Of all the places you would expect a National Trust tour to take you, Croydon is probably near the bottom of your list.

But that is exactly what is set to happen, with the trust looking to change the perception of heritage from simply country houses and coastlines and seeking to rebuff Croydon’s Crap Town reputation.

It’s series of Edge City: Croydon tours begin on Saturday, July 16, and run until Sunday, July 25, and promise to delve into the contemporary heritage of the town and ‘shine a spotlight on the borough as one of the most important examples of the post-war ambition to build a new society’.

The National Trust’s London creative director Joseph Watson said: “Love it or loathe it, it is indisputable that Croydon stands for a post-war ambition that few other places can match.

“Its irrepressible spirit is what we seek to uncover – and how that can be harnessed so that the best of the past, present and future can be combined to create places in which we can all share pride.”

Tours include a last chance to go behind the scenes at Fairfield Halls – a venue that has hosted the likes of The Beatles, The Who and David Bowie – before it closes for two years for a multi-million pound refurbishment.

Other events include a Routemaster tour of Croydon and film-night Once Upon a Time in Croydon which features historic footage from the British Pathe archive and takes place on top of one of the town’s famous seven multi-story car parks.

The National Trust will also publish a Croydon guidebook.

Go to nationaltrust.org.uk/london

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