7:30am Sunday 18th July 2010
By Mike Didymus
Croydon's retail centre has slipped to 36th in a ranking of the country's top shopping destinations, despite consumer spending remaining relatively constant in the borough through the recession.
New shopping centres at Liverpool, Cardiff and Westfield in London have all leapfrogged Croydon in the annual Caci ranking, which forecasts retail expenditure for the borough at an estimated £770m for 2010.
In London it was outshone by nearby Kingston and Covent Garden at £810m, while the West End topped the overall list with an esimated £3,170m retail expenditure.
The borough did trump Bromley and Thurrock Lakeside in the list, and bucked the trend of less affluent areas succumbing to pressures of the economic downturn.
Andrew Bauer, director of Croydon's Whitgift shopping centre, said: "Croydon has weathered the recession much better than many of its neighbours and from January of this year has seen small but sustained annual growth in its retail activity.
"The recent arrival of the East London line extension into West Croydon and future plans to upgrade both stations will assist in the commercial regeneration of the town, with a subsequent rise in its rankings once more."
The Caci retail footprint analyses current and future shopping patters, and attempts to provide a definitive and independent guide to UK retail centres.
Croydon's stable expenditure was borne out by Caci's forecast of the most 'recession-proof' retail areas last year, which placed the borough 20th in the country.
Councillor Simon Hoar, cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, said: “I'm obviously disappointed to have dropped slightly behind Kingston but pleased that we've kept ahead of other rivals such as Bromley.
“That shows there is still an appetite for people to shop in Croydon and spend their time and money here.
“In terms of the future, we're planning for future inward investment work within Croydon and have retained the retail skills centre as part of the LEGI measures I presented (to Monday’s cabinet meeting).
“I obviously can't speak for Kingston's plans but we're certainly looking at doing what we can to make forward progress in Croydon.”
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