It has been a while since bowler hats were regularly spotted in Croydon town centre. 

But the sophisticated fashion item will be making an unlikely return atop the heads of a new "on-street concierge" team tasked with helping visitors and keeping the area looking sharp. 

Dressed in distinctive three-piece uniforms, including blue hats and ties, the three "roving ambassadors" will be employed by Croydon Business Improvement District (BID) from the start of June. 

Their duties will include welcoming shoppers and tourists to the town centre, providing information and directions, promoting events and supporting the needs of businesses.

Deployed Tuesdays to Saturdays, the ambassadors will also keep an eye on the cleanliness and safety of the town centre.

Their introduction follows the closure of the Croydon Visitor Centre on May 1 to make way for the Ruskin Square development.

Matthew Sims, chief executive of the Croydon BID, said: "Introduction of the on-street Ambassadors service is a total shift change compared to what was in place previously. It also comes at a highly crucial time both for the BID and for Croydon, as the impact of the town centre’s re-development takes hold.

"Having a team of approachable and knowledgeable people out on the streets, actively engaging with and assisting those who use the town centre will go a long way towards ensuring Croydon is increasingly regarded as a welcoming and friendly place to be, where there is lots going on and lots of exciting developments taking place."

The service will be provided by Welcome People, which describes itself as a "visitor welcome and street management" company. It already employs ambassadors in areas including London Victoria, Regent Street and Manchester city centre.

David Miller, founder of Welcome People, said: "Although their attire might, at first, be regarded by some as 'quirky', our experience across the country shows that the sentiment is swiftly overtaken by an appreciation of the quality of service and assistance that the teams provide and as befits the strong, professional and commercial credentials of the areas they operate in."

Anyone interested in applying for the roles can email croydon@thewelcomepeople.com