Purley Way

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.

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 the site. The large chimneys of the power station were retained and remain a local landmark, which you can see 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 [cite web|url=http://www.ikea-group.ikea.com/corporate/about_ikea/ikea_group_stores.html|title=IKEA Group stores|publisher=IKEA Group corporate site|accessdate=2007-07-30] 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. The store is now open until midnight on weekdays. 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 [ [http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/search/display.var.742402.0.ikea_is_bigger_than_ever.php IKEA is bigger than ever (from Croydon Guardian) ] ] .

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. [ [http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/search/display.var.471346.0.ikea_looks_at_ideas_to_transform_chimneys.php Ikea Looks At Ideas To Transform Chimneys (from Croydon Guardian) ] ]

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 [ [http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/search/display.var.593829.0.pm_makes_pitstop_at_ikea.php Pm Makes Pitstop At Ikea (from Croydon Guardian) ] ] .

Retail history

The first retail warehouse on Purley Way, Queensway furniture store, opened in 1980. 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.

Currently Purley Way has the following warehouse stores:

* Premier Inn
* Halfords
* Natuzzi
* WHAT!! Home & Leisure
* Wing Yip
* IKEA Croydon
* TK Maxx
* Sainsbury
* Comet
* Boots
* Next
* Carphone Warehouse
* Jessops
* Land of Leather (formerly in Valley Park, now in Purley Way Retail Park)
* Mothercare
* Tilemania
* Homebase (two stores)
* PC World
* Chevrolet
* GM Daewoo (was Daewoo)
* Magnet
* Toys R Us
* Marks and Spencer (formerly a Simply Food format store in Purley Way Retail Park, now a general store in Valley Park)
* Argos
* McDonalds (three, one in Waddon Goods Park, one in Valley Park and one in Croydon Colonnades)
* B&Q
* Audi
* Megabowl
* Outfit
* Matalan
* JJB Sports
* Outfit
* Currys
* Vue Cinema
* Nandos
* Frankie & Benny's
* T.G.I. Friday's
* Pizza Hut (branch located in Croydon Colonnades)
* Burger King (drive-thru branch located in Valley Park)
* Nike Store

Retail Parks

*Valley Park Retail Area
*Colonades Leisure Park
*Purley Way Retail Park
*Waddon Goods Park
*Croydon Fiveways

Other information

Purley Way Lido operated 1935 to 1980; the diving board remains in the middle of a garden centre.

In the past there has been a depository for the Science museum in the Retail Park area and Tramlink passes below the Purley Way.

External links

* [http://www.croydononline.org/history/places/purleyway.asp Early History]
* [http://www.croydononline.org/history/places/purleyway.asp#industrial%20development Industrial History]
* [http://www.croydononline.org/history/places/purleyway.asp#retail%20development Retail History]
* [http://www.imperial-airways.com/Croydon_airport_today_page_1.html Croydon Airport terminal today]