South London
South London is generally defined as any part of London that is south of the river Thames. However, this guide only covers the outer South London boroughs, namely Bromley, Bexley, Croydon, Kingston-upon-Thames, Sutton, and parts of Merton. Though geographically within this region, the areas of Richmond & Kew and Wimbledon are covered by separate articles due to the number of attractions, as are the inner South London boroughs - see London#Inner London.
Understand
Most areas of present South London were once towns and villages in the counties of Surrey, Kent and Middlesex outside London, which were assimilated by London as it expanded rapidly in the 19th and 20th centuries. Surrey and Kent are still used as part of the official postal addresses for some areas of south London.
Most of outer South London is residential suburbia, but this is punctuated by some sites of tourist interest. The main towns of outer south London are Kingston upon Thames, Wimbledon, Sutton, Croydon, Bromley & Bexleyheath. Each of these towns are major commercial centres with transport interchanges, entertainment, cultural and shopping centres.
Kingston upon Thames would have to be considered the most interesting of the aforementioned towns for visitors. It is a former market town within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. It is where many Saxon kings were crowned before the invasion of William the Conqueror in 1066. It has a pleasant riverside location with views across the river to nearby Hampton Court Palace & Park, which is a Tudor royal palace, built by Cardinal Wolesley for King Henry VIII. It has extensive viewing areas with rooms from various historical periods. There is also a large formal garden and maze, as well as substantial adjacent parkland and river walks along the Thames. The gardens are home to the annual Hampton Court Flower Show.
Boroughs
South London consists of the following London boroughs:
- Bexley — (population around 224,000) the borough includes Bexleyheath, Crayford, Erith, Sidcup, Thamesmead, Welling and Belvedere
- Bromley — (population around 303,000) the borough includes Beckenham, Bromley, Orpington, Chislehurst and Biggin Hill
- Croydon — (population around 342,000) the borough includes Croydon, Coulsdon, Norbury, Purley, Thornton Heath, Coulsdon, Old Coulsdon, Norwood and Norbury
- Kingston upon Thames — (population around 161,000) the borough includes Chessington, Kingston upon Thames, New Malden and Surbiton
- Merton — (population around 202,000) the borough includes Morden, Mitcham and Wimbledon
- Sutton — (population around 188,000) the borough includes Sutton, Carshalton, Wallington, Cheam and Worcester Park
Bromley
Bromley is in the southeast of Greater London. Much of the borough was historically in the county of Kent, as is reflected by the presence of Kent County Cricket Club's teams in Beckenham. Here one can find Biggin Hill Airport a small private airfield, used mainly for civil aviation, an International Air Fair in June and also featured in the 2006 movie adaptation of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code.
The borough is the largest in London by area and occupies 59 square miles (153 km²). The borough shares borders with Lewisham, Greenwich and Bexley to the north, Southwark and Lambeth to the northwest, Croydon to the west; and the counties of Surrey to the south and Kent to the south and east.
Croydon
Known for its density of shiny glass and steel high-rise office blocks, including the Home Office government department. Wellesley Road runs north/south through Croydon and is home to the luxury Saffron Square apartment development, including an iconic 45-storey tower. The pedestrianised shopping precinct west of here is an attractive retail area. Croydon Town hall and the Clock Tower art centre are housed in an imposing Victorian building just to the south of the retail centre.
Sutton
Sutton is a borough and the main town in that borough. The town is a vibrant place with a theatre, lots of public art ranging from murals to statues to an armillary (look it up!), a very large library and many restaurants and coffee houses. The centre has a lot of attractive period architecture, and there are four conservation areas to keep it that way. There is a lush little town centre park called Manor Park, complete with a fountain as its centrepiece. It is also the site of the town's war memorial. The town has a sizeable business sector and one of the biggest shopping areas in London, centred around Sutton High Street. It's not as big as Kingston or Croydon though, being a bit more compact. But you will find many well-known names, including a large Waterstones bookshop, complete with a nice coffee area upstairs.
