Croydon: Is it really that bad?

[xenon]

When I was looking at houses in the area, I decided that I didn't like Thornton Heath, but I have started getting to know it a bit since then, and I don't think it is rough at all, really. In what do you think it's getting rougher?

Well not scientific admittidly. But there seems to have been more violent crime in recent years.

What didn't you like about it when first looking? Just out of curiosity.

 

[gaijingirl]

depends what you consider "that bad".

I'd live in sidcup long, long before i'd live in croydon again.

<shudder>

Fucking hell! There's two places that should never appear in the same sentence.. it's like crossing the beams in Ghostbusters....

 

[Dan U]

It used to have a wicked music scene.

late 80s in to the 90s loads of DJ's from Croydon. Loads of good record shops, little nights, quite a few good DJ's from Croydon. And band nights too.

All been a bit homogenised now.

Dubstep is from Croydon too

 

[gaijingirl]

It used to have a wicked music scene.

late 80s in to the 90s loads of DJ's from Croydon. Loads of good record shops, little nights, quite a few good DJ's from Croydon. And band nights too.

So did Bromley, Kingston etc... pre-Weatherspoons and giant shopping malls..

 

[xenon]

Is Big Apple records still there? Remembered from my breif dallience into hardcore.

 

[Guineveretoo]

Well not scientific admittidly. But there seems to have been more violent crime in recent years.

What didn't you like about it when first looking? Just out of curiosity.

It looked rough. I mean, lots of boarded up shops, and litter and burnt out cars type rough.

I was moving from Cambridge, though

 

[xenon]

Ah yeah. That would put you off a bit. Good transport links though. Clapham Junction only 12 mins on the train.

 

[gaijingirl]

Ah yeah. That would put you off a bit. Good transport links though. Clapham Junction only 12 mins on the train.

So that's 12 minutes to take you to somewhere that might take you to somewhere else where you might actually want to spend time.

 

[zenie]

It's a town and a Borough. Like Bromley - which goes from Crystal Palace to Biggin Hill to Oprington.

I know they're places as well as Boroughs.

I didn't know you could have a town in a city though?

 

[Guineveretoo]

I know they're places as well as Boroughs.

I didn't know you could have a town in a city though?

There are two cities in London, and innumerable towns.

Does that help?

 

[zenie]

There are two cities in London, and innumerable towns.

Does that help?

So what is 'London' then if not a city as a whole? (excluding Westminster and the City)

 

[gaijingirl]

Good question - apparently it's an "administrative area"

See here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_borough

 

[xenon]

So that's 12 minutes to take you to somewhere that might take you to somewhere else where you might actually want to spend time.

Always have an escape route.

 

[Guineveretoo]

Greater London is a conurbation, or a metropolis or even a region or even a county.

Within Greater London there are 32 London Boroughs, two of which are, technically, cities in their own rights. That's the City of Westminster (defined by Westminster Cathedral) and the City of London (defined by St Paul's Cathedral).

Within those boroughs, there are also "towns", such as Norwood, Croydon, Mitcham, Purley, etc. etc. etc. I don't think there is really any clear definition of what is a "town" within London, but I would say that it is any community which has a centre. So, Kingston or Richmond would both be towns. Crystal Palace probably wouldn't be

Of course, there are wards within the boroughs, but a lot of those have no community. I live in Woodside ward - wtf is that all about?

 

[Guineveretoo]

Good question - apparently it's an "administrative area"

See here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_borough

This one is better http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London

 

[xenon]

There are two cities in London, and innumerable towns.

Does that help?

White City?

 

[gaijingirl]

Always have an escape route.

Especially if you're living in Croydon!

 

[Guineveretoo]

Especially if you're living in Croydon!

Oi!

It's not that bad!

 

[xenon]

Are wards just smaller administrative areas, for council representation?

 

[DrRingDing]

There's a posh end and a rough neck end.

My mate who's an ex para don't think much to living in the scum end of town

 

[gaijingirl]

White City?

City Thameslink (since Clapham North is a "place" as, apparently, is Tulse Hill... why not??.... ) .. in fact.. what about Oriental City...

 

[xenon]

Especially if you're living in Croydon!

I quite like the concrete shrunken Manhatten type look Croydon town centre has. I suspect I might be in a minority though.

 

[Guineveretoo]

Are wards just smaller administrative areas, for council representation?

Yes.

Every borough will have a certain number of wards, all of whom have ward councillors. In Croydon, most wards have 3 councillors, but some only have 2.

The number of wards is determined by the population of the borough.

 

[Guineveretoo]

I quite like the concrete shrunken Manhatten type look Croydon town centre has. I suspect I might be in a minority though.

A very small minority!

Apparently, the Council have been trying to persuade film companies to use Croydon to represent a generic American city!

Instead, all they get is tv programmes like the Bill, when they want to film a run down estate

 

[Guineveretoo]

City Thameslink (since Clapham North is a "place" as, apparently, is Tulse Hill... why not??.... ) .. in fact.. what about Oriental City...

Yeah, but Tulse Hill is, presumably, a Hill, whereas City Thameslink is a station in a place called "City", named after the rail company which used to run the service!

 

[xenon]

Yes.

Every borough will have a certain number of wards, all of whom have ward councillors. In Croydon, most wards have 3 councillors, but some only have 2.

The number of wards is determined by the population of the borough.

Thought it must have been something like that.

Seem to recall Croydon Council were always trying to get city status. And or a tube station.

 

[Guineveretoo]

Thought it must have been something like that.

Seem to recall Croydon Council were always trying to get city status. And or a tube station.

They are getting the tube stations - Norwood Junction and Crystal Palace - but I hope they never get City status!

 

[gaijingirl]

I have the inbred hatred of someone who grew up in South London. A jaded, distaste for Croydon, Bromley,Kingston etc... they were all ok, in fact quite good fun I'd say, but then the soul of those towns was ripped out around about the same time as The Glades and the (new) Whitgift centres, etc, were built AFAIC.

But maybe that's just misguided nostalgia?

 

[xenon]

A very small minority!

Apparently, the Council have been trying to persuade film companies to use Croydon to represent a generic American city!

Instead, all they get is tv programmes like the Bill, when they want to film a run down estate

Yay for generic.

 

[Guineveretoo]

I have the inbred hatred of someone who grew up in South London. A jaded, distaste for Croydon, Bromley,Kingston etc... they were all ok, in fact quite good fun I'd say, but then the soul of those towns was ripped out around about the same time as The Glades and the (new) Whitgift centres, etc, were built AFAIC.

But maybe that's just misguided nostalgia?

I agree about the centre of Croydon, although I never knew it beforehand. But the centre of Croydon is only one very small bit of Croydon, and I don't regret moving here at all!