Purley Way: Difference between revisions
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[[Croydon Airport]] (operational 1928–1959) is located on Purley Way. |
[[Croydon Airport]] (operational 1928–1959) is located on Purley Way. |
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[[Image:033216 ikea chimbleys croy.jpg|thumb|right|The IKEA Towers]] |
[[Image:033216 ikea chimbleys croy.jpg|thumb|right|The IKEA Towers]] |
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Click [http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kgqeLqrSJFw/TOQDsR8ro2I/AAAAAAAAAKg/VIP9lVxNTdg/s1600/17112010.jpg here] for a better picture of the famous towers. |
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The opening of Purley Way attracted industry to the area and it became the main industrial area of Croydon. Industry attracted to the area included [[Redwing Aircraft]] Ltd, [[Trojan (automobile)|Trojan Ltd]] (car manufacturers) and [[Tizer]] Ltd. There were also several metal companies including Standard Steel Co, Croydon Foundry Ltd, Metal Propellers Ltd and Southern Foundries Ltd. |
The opening of Purley Way attracted industry to the area and it became the main industrial area of Croydon. Industry attracted to the area included [[Redwing Aircraft]] Ltd, [[Trojan (automobile)|Trojan Ltd]] (car manufacturers) and [[Tizer]] Ltd. There were also several metal companies including Standard Steel Co, Croydon Foundry Ltd, Metal Propellers Ltd and Southern Foundries Ltd. |
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Revision as of 14:47, 13 November 2011
Purley Way is a section of the A23 trunk road in the London Borough of Croydon, in the areas of Purley, Waddon and West Croydon, and has given its name to the out-of-town shopping area alongside it with a catchment area covering most of South London. It was designed as a bypass for Croydon and was opened in April 1925. In 1932 Purley Way became the first road in the United Kingdom to be lit with sodium lights.
Industrial history
Croydon Airport (operational 1928–1959) is located on Purley Way.
Click here for a better picture of the famous towers.
The opening of Purley Way attracted industry to the area and it became the main industrial area of Croydon. Industry attracted to the area included Redwing Aircraft Ltd, Trojan Ltd (car manufacturers) and Tizer Ltd. There were also several metal companies including Standard Steel Co, Croydon Foundry Ltd, Metal Propellers Ltd and Southern Foundries Ltd.
Croydon 'B' Power Station was built in the late 1940s and opened in 1950. It shut down in 1984, was demolished in 1991 and an IKEA store was opened on its site. Its immediate surroundings were developed as the Valley Park Retail and Leisure Complex. The large chimneys of the power station were retained and remain a local landmark, which can be seen from Central Croydon's Centrale Shopping Centre.
Croydon 'A' power station and the Croydon Gas Works were also on the Purley way. The Chimneys of the Gas works were huge, and featured in films for their sheer size.
IKEA Croydon
The IKEA in Croydon is a 23,000 m²[1] IKEA furniture store which opened in 1992. The old chimneys of the power station, with the addition of illuminated bands in the store's blue-and-yellow colours, were retained as a prominent advertisement. In May 2006 Croydon's IKEA store was revamped to make it the largest in Britain. It was officially re-launched on 1st Monday with a traditional Swedish opening ceremony attended by Mayor Maggie Mansell and the Swedish ambassador Stefan Carlsson. The extension of IKEA makes it the fifth biggest single employer in Croydon, and includes the extension of the showroom, market hall and self-serve areas.[2]
Conflicts between residents and IKEA have gone on for a long time, about the landmark towers. IKEA was considering demolishing them in 2003, saying that they cost over £70,000 a year to maintain, but they made a u-turn just months after when they vowed to leave its landmark chimneys untouched, ideas about possible uses for the towers are being considered by the Swedish furniture store. Ideas such as making the bottom of the towers a museum of the history of the site before IKEA and making the top a revolving restaurant. The previous idea was considered before IKEA came as part of a regeneration scheme called The Powerhouse (similar to Battersea Power Station plans), which also included shops, a cinema and a bowling alley. The development's focal point was the revolving restaurant situated in the top of the towers. However, the plans never materialised and the land was bought by IKEA a few years later.[3]
Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were both spotted in IKEA on Monday 5 May 2005. The then Prime Minister and Chancellor called in at the store in Valley Park on a whistle-stop tour of marginal seats a day before the General Election.[4]
Retail history
Sainsbury's opened its first Homebase store on Purley Way in 1981. The first PC World opened on Purley Way in 1991.
The retail units were not part of the local planning guidance and were part of a national trend towards out of town shopping. These retail parks were not formally recognised by Croydon Council until the publication of its 1997 Unitary Development Plan.
Other information
Purley Way Lido operated from 1935 to 1980; the diving board remains in the middle of a garden centre. The Croydon Water Palace, an indoor water park complex, operated nearby from 1990 to 1996.
In the past there has been a depository for the Science museum in the Retail Park area, and Tramlink passes below the Purley Way.
References
- ^ "IKEA Group stores". IKEA Group corporate site. Retrieved 2007-07-30.
- ^ "IKEA is bigger than ever (from Croydon Guardian)". Croydonguardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
- ^ "Ikea Looks At Ideas To Transform Chimneys (from Croydon Guardian)". Croydonguardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
- ^ "Pm Makes Pitstop At Ikea (from Croydon Guardian)". Croydonguardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-11-06.