This year, Croydon celebrates 750 years since a market was established here by Royal Charter. That market is still trading today on Surrey Street.
Few places tell the story of Croydon better than Surrey Street Market. It is one of the oldest markets in the country, woven into the fabric of our borough since the 1200s. Generations have shopped there. Families have built businesses there. New arrivals to Croydon have found their first opportunity there.
But history alone is not enough. If we want to restore pride in Croydon and rebuild confidence in our town centre, we have to invest in the places that matter most.
A Community-Led Vision
That is why we are launching a new, community-shaped vision for Surrey Street.
Through the Amplifying Surrey Street project, residents, traders, businesses and community groups have worked side by side to design a plan for the future of the market and surrounding streets. This has not been done to the community. It has been done with them. Every voice heard. Every view respected.
That approach matters. After the financial crisis Croydon endured under the previous Labour administration, trust in the Council had to be rebuilt. We are doing things differently. We are listening, prioritising, and investing carefully.
Real Investment. Real Improvements.
The project brings £4.4 million of investment into the area, including £3 million from the Croydon Growth Zone and additional funding from the Mayor of London’s Civic Partnership Programme.
This funding will deliver:
- Improvements to market infrastructure for traders and shoppers
- A new visual identity for the area, co-designed with local people
- Enhancements to the south entrance to the market from spring 2026
- More greenery and a cleaner, more welcoming environment
- Bringing empty units back into use for cultural and creative activity
- Events and activities to attract residents and visitors back into the town centre
This is not about cosmetic change. It is about making Surrey Street safer, more attractive, and commercially stronger.
Restoring Pride in Our Town Centre
Surrey Street sits within Croydon’s Central Conservation Area and the Old Town Masterplan. It has always been more than a place to shop. It has been a launchpad for entrepreneurs, a platform for music and performance, and a meeting place for the whole community.
For too long, parts of our town centre felt tired and neglected. We have been clear from the start of this administration that regeneration must be responsible, disciplined and rooted in community.
We are not gambling with public money. We are unlocking investment. We are supporting traders. We are backing local pride.
As Executive Mayor, I have made town centre renewal a core priority. Surrey Street is central to that mission. Celebrating 750 years is important. Ensuring it thrives for the next 75 years is essential.
Croydon is back on track. And with projects like this, we are proving that our heritage is not something to look back on. It is something to build from.