Finally, being a pretty leafy sort of place, it may be reassuring to know that Sutton benefits from very low crime by London standards.
Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is a Royal Borough and includes the town of the same name, with some historic structures and an attractive retail area, centred on the Bentall Centre. The borough was historically in the county of Surrey, and not only is the postal county of Surrey sometimes still used for traditional reasons for the borough, but Surrey's administrative headquarters are actually located here.
The popular zoo and amusement park of Chessington are located at the southern, almost completely rural, end of the borough.
Get in
By London Underground (Tube)
Much of South London, including Croydon is not served by the London Underground network. The historical explanation for the lack of coverage is that at the time the London Underground was built, the area was well-served by private railways, most of London's urban expansion was north of the River Thames and the ground below was too marshy to be excavated in the traditional cut-and-cover method.
The District line (Green) terminates at Wimbledon DIS , though you'll need to change at Earl's Court DIS PIC to reach much of central London.
The Northern line (Black) terminates at Morden NOR . Funnily enough, this is the southernmost Tube station, so you will need to rely on trains, trams and other forms of transport to work your way around South London.
By London Overground
The London Overground links West Croydon and Crystal Palace stations to East London, primarily at Whitechapel station, and North London at Dalston Junction.
By train
South London is served by several train services from Central London stations. Check the London Transport maps for the correct station as the layout of the lines is rather confusing in places.
As a rough guide, services run:
- From London Waterloo to Kingston.
- From London Waterloo to Surbiton.
- From London Victoria, London Blackfriars, London Bridge to Bromley, Croydon, Merton, and Sutton.
- From London Charing Cross and London Cannon St to Bexley and Bromley.
Bromley
By car
The M25 sits on the southern edge of the borough. Junction 4 (Bromley/Orpington) quickly connects with the A21, though for Chislehurst and areas it may be quicker to use Junction 3. The A21 is the main London to Hastings road and it runs through the borough before heading south to Sevenoaks and Tonbridge.
By train
The borough has 27 railway stations which cover much of the area and are served by three Central London stations; London Victoria, London Blackfriars and London Bridge (and, by extension, Cannon Street, Waterloo East and Charing Cross). The main transport hub in the borough is Bromley South, with regular fast trains to London Victoria and a network of buses that stop outside the station and go to all parts of the borough. Orpington is the major station for the east of the borough.
By plane
- 1 Biggin Hill Airport (BQH IATA). A former RAF airfield from which the Battle of Britain was coordinated and serves private jets. While the runway is usable by aircraft up to Boeing 737/Airbus A320 size, it is prohibited for airline operators to sell tickets for flights in and out of the airport, thus there are no scheduled or holiday charter flights from the airport. However, there is still a surprisingly large number of business flights.
Croydon
By London Overground
Transport for London (TfL) operates the London Overground Windrush line (formerly East London Line (ELL)) from Highbury & Islington VIC 
to West Croydon. The line goes via Dalston Junction, New Cross, the Docklands (Shadwell DLR and Canada Water JUB DLR ) and Whitechapel DIS ELI .
This service, which started in June 2010, uses new rolling stock with longitudinal seating layouts (i.e. seating facing the windows leaving a wide aisleway) similar to those used on Underground trains, allowing for more standing room. It is operated by Transport for London as part of the London Overground scheme.
By tram
Tramlink opened in 2000 and is the first modern tram system to operate in London much of it utilising pre-existing track from previous railway companies.
Nowadays, London Trams is owned by Transport for London (TfL) and operated by FirstGroup using Bombardier trams with distinct green-coloured livery on 3 tram routes:
- Wimbledon to Elmers End
- Wimbledon to Beckenham Junction
- New Addington to West Croydon
Trams have destinations at Beckenham, Wimbledon, Elmers End and New Addington with all lines travelling through Croydon, on the Croydon Loop. Also, they can be used to reach the London Underground's District line in Wimbledon, then the rest of London via Earl's Court DIS PIC .
