Where the streets have no (original) names (From Croydon Guardian)

Where the streets have no (original) names

10:01am Thursday 28th September 2006 in News By Sami Mokbel

London has the buzz of Oxford Street, the Big Apple has the exuberance of Broadway and Paris has the swagger of the Champs Elysee.

But what about Croydon?

Brighton Road, North End and Purley Way - they don't quite have the same ring, do they?

So I took it upon myself, along with a photographer (and driver for the day), to tour the Croydon roads that have illustrious namesakes.

First stop was Croydon's equivalent to Brixton's most well known street, Coldharbour Lane.

Unlike Brixton, Purley's version is a quiet, leafy pathway, the opposite of SW9 where being offered some sort of narcotic was once commonplace.

Next stop Abbey Road, the west London thoroughfare immortalised by the Beatles who featured it on an album of the same name.

Sadly there was no sign of Paul or Ringo in Croydon's version, but I think I may have seen an old VW Beetle parked nearby.

Croydon's doesn't even have a zebra crossing where I could replicate the Fab Four's famous album cover.

Oh well, I decided not to get too down-hearted. What this expedition needed was some glamour. Thumbing through my dog-eared A-Z I decided on one of our biggest and best highways.

Just like the Monopoly board game, Croydon also has its own Park Lane, which is home to some of London's finest hotels, including the Dorchester and Grosvenor House.

Croydon's equivalent, however, has Croydon College, Fairfield Halls and the Nestle building. They are fine buildings and formidable institutions, but hardly anything like what's on offer in Mayfair, W1.

Park Lane is one of the most expensive purchases on the traditional version of the Monopoly game, I can't imagine Croydon's version raising quite the same amount - not even with a couple of hotels on it.

No tour of famous roads would be complete without the style and panache of King's Road. Famous for its fashionable boutiques and chi-chi' yummy mummies, the Chelsea version has always attracted a glamorous clientele.

South Norwood's Kings Road offers a selection of high-rise flats and terrace housing. Hardly inspiring.

Next on my list was Broadway - I knew I'd make it there one day, my mother was right.

But where were the cinemas and theatres? All I could find was a dry cleaners and an off-licence.

If like me you decide to tour Croydon's famously named streets take a trip to Woodside, where you will find a collection of roads named after some of Britain's Olympic greats.

Christie Drive, Gunnell Close, Redgrave Close and Akabusi Close await your perusal.