If you happen to be around West Croydon station you cannot fail to see that a pretty comprehensive redevelopment of some ramshackle old shops is taking place. Station Road in particular is going to look very different.

The new London Square development which is scheduled to be complete in 2024 is going to provide 240 new apartments in two brick fronted, high rise blocks with 55% of these being given over to affordable shared-ownership apartments. As well as this the new apartments will be served by shops, cafes and most importantly a new public space.

An historic building

The new development will also be conserving a part of Croydon’s history. In the parade of ornate, late-Victorian shops at the junction of Station Road and North End is the building where Croydon’s first cinema was located. The Station Picture House (below) was opened in 1908. The cinema did not stay long at this location and closed in 1917 due to the fall off in visitors as a result of World War One.

The preservation of an historic facade is something that Croydon has seen before. In the 1990s the frontage of the Grant’s building in High Street was ordered to be retained by the Council. The Grant’s building as well as being of a similar vintage to the Station Picture House is also home to the Central Croydon Vue Cinema as well as a number of shops, bars and restaurants.