The rise and fall of Whitgift shopping Centre in Croydon 1970s

The centre was the largest covered shopping development in Greater London until the opening of Westfield London at White City in 2008.
In the first two decades of its existence, the Whitgift Centre had no roof and was open to the elements.
The first shop to open was Boots on 17 October 1968, and the centre itself was officially opened in October 1970 by the Duchess of Kent. In the middle of the Whitgift Centre there was a Roman-themed pub called The Forum.
In the 1990s, the centre was almost completely rebuilt to an atrium design, and the Forum pub was demolished.
Today its situation is tragic and people have abandoned it especially after the protests that burned half of Croydon in 2008, the people who shopped there left and never came back.
Croydon 70s Then and Now (London) The Rise and Fall of Whitgift Shopping Centre
Croydon 70s The Rise and Fall of Whitgift Shopping Centre Then and Now (London)
The Rise and Fall of Whitgift Shopping Centre Croydon 70s Then and Now (London)

[@LondonPower]

5:22

[@lookingforthewhy6447]

Trust me, our skirts in Croydon in the 1970s had nothing to do with women's lib and everything to do with fashion.

[@matthewprince9705]

The Labour council threw all of its eggs into one basket by trying to bring a Westfield (replacing Whitgift) to Croydon. It would have cost £1.5 BILLION, which is the SAME figure that the council is now in debt by through mismanagement and underfunding! They really believed a gigantic shopping centre built after the sub prime house market crash, rise of internet shopping and famous chain store closures was going to save the town! It shows local councillors are useless businesspeople and terrible visionaries.

[@itsjemmabond]

Alders closing down was the beginning of the end.

[@NewController01]

You know, it's become more apparent that Centrale, opposite, is in MUCH better condition, when you do this one route in Pokemon Go, you can literally compare the both of them as you go along

[@marie-ctunnicliff513]

I used to work for Kompass Publishers in RAC House from 1969 - 1972, and was in the Whitgift Centre nearly everyday, either in the pub or doing a bit of shopping. So sad to see what Croydon is like now. There used to be some great shops!

[@mickeydodds1]

That leaking roof was only put in a few years ago.

[@peterclark9677]

I worked as a apprentice carpenter in the forum pub fitting the bars etc

[@sawyerhja]

One wonders, would it look just the same, even if Amazon did not exist?

[@peterclark9677]

There was a arcade in kenards great at Xmas 🎄

[@maureencampbell7301]

I worked at the Croydon BHS in 76 to 78. Love every moment. I migrated to Australia in 83. It’s so sad to see how much things have deteriorated. I hope somehow London can become the great place it once was…

[@johnorchard4]

I remember accompanying one of the drivers removing excavated soil and detritus from the site after the demolition of the school that stood on the site previously, that was mid-to late 60s. I remember also working in the centre in the early 1970s, at Pindisports. It was whilst there that a slim weedy looking American came shopping. He had a 'minder' with him carrying a document case. The American was buying gifts for his daughter back in the states. He identified himself as E. W. Rae or Ray, senior executive Vice President McDonald's UK. He was there visiting the almost completed new store - the first in Croydon. I had never heard of McDonalds back then!

[@bganonimouse2754]

I still can't make sense of the 1980s Whitgift centre that I went to as a child a number of times and today's one. When did the centre become an underground precinct and was that an extension?

[@IndigoJo]

The picture at

[@rajnirvan3336]

That Woolworths was one of my favourite stores in Croydon. Now empty after H&M left.

[@dhdavidholloway]

6.03 Look at the crowds!!

[@Arthur_King_of_the_Britons]

"A nation without heroes cannot long endure"

[@user-eg4dv1bm2e]

Not sure I agree with you that there is anything wrong with people expressing themselves through having different clothing to others or that woman should demand equality but totally agree that they have not managed Croydon well since the 2008 crash and everyone goes to other places to shop now and to have a day out. Personally I would reopen North End to traffic as it might bring some life back into that part of Croydon.

[@christopherbasilpizzinga2499]

i lived in croydon all my life, went to whitehorse school in the early 70's , shopping and hustling in the whytgift center in the mid 70's , left after college in 1979 to work abroad. look at it now !, complete shit hole !!!.

[@peterclark9677]

There is a underground city beneath the Whitgift centre roads traffic lights