Welcome to the very first Croydon Buzz newsletter!
We’re shining a light on the positive things happening in town, from the latest events to the best places to eat, so you can get the most out of Croydon every week.
Croydon Harvest officially kicked off autumn: folk dancing, farmyard animals and a fortune-telling pig on Katharine Street. The town hasn’t slowed down since. Here’s your week.
📅 5 things to do this week
Sarah Newlands . Credit: [Croydon Symphony Orchestra]🎻
🎻 Croydon Symphony Orchestra · £20
Your hometown orchestra kicks off its 107th season with a programme all about what it means to be a Croydonian. Proper big-sound classical, on your doorstep.
When: Sat 17 Oct, 7am Where: Trinity School
Check if tickets are available
🏛️ Croydon Architecture Exhibit · Free
From the 50p building to Lunar and Apollo House, this new show digs into how our skyline got so gloriously bold. Look out for Glenn Foster’s photography and Croydon Urban Room’s vision for the town centre.
When: Fri 16. Sat 17, Wed 21 Oct, 10am-4.30pm Where: Museum of Croydon
Check tickets are left
🏃 We Run South Club · Free
Pick the 5k or the 3k and run it with one of South London’s fastest-growing run clubs, whatever your pace. Total beginners are welcome, and plenty of people come solo and leave with a new crew.
When: Sun Oct 18, from 10am Where: Grand Cafe South Norwood
Sign up here
Nathan’s Pick:
🍜 Singapore Orchard
Ananda Chua, 73, has spent over 30 years running restaurants in London and Singapore, and here she cooks Singaporean hawker-style street food alongside Chinese classics. It’s small, it’s family-run, and the Guardian once said its reviewer wanted to keep it all to herself.
When: Tue-Sun, varying hours Where: 17 Chipstead Valley Road, Coulsdon
Book here
🎨 Pollock’s Toy Museum · Free
A tiny museum crammed with old toys, toy theatres, games and dolls, right next door to Turf Projects. Little ones love it and so will you!
When: Sat 17 Oct, 11am-4pm · Where: Unit 49, Whitgift Centre
More info here
3 things to know
Share the Vue draw. To celebrate our launch, we’ve teamed up with Vue to give away four cinema tickets, and you’re already entered. Now forward this to a friend or family member so they can sign up and win too. Send the link
Half-term, sorted. The Museum of Croydon’s free spooky trail lands Sat 17 Oct and runs until Sat 31 Oct, digging into the town’s secret spooky past. Check if there’s tickets left
Book early. Dinosaur Adventure Live: Danger on T-Rex Mountain stomps into Fairfield Halls on Mon 26 Oct for half-term. Book here
Why Croydon Wins
In April, a team of Croydon schoolkids will represent their town, and England, at Walt Disney World.
Crystals Elite’s U16 team, Dynasty, has earned a bid to The Summit, an international cheerleading championship, and it’s the biggest moment yet for a club that’s been training young people here since 1993.
It’s the longest-running Allstar cheer programme in the UK. Its athletes performed at half-time for Crystal Palace back in the 2000s, and this year it won its first two national titles.
Owner Ella Dolcey and coach Kacey Willis both started out as Crystals athletes. Getting to Florida isn’t cheap. Back Dynasty here. That’s why Croydon wins.
Discounts & Offers
Oxygen Activeplay: After School Fun & Feast. Unlimited play from 3:30pm until close, plus a kids’ meal and a slush, all for the price of a standard 60-minute session. Grab a coffee in the café while they bounce it out. Find out more
Crispy Dosa: 15% off your bill. Dine in any time Monday to Thursday for 15% off the whole table. Find out more
Reformer Club Croydon: 3 sessions for £35. Test drive reformer Pilates for half the usual price, which makes it the easiest way to see what the hype’s about. Find out more
Free Side With Any Main At Wagamama. The Croydon branch of Wagamama is offering a free side when you order any adult main dish up until December 31st. Find Out More
MINISO: 15% off when you spend £20. Toys, tech, stationery and accessories, with 15% off once you hit £20. Find out more
Four of these need the free Checkout Croydon Card. Get yours here. It takes seconds.
Sponsored
Vue Purley Way
Families at Vue Croydon Purley Way can enjoy Vue’s biggest and comfiest seat, the Ultra Lux. Ultra Lux seating features an extra-wide armrest, back and leg rests that recline independently, a personal table for snacks and drinks and a state-of-the-art beverage cooler, making it the most luxurious way to enjoy a family cinema day.
Things we love
The Italian deli I can't stop visiting
A little slice of Italy on the corner of Selsdon Road. I had the chorizo pasta and a ciabatta loaded with Parma ham, tomatoes and mozzarella, and I’m still thinking about both. Violaine and the team make it feel like a proper local spot.
That's it from me this week. If you spot me at Open Studios, come and say hello.
One question for you: which café should I try next? Hit reply and tell me. I read every one, and the best tips make next week's email.
Keep it local,
Nathan x
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