London Borough of Croydon facts for kids
| London Borough of Croydon | |
 Shown within Greater London |
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| Official website | http://www.croydon.gov.uk/ |
Quick facts for kids Geography |
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|---|---|
| Status | London Borough |
| Area — Total |
Ranked 256th 86.52 km² |
| ONS code | 00AH |
| Admin HQ | Croydon |
| Demographics | |
| Population — Total (2005 est.) — Density |
Ranked 9th (of 354) 342,700 3,961 / km² |
| Ethnicity | 70.2% White 13.3% African-Caribbean 11.3% South Asian 3.1% Mixed 2.1% Chinese |
| Politics | |
| Leadership | Leader & Cabinet |
| Mayor | Cllr Janet Marshall |
| Executive | Conservative |
| MPs | Richard Ottaway Andrew Pelling Malcolm Wicks |
| London Assembly — Member |
Croydon and Sutton Andrew Pelling |
The London Borough of Croydon is a special area in south London. It is one of the largest boroughs in Greater London. Croydon is known for being a busy place with lots of shops and businesses.
This borough is located at the very south of Greater London. It touches the M25 circle motorway at its southern edge. To the east, Croydon borders the London Borough of Bromley. To the north, it shares borders with the London Boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth. The boroughs of Sutton and Merton are to the west of Croydon.
Croydon has a big town centre, also called Croydon. It has many offices, more than any other place in Southeast England outside of Central London. You can find two large shopping centres here: Centrale and the Whitgift Centre. Croydon is a great place to shop and has been named one of the best shopping towns in the UK. The area is always growing, with new buildings being built. For students over 16, there are colleges like Croydon College and John Ruskin College.
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Becoming a City
Croydon has tried to become a city twice. The London Borough of Croydon asked the government for city status in 2000 and again in 2002. However, the government did not agree. If it had become a city, Croydon would have been only the third council in Greater London to have this special status. The other two are the City of London and the City of Westminster.
Sports and Green Spaces
Croydon is home to two football clubs. These are Crystal Palace F.C., which plays in the Football League Championship, and Croydon F.C., which plays in the Ryman League.
The borough is also famous for its many parks and open spaces. Some popular green areas include Mitcham Common and South Norwood Lakes. These places offer great spots for outdoor activities and relaxation.
Fun Things to Do in Croydon
Croydon is a popular place for visitors in London. It is very close to Gatwick Airport, which makes it easy to reach. The borough also has many fun and historical places to explore.
Historical Places
One interesting historical spot is Croydon Airport. It was once the biggest airport in London. However, it closed in September 1959 because it became too small for all the flights. Now, it is sometimes used for airplane shows.
Addington Palace is a beautiful old mansion from the 1700s. Six archbishops used to live there. Another historic building is Croydon Palace, which is over 500 years old. Archbishops of Canterbury would stay there during the summer.
Arts and Entertainment
The Croydon Clocktower is a lively arts centre in Central Croydon. It has a cinema, a library, a museum, and rooms for meetings. The Clocktower building is connected to the official Town Hall of Croydon Council. Some parts, like the Braithwaite Hall, are from the original building. New parts were added and opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994.
The Warehouse Theatre is a professional theatre in the centre of Croydon. It has about a hundred seats and is located in an old Victorian building with oak beams.
The Fairfield Halls is a large arts centre that opened in 1962. It has a concert hall, the Ashcroft Theatre (named after a local actress, Dame Peggy Ashcroft), and the Arnhem Gallery. The Arnhem Gallery is named after Arnhem, a city in The Netherlands that is twinned with Croydon. The big concert hall at Fairfield Halls is even used by the BBC for recordings.
Areas in Croydon
The London Borough of Croydon includes many different areas. Some of these are:
- Addington
- Addiscombe
- Ashburton
- Broad Green
- Coombe
- Coulsdon
- Croydon
- Crystal Palace
- Forestdale
- Hamsey Green
- Kenley
- New Addington
- Norbury
- Purley
- Sanderstead
- Selhurst
- Selsdon
- Shirley
- South Croydon
- South Norwood
- Thornton Heath
- Upper Norwood
- Waddon
- West Croydon
- Woodside
- Whyteleafe
| Greater London • London • City of London | |
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London Boroughs: Barking and Dagenham • Barnet • Bexley • Brent • Bromley • Camden • Croydon • Ealing • Enfield • Greenwich • Hackney • Hammersmith and Fulham • Haringey • Harrow • Havering • Hillingdon • Hounslow • Islington • Kensington and Chelsea • Kingston • Lambeth • Lewisham • Merton • Newham • Redbridge • Richmond • Southwark • Sutton • Tower Hamlets • Waltham Forest • Wandsworth • Westminster |
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Images for kids
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The now demolished West Croydon bus station in June 2007
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A tram at Wellesley Road tram stop
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Cane Hill
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Croydon College's main buildings in Central Croydon
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South Norwood Country Park
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Fairfield Halls in Central Croydon is the main entertainment venue in the borough
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Croydon Airport
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Croydon Clocktower
See also
In Spanish: Municipio de Croydon (Londres) para niños