By train
|
Excerpt from Casting the Runes by M.R. James
He arrived accordingly, and they concocted plans. The train left Victoria at nine and its last stop before Dover was Croydon West. Harrington would mark down Karswell at Victoria, and look out for Dunning at Croydon, calling to him if need were by a name agreed upon. Dunning, disguised as far as might be, was to have no label or initials on any hand luggage, and must at all costs have the paper with him. |
Croydon is well-connected by trains from two train stations:
2 East Croydon station. The second busiest station in London and the main station for Croydon. Fast trains run into the centre of London terminating at Victoria or London Bridge stations in about 15–20 minutes. 
3 West Croydon station. Which features in the famous story Casting the Runes by ghost story master M.R. James is an interchange station for trains, trams and buses. Trains run into the centre of London terminating at Victoria or London Bridge stations in about 20–40 minutes. Services leaving London generally terminate at Sutton but some continue to Guildford, Dorking and Epsom Downs.
Services are provided by Southern and First Capital Connect.
All services from London Victoria that head to the South Coast stop here. Journey times from East Croydon to Brighton range from 36 to 60 minutes, with an average of 9 services per hour during the day.
- London Gatwick (LGW IATA) – The journey time from East Croydon ranges from 15 to 36 minutes, with an average of 13 services per hour during the day.
- London Luton (LTN IATA) – The journey time from East Croydon is approximately 66 minutes, with an average of 4 services per hour during the day. The train service also stops at London St. Pancras International (average journey time approximately 40 minutes), providing interconnections for Eurostar services to Lille, Paris & Brussels; as well as national services to the north of England & Scotland.
- London Heathrow Airport (LHR IATA) – There are no direct train services from East Croydon and a typical fastest journey time would be approximately 90 minutes with at least two changes: London Victoria CIR DIS VIC
and Earl's Court DIS PIC .
By bus
Croydon is well served by the London bus network, with a major bus station at West Croydon and a new one opening on the eastern side of Croydon next to the Croydon Clocktower and Park Place shopping centre soon. Bus services in the centre of Croydon include:
- Towards central London: bus routes 50, 60, 109, 250, 468, X68 (a peak time express service).
- Other routes: 75, 119 (Purley Way (Croydon Airport) - Bromley), 157, 197, 264, 289, 312 (South Croydon Bus Garage - Peckham, via Central Croydon, Addiscombe), 407, 410, 450, 455, 466, and X26 (West/East Croydon - Sutton - Kingston - Heathrow Central (Express)).
Get around
Bromley
Transport for London (TfL) manages bus services in Bromley and these are operated by Selkent and Metrobus.
Croydon
Croydon is mostly pedestrian friendly, North End the main shopping parade was closed for traffic over 10 years ago and most places can be easily reached on foot.
By taxi
There is a large taxi stand, served by black cabs outside the main entrance to East Croydon Station. The taxi stand is on the left hand side as soon as you exit the station. The taxi stand allows other local cab companies, etc to pick up the passengers from the same taxi stand.
By bus
Buses leave at West Croydon station, with most buses leaving Croydon stopping at the bus station next to West Croydon station. The other bus station is opposite East Croydon station on George street, although not all buses going past it stop.
See
Bexley
- 1 Red House, Red House Lane, Bexleyheath, DA6 8JF (rail: Bexleyheath ), ☏ +44 20 8304-9878, redhouse@nationaltrust.org.uk. Not open every day. A major building of the history of the 'Arts and Crafts style' and of 19th century British architecture. Has some interesting textile displays. William Morris lived here, the architect was Philip Webb, with wall paintings and stained glass by Edward Burne-Jones.
- 2 Danson Park. A truly stunning yet under-visited park, next to Welling, that features a mansion house (Danson House) and boating lake.
