Issue 39 - March 2010 Your primary source of community information www.croydon.gov.uk We are abseiling Run for your lives – – high-flying Kenley family pull on engineers scale their trainers for a Taberner House weekly Parkrun Page 10 Page 12 At Home in Purley Way Promise of hundreds of new jobs as two major companies reveal plans. Upmarket retailer John a wedding gift list section. Lewis is to open a home It follows the opening furnishing store in Purley of a similar store in Poole, Way, creating 220 jobs, Dorset last October and while insurance giant comes with an assurance Zurich will create 140 posts from John Lewis that it is 0.8% when it moves to Croydon still committed to opening town centre in June. a department store in John Lewis revealed Croydon town centre. Lowest-ever it is set to spend £7.5m Andy Street, managing on a 52,000 sq ft John director, said: “Our shop Lewis At Home store, only in Poole has performed the second of its kind in above expectations since Britain. day one, and has given us The new store will be the confidence to open in tax increase about a third of the size of Croydon, extend our reach a typical John Lewis store and attract new customers. and located at the southern “The opportunity arose Croydon Council is proposing a record low council tax rise – and ambitious end of Purley Way in a site recently to lease an empty owned by Tesco. unit on Purley Way in plans to invest millions into overhauling services across the borough. It will sell furniture, Croydon which met new furnishings and electrical format location criteria. Residents could benefit invest in schools, leisure, like weather is swiftly stability and is no mean goods, and customers We’re delighted to be able from the lowest tax rise street cleaning, safety repaired and key roads are feat. will also be able to use to bring another John in Croydon’s history when and rubbish collection – resurfaced. “On top of that, we computer terminals to Lewis At Home shop to the council considers a the areas prioritised by Leisure will also be a hope to invest £150m browse the full John Lewis fruition this year.” proposed increase of less residents in a survey last winner under the draft to improve the area’s range – including fashion, Zurich, one of the than 1% – which would year. budget proposals – with infrastructure, which has beauty, nursery, carpets UK’s foremost insurance see the average Band D Millions will be refurbishments to pools to be a top priority to – and order for home companies, is moving 140 bill go up by just £12 invested in schools, where in New Addington and bring further investment delivery or collection at the of its staff to Croydon, this year. exam results improved Purley this year, as well as into the town. shop. to take advantage of The announcement last year by 10%, while an £11m investment into “This budget is the It will also have a cafe, the borough’s excellent was made as council chiefs £1.5m will be invested building the new leisure fruit of prudence, and a home design service, and transport connections. unveiled plans to invest in the parks local people complex at Waddon. a relentless drive to around £150m into the have named as their most- And a further £1m find efficiencies within borough’s infrastructure. loved. will be spent on Fairfield, the borough that the The news will come Hundreds of larger, the area’s premier organisation needs to as a welcome relief to affordable homes are due entertainment venue, maintain as we face the taxpayers as the borough to be built as the borough ahead of a proposed major post-recession squeeze on continues to tackle the tackles the issue of refurbishment of the public spending. ongoing effects of the overcrowding. complex in coming years. “Households which economic downturn. An extra £7m Council leader Mike have to budget carefully As well as proposing will be put into road Fisher said: “Being able to to plan their own spending the lowest rise since maintenance, ensuring propose the lowest council rely on their local council council tax was the damage done to the tax rise in the borough’s to deliver value for introduced, the council boroughs roads during the history is possible after money.” has announced plans to recent spate of Arctic- establishing financial l Spending plans, page 3 Comforting: the opening of the first At Home store in Poole Bike boost - page 2 Parks latest - pages 8 & 9 Rox off - page 18 2x yournews MarchMay 20092010 | Your Croydon Building on Croydon’s long-term vision The future of Croydon is being put into the hands of the borough’s most important people – its residents. The next step on from last 27 February - Maple Room, The formal consultation year’s successful Imagine Fairfield, Park Lane period for the Core Strategy Croydon campaign gives 6 March - Christchurch Hall, runs until 21 March. people the chance to Brighton Road, Purley As local experts, comment on the planning 13 March - Phoenix your views are incredibly policy that sets out how the Community Centre, Westow important, so please do area should develop over Street, Upper Norwood get involved, either at your the next 15 to 20 years. 20 March - Selsdon Hall, local event, or by one of the Called the Core Addington Road, Selsdon following methods: Strategy, it looks at what, The informal, drop-in Website: www.croydon. where and how much new nature of the events means gov.uk/corestrategy development should go on that, even if you have only Email: in the different places of 10 minutes to spare, you [email protected] Borough gets on its bike Croydon to help us achieve can get involved. Consultation portal: working with the council. into Croydon’s transport the long-term vision. For those unable http://consult.croydon. Cycling in Croydon is set They included traffic- priorities. A series of four to attend, views and gov.uk to be given a major boost free routes to parks An example of what events – open from 10am comments on the Core Facebook group: Search for after the borough was given and open spaces, more should be repeated to 3.30pm – has been Strategy can be expressed “Croydon – Third City” £25,000 to make streets continuous sections of elsewhere in Croydon is a scheduled to give visitors online at http://consult. Post: Policy and strategy, and roads more bike- cycle lane on roads with shared pedestrian and cycle the opportunity to look at croydon.gov.uk North-west quadrant, friendly. Croydon is one of 10 direct connections between path that runs through plans, and comment on, or Hard copies can be 18th floor, Taberner House, outer London boroughs the town centre and South Norwood Country get involved in discussions obtained from borough Park Lane, Croydon selected to lead a revolution surrounding areas. Park, linking Long Lane to about, the Core Strategy’s libraries and Access CR9 1JT. Telephone: that will make cycling the Cyclists also said a the Arena tram stop. proposals. Croydon. 020 8407 1385 first choice of people taking network of convenient This replaced a secluded short trips. maintenance and repair alleyway with a high-quality, The grant from the shops, secure and covered open and safe route that The Mayor’s show Mayor of London, Boris cycle parking at East and had the additional benefit of Johnson, came as the West Croydon stations facilities for securing bikes at An evening of Fairfield Halls on Sunday, “This show will feature council’s draft transport and shopping centres, and the tram stop. entertainment that 7 March. song, dance and drama – strategy identified cycling a cycle-hire scheme that showcases the talents of The charities that will an evening of toe-tapping as an area needing would allow people to try young people in Croydon benefit from the concert, entertainment.” improvement to unleash its cycling without having get in touch has been organised to raise which runs from 6pm to Tickets cost £10 huge potential. to worry about buying or What’s your view of money for the mayor’s 7pm, are the Garwood and are £5 for children Before the money storage, were needed. cycling? charity fund. Foundation and Rutherford and senior citizens. For was awarded, a range of The money will help to Send an email to The show will feature School and Whitgift Snap. more information log initiatives that could make fund a study that identifies yourcroydon@croydon. the London Mozart Players Councillor Lynne Hale, on to www.mayorsshow. cycling more popular how cycling can be gov.uk and is being held at the show’s producer, said: com. was identified by cyclists developed and integrated yournews 2 yourspace 15 specialfeature 6 yourbusiness 16 Take advantage of our yourcommunity 8 yoursafety 18 competitive advertising rates specialfeature 10 yourheritage 20 yourhealth 12 yourevents 22 FULL HALF QUARTER page from £990 page from £444 page from £222 districtcentrenews centre pull-out 355x259mm 148x259mm 148x127mm If you would like your business to benefit from advertising in Editorial team one of the country’s leading community publications and would like Editor: Fred Hall Reporter: Richard Gibbs Reporter: John Bownas more information, a copy of our rate card or a booking form, please call: Email: yourcroydon@ Email: yourcroydon@ Email: yourcroydon@ Paula Howell & 020 8760 5644 croydon.gov.uk croydon.gov.uk croydon.gov.uk Tel: 020 8760 5644 Tel: 020 8760 5644 Tel: 020 8760 5644 Deputy editor: Danny Brierley Reporter: Susie Rundle Advertising: Paula Howell The next edition of Your Croydon will be published on Friday Email: yourcroydon@ Email: yourcroydon@ Email: yourcroydon@ 19 March.