fairfield Halls. Its famous fringe theatre, the Warehouse Theatre, went into administration in 2012 due to lack of funding and the building was demolished in 2013.
The Croydon Clocktower was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994 as an arts venue featuring a library and a museum.[10] From 2000 to 2010, Croydon staged an annual summer festival celebrating the area's Black and Indian cultural diversity, with audiences reaching more than 50,000 people.[11]
Premier League football club Crystal Palace F.C. has played at Selhurst Park since 1924. Other landmarks in the borough include what remains of Croydon Palace, an important residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury since around the 9th century CE. It was known as 'The Old Palace' during its time as a school. It served as the manor house of the manor of Croydon, held by the Archbishops from the Anglo-Saxon period onwards. Its local successor is Addington Palace, an eighteenth-century mansion that became the official second residence of six archbishops.[12] The borough is also home to the large Shirley Windmill, and to the BRIT School – a creative arts institute that has produced artists such as Adele, Amy Winehouse, Stormzy and Leona Lewis.[13]
- ^ "Mid-2023: 2023 local authority boundaries edition of this dataset edition of this dataset". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "Croydon (Borough, Greater London, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
- ^ "Croydon | Domesday Book". opendomesday.org. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
- ^ "Annex 1 - Town Centre Network | London City Hall". www.london.gov.uk. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Arms of Croydon Onlinewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Listed Buildings Online: Airport House". English Heritage. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
- ^ "Listed Buildings Online: Former Lodge To Croydon Airport Terminal". English Heritage. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
fairtradewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
fairtradecroydonwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Croydon Town Hallwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Croydon Summer Festival". Croydon Festival. 2010. Archived from the original on 15 July 2008. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
- ^ "Information of Addington Palace". Friends of Old Palace. Retrieved 6 June 2008.
- ^ Burke, David (6 October 2008). "Music industry mogul praises Selhurst's Brit School". Croydon Advertiser. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2011.