Westfield to open in Croydon

Westfield Group, has announced plans to make Croydon the location of its third shopping destination. Having first built Westfield London in the west of the city and followed this by opening Westfield Stratford in the north-east of London in

September this year, the property firm is now working with the Whitgift Foundation to establish a presence in the south of the capital.

Being close to Gatwick Airport and the affluent commuter belt counties of Surrey and Kent, Croydon has significant potential as a shopping hub and Westfield estimates that the development could attract around three million customers from London and the south-east of England.

Michael Gutman, Managing Director of Europe and New Markets at Westfield, said: “There is the potential for a major retail scheme in this strategic market which has been identified in the past by the John Lewis Partnership as a possible key location, and the GLA and the local authorities have very high aspirations to implement a major retail scheme and the regeneration of the town centre. Westfield and the Whitgift Foundation will seek a constructive dialogue with all the key stakeholders over the coming weeks and months to seek to bring this much anticipated project to fruition.”

The investment plans will come as good news to residents and business in Croydon, which was one of the worst affected areas in the UK-wide riots this summer with many shops looted & damaged and the House of Reeves furniture store razed to the ground following an arson attack.