- 3 Woolwich Dockyard. Historic area for both ship and weapon-making. The Arsenal (of which the football club derives its name from) is little left, although there is an Artillery Museum and parade ground with attached garrison for soldiers which is sometimes used. Was used for hosting several events for the Olympics of 2012.
- 4 Charlton House. A Jacobean manor house. Formerly housing a museum and archives, the mansion is now a community centre, and much of the former pleasure grounds are parks.
- 5 Lesnes Abbey Woods (rail: Abbey Wood ELI ). as the name suggests, woods with a now-ruined Lesnes abbey. Green chain walk passes through.
- 6 Crossness Engines, Bazalgette Way, Abbey Wood SE2 9AQ (rail: Abbey Wood ELI ). Four vast elaborately decorated beam engines that pumped Victorian London's poop; they were too heavy to remove when decommissioned. One of them is occasionally set in motion. check website for open days.
Bromley
- 7 Chislehurst Caves, Old Hill, Chislehurst, ☏ +44 20 8467-3264, enquiries@chislehurstcaves.co.uk. W-Su 10AM-4PM, seven days during school holidays. A seriously underlooked attraction, the caves are not in fact caves but a twenty-mile long network of passageways, carved from the chalk deep under Chislehurst . Used as a massive air-raid shelter during World War II, the Caves are now a local tourist attraction. Tours often last for an hour, where you'll learn the fascinating history as well as hear ghost and horror stories. £5, concessions £3, under 5's free.
- 8 Crofton Roman Villa, Crofton Roman Villa, Crofton Rd, Orpington, ☏ +44 20 8460-1442, croftonromanvilla@btinternet.com. Apr-Oct, Bank Holidays, W F 10AM-1PM and 2PM-5PM, Su 2PM-5PM. The only villa open to the public in Greater London. It was inhabited from about AD 140-400 and was the centre of a large farming estate. Today you can see the remains of 10 rooms protected inside a public viewing building. Remains include tiled (tessellated) floors and the under-floor heating system (hypocaust). £1, children £0.70.
- 9 Down House, Luxted Rd, Downe, BR6 7JT, ☏ +44 1689 859119. Hours vary seasonally. It was at Down House that Charles Darwin worked on his scientific theories, and wrote On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, the book which both scandalised and revolutionised the Victorian world when it was published in 1859. Built in the early 18th century, the house remains much as it was when Darwin lived here. The rooms on the ground floor have been furnished to reflect the domestic life of the family and the first floor offers an interactive exhibition on his life, his research and his discoveries. English Heritage has restored the gardens to their appearance in Darwin's time. adults £19.00, children £11.40, concessions £17.00.
- 10 Royal Waterman's Alms Houses, High Street, Penge. view from the outside only. designed by George Porter and built in 1840–1841 by the Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the City of London. The residents moved out in 1973 and the almshouses became private houses.
- Elsewhere in Bromley, the exiled Emperor Napoleon III lived in a country house, which is now Chislehurst golf club. Derwent House is also notable for its exquisite style.
- Petts Wood, cool place for a picnic, walk or camp.
Croydon
Because it was heavily bombed in WW2, Croydon features a patchwork of old and new architecture.
- 11 The Whitgift Almshouses, North End, Croydon CR9 1SS. Form a fine Tudor courtyard. The almshouses now provide sheltered flats for elderly locals.
- 12 Clock Tower Museum (tram: George Street BJCT ELMS NADT ). A museum highlighting Croydon in the past and present includes the Riesco Gallery. Also exhibitions on the gifted black composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) who lived most of his life in Croydon. His works include The Song of Hiawatha, a great favourite (before World War II) at the Royal Albert Hall conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent. The impressive Town Hall is adjacent.
- 13 Woodside Green (tram: Woodside BJCT ELMS ). Visit for a villagy experience and go to the Joiner's Arms or Beehive pubs for a pleasant drink or meal.
- 14 Croydon Airport. London's former main airport, now disused and is now a tourist attraction.
- 15 Shirley Windmill. Restored and the only surviving windmill in Shirley.
- 16 Addington Palace (tram: Gravel Hill NADT ). 18th century mansion in Addington.
- 17 Croydon Clocktower. Arts venue, opened by Queen Elizabeth II.
- 18 Nestlé Tower. The famous UK headquarters of Nestlé, one of the tallest towers in England.
- 19 Fairfield Halls. Arts centre, which opened in 1962, frequently used for BBC recordings.
- 20 Croydon Palace. Summer residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury for over 500 years.
- 21 Croydon Cemetery. Most famous for the gravestone of Derek Bentley, wrongly hanged in 1953.
- 22 Mitcham Common (tram: Mitcham Junction BJCT ELMS ). Partly in the borough, shared with Sutton and Merton, this massive green space is good for quiet walks when the weather is nice and sledding when there's snow on the ground.
Kingston
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- 23 The Coronation Stone. Whilst not full of sights, an item of some interest is the coronation stone, on which seven English kings from Edward the Elder to Aethelred the Unready were crowned. The stone is located outside the Guildhall, and is close to the market.
- 24 The Thames. Kingston borough redeveloped the riverfront, and it is an extremely pleasant way to spend a summer day. It can get very busy, and to avoid the crowds you can cross over Kingston Bridge and walk along the quieter Richmond side.
- 25 Out of Order. For a good photo opportunity seek out the phone boxes, a sculpture by artist David Mach in Old London Road featuring a number of disused red telephone boxes leaning against each other like dominoes.
- 26 All Saints Church, Market Place, KT1 1JP, ☏ +44 20 8546 5964. Su 8AM–7PM, M–Sa 10AM–4PM (later on event days). Kingston's old parish church near the marketplace goes back to the sixteenth century on earlier foundations. Inside, for those interested in military history, is a chapel dedicated to a former local regiment, the East Surreys.
Sutton
- 27 All Saints Carshalton, West end of Carshalton High Street, opposite Carshalton Ponds, ☏ +44 20 8647-2366, jct@thewlis.org.uk. Historic Anglican church with a very ancient history. The church's website states that the church's tower in all likelihood dates from before the Norman conquest, and the first nave was probably built around 1150, though most of the present-day church was built in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Do
Bexley
- Green Chain Walk, begins at the gardens by the Thames Barrier and is a leafy pedestrian and cycle path that continues deeper into the south-eastern suburbs. Can also check the pretty villages of Kent dotted around just outside London.
- Walk or cycle the Thames Path which follows the south bank of the river from Greenwich to Erith. Most sections are paved although there are some gravel/rough sections.
- Watch a football match at Welling United or Charlton Athletic.
Bromley
- 1 Churchill Theatre. Offers a range of theatrical performances, including touring productions, performances by (very good) local amateur groups, and pantomime during the Christmas and New Year period (usually starring somebody who used to be in Neighbours). Bromley Little Theatre is close to the North Station. Bromley also has a medium-sized Odeon cinema.
- 2 Quaser, 94 Bromley Hill. a laser-tag arena, which is good fun for the kids or a rainy afternoon.
- There is a large swimming pool in the Pavilion Leisure Centre, which has flume shoots and a wave-machine.
- The area around Down House has a network of lovely footpaths through woods and pastures if you feel like a walk. They're shown on OpenStreetMap-based mapping apps such as OsmAnd or Mapy.cz.
Croydon
- 3 Fairfield Halls, Park Lane, Croydon, CR9 1DG, ☏ +44 20 8688-9291 (Box Office). Theatre / Arts centre.
- 4 BRIT School. Performing Arts and Technology school owned by the BRIT Trust (known for the BRIT Awards).
- 5 Croydon Grants. Entertainment Venue. Includes a large 11-screen Vue Cinema, The Milan Bar (a Wetherspoons chain pub), Reflex 80s Bar and Disco, Nando's and Tiger Tiger restaurant and nightclub.
- Outdoor Spaces. The London Borough of Croydon has 120 parks & open spaces which you can visit freely.
Sport
- 6 Crystal Palace FC, Selhurst Park Stadium, Whitehorse Lane, SE25 6PU, ☏ +44 8712 000071 (Ticket office). Palace play soccer in the Premier League, the top tier in England. Their stadium is Selhurst Park, capacity 26,309 (all seated), where it has been based since 1924.
- 7 Charlton Athletic FC, The Valley, Floyd Rd SE7 8BL. Athletic were relegated in 2020 and now play in League One, the third tier of English soccer. Their stadium is The Valley, 27,000 all-seater capacity.
- Bromley FC play in the National League, the game's fifth tier. Their home ground is Hayes Lane, capacity 5000, a miles south of Bromley south railway station.
- Several other 'semi-pro' sides play in lower divisions, eg Croydon FC, Welling United and Cray Wanderers, the oldest association football club still in existence in London.
- Surrey County Cricket Club, Whitgift School, Haling Park, South Croydon, CR2 6YT. Surrey County C.C is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English domestic cricket structure. They play four home games away from the Oval (Kennington, Lambeth/South London) each season. Two of these games are played at the Whitgift School, the other two games are played in Guildford. See their website for fixture list.
- Croydon Pirates. One of the largest baseball clubs, actually located at Roundshaw, just in the Borough of Sutton. They boast two diamonds and often host the London Baseball Tournament in August. They have a team in the highest division of baseball in the UK, which is still amateur. Similarly, there is Richmond Flames, which sport several sides in different leagues and play further afield in south-west London.
Kingston
- Bike along the riverside. Follow the Thames path to Richmond upon Thames, Kew (home of the botanical gardens) and beyond into Barnes and Putney. In the opposite direction you will find Hampton Court, which has open air picnic concerts during the summer months.
- 8 Chessington World of Adventures, Leatherhead Road, Chessington, Surrey, KT9 2NE (From the South, take M25 junction 9. From the North, take M25 junction 10), ☏ +44 870 999 0045. 10AM-5PM (winter), 10AM-8PM (summer). Theme park, zoo and sea-life centre. From £29.50 for all-day access..
- Football. Football enthusiasts can catch two clubs that play at Kingsmeadow, also known as the Cherry Red Records Fans' Stadium due to a commercial sponsorship deal.
- 9 AFC Wimbledon, Kingsmeadow, Kingston Rd, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 3PB, ☏ +44 20 8547-3528, +44 20 8546-9582 (tickets). Founded in 2002 by former fans of Wimbledon F.C. when that club received approval to move from London to Milton Keynes, where the club is now known as Milton Keynes Dons. After a series of promotions in the following years, AFC Wimbledon are now in Football League Two, the fourth tier of England's professional club system.
- Kingstonian F.C.. Formed in 1885, playing in the Ryman Premier Division, three promotions away from AFC Wimbledon.
- 9 AFC Wimbledon, Kingsmeadow, Kingston Rd, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 3PB, ☏ +44 20 8547-3528, +44 20 8546-9582 (tickets). Founded in 2002 by former fans of Wimbledon F.C. when that club received approval to move from London to Milton Keynes, where the club is now known as Milton Keynes Dons. After a series of promotions in the following years, AFC Wimbledon are now in Football League Two, the fourth tier of England's professional club system.
- Go to the races at Sandown Park, Portsmouth Rd, Esher KT10 9AJ. This has frequent flat-racing April-Oct and jumps races Nov-March. Nearby Esher station has frequent trains from Waterloo.
- Five miles north, Kempton Park likewise has flat-racing and jumps. It's on Staines Rd East, Shepperton TW16 5AQ. Kempton Park station has frequent trains between Waterloo and Shepperton.
Sutton
- Sutton United were promoted in 2021 and now play soccer in League Two, the game's fourth tier. Their home ground is Gander Green Lane, capacity 7000, just north of West Sutton railway station.
Buy
Bromley
Each of the towns and villages in the borough has its own distinct high street but Bromley High St remains the main shopping centre and runs the length of the town. The northern section is mainly comprised of a cinema, specialist shops and restaurants. As the high street gets to the Market Square, there are a number of pubs. The central section of the High Street, between Market Square and Elmfield Rd, is pedestrianised.
- 1 Bromley Charter Market (S section of the pedestrian area of High St, Bromley, between Marks & Spencer and Elmfield Rd). Th–Sa 9AM–5PM.
- 2 The Glades (formerly intu Bromley), High Street, Bromley, BR1 1DN, ☏ +44 20 8313-9292. M–Sa 9AM–7PM, Su 11AM-5PM. The bulk of the better-known stores are in this area.
- 3 The Mall (The southern section of the High Street, which runs down to Bromley South Station). Does not get many shoppers.
Croydon
Croydon is one of the top 20 retail destinations in the United Kingdom, it has two large and a smaller shopping centers. All the major chain stores can be found in Croydon, along with most department stores.
- 4 Centrale Shopping Centre, North End (Close to West Croydon station). M-W, F Sa 9:30AM-7PM, Th 9:30AM-9:00PM, Su 11AM-5PM. Shopping centre opened in 2004, situated on 4 floors. Shops include House of Fraser, Next, Zara, H&M, French Connection and Aldo. The Food Gallery is on the top floor of centre and includes a wide variety of restaurants.
- 5 North End. The shopping road in Croydon.
- 6 Purley Way (To the south west of Central Croydon, but still in the borough). A retail-heavy road including large stores such as IKEA, a B&Q warehouse, TK Maxx, Vue, Megabowl, Argos Extra, and Sainsbury's. Retail parks include Valley Park, Purley Way Retail Park and Croydon Collonades, Waddon Goods Park.
- Supermarkets. Include, in Croydon, Sainsbury's (Whitgift Centre), Tesco's (on Brighton Road 5 min walk from town centre), Lidl (West Croydon), Marks & Spencer (Whitgift Centre), Waitrose (East Croydon), Tesco's (Purley), John Lewis (Purley Way).
- 7 Surrey Street Market. Market which has a Royal Charter dating back to 1276 linking it to the Archbishop of Canterbury.
- 8 Whitgift Shopping Centre, North End (Close to West Croydon bus station). M-W, F Sa 9AM-7PM, Th 9AM-9PM, Su 11AM-5PM, Bank holidays 10AM-6PM. Main shopping centre, situated on 3 floors and used to be biggest shopping centre in Europe. Shops include Marks & Spencer, Boots, WHSmith, Sainsbury's Central, Mothercare and Books Etc. Various restaurants and cafes throughout the centre.
- 9 Mimzi, 131 Cherry Orchard Road. M–Th 09:30–18:30, F 09:30–19:00, Sa 10:00–18:00, Su 10:00–17:00. A little Bulgarian supermarket selling various inexpensive Eastern European foods. If you can't read Cyrillic you may have to guess what you're buying.
Kingston Upon Thames
Kingston has the most extensive range of shops in the southeast of England outside central London, and is very popular, especially at weekends. Virtually all major chains have branches, as well as several independent shops and boutiques.
- 10 Bentall centre, Clarence St. Biggest shopping mall. Four-storey mall, which is anchored by a multi-level department store, Bentalls, which sells high-end fashion, home ware and specialty food products. John Lewis is the other main department store in town and is noted for quality. It has a branch of Waitrose supermarket in the basement.
- 11 Fife Road (Between the Bentall Centre and the railway station). Several clothing boutiques.
- 12