Croydon News Update brings together the latest updates from across the borough. In this edition, it covers a gaming festival at Centrale, funding for safer roads, new openings and upgrades, local talent making headlines, and a new home for Council services.
16 to 22 October
Croydon Gaming Festival is coming to Centrale
Next Level returns for four days of gaming, technology and digital creativity, running until 27 October at Upper Mall, Centrale.
The festival brings together young people, local organisations and industry experts, with arcade games, esports challenges, creative workshops and live podcasting, plus a BRIT Arcade hosted by The BRIT School where visitors can design pixel art characters and play an Unreal Engine 5 racing game.
Croydon-based organisations will also take part, including youth charity Reaching Higher, which will record an episode of its 4 Runners podcast, and UP Creative, which will share insights into digital and creative careers. As The Croydon Project looks to the future of the town centre, events like this highlight Croydon’s role in supporting creativity, celebrating local talent and creating opportunities for the next generation.
Croydon secures £1.79m for safer roads and better journeys
Croydon Council has agreed £1.79m in funding with Transport for London (TfL) for safer pedestrian crossings, road safety improvements outside schools, better bus journeys and new cycling connections. The funding will support a revised Local Implementation Plan (LIP) programme focused on local priorities and improvements that can be delivered this financial year.
The updated programme places a stronger emphasis on delivering transport improvements that respond to local priorities. This includes improving the highway network, tackling congestion and reliability issues, enhancing road safety at targeted locations, improving bus performance, making key transport hubs more accessible, and delivering walking and cycling routes where they are most appropriate.
London Gatwick brings management of multi-million-pound advertising estate in-house
London Gatwick will bring the management of its airport-wide advertising estate in-house from 1 April 2027, giving brands a direct route to one of the UK’s largest travel audiences. The move will allow the airport to work more closely with advertisers and agencies on campaigns that connect with its 40 million-plus passengers.
Following significant investment in recent years, the airport’s media portfolio now includes more than 250 premium digital screens, high-impact advertising sites and passenger engagement opportunities. With passenger numbers still growing, brands can reach a large, diverse and engaged audience at key moments in their journey.
Padel operator to open tenth UK club with six-court development at former Croydon warehouse
A padel operator based in Greater Manchester is set to open its first London club and tenth nationwide this December as work begins to transform a former warehouse in Croydon, a short walk from Coulsdon South station.
Alongside six indoor courts, the new Pure Padel club will feature a cafe and licensed bar, pro shop, changing facilities, social areas, and a co-working lounge. It also plans to offer expert-led coaching for all abilities, as well as social sessions, large corporate group bookings, and private parties.
Croydon wildlife photographer won at the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards
Croydon wildlife filmmaker, author and photographer Seth Forestson (@seth.the.explorer) has won the Urban Wildlife category at the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards.
His winning photo, “Urban Jungle”, shows a common water lizard in Bangkok’s Lumphini Park against the city skyline. He took it on his smartphone, making him the first category winner in the competition’s history to win without a professional camera setup.
Upgrade complete at PureGym Croydon
PureGym Croydon has completed a major refurbishment, with new and upgraded facilities across the club.
Located at 12-20 Crown Hill, the gym is open 24/7 and offers more than 220 pieces of equipment and over 50 group classes a week included in membership, with no contract.
What’s new:
- Women’s workout space: upgraded and extended, with a lifting zone with squat racks, a free weights area with adjustable benches, dumbbells up to 30kg and a Smith machine, plus fixed pin and glute-focused machines
- Free weights area: extended, with a new lifting zone and a 6-bay lifting rig
- Functional training zone: upgraded, with new wall ball targets
- Studios and stretch area: upgraded dual studio and stretch area
- Equipment: new kit throughout the club
Croydon officially opens Cavendish House as new home for Council services
Croydon Council has officially opened Cavendish House in South Croydon, the first step in bringing key services together to make support easier for residents to access.
Executive Mayor Jason Perry opened the building on Friday 16 October. The housing needs service will be the first to move in, with residents seeing staff by appointment at the new site from Wednesday 21 October.
The building offers a dedicated reception, better waiting areas, more interview capacity, family-friendly facilities, stronger safeguarding and security, and improved accessibility and connectivity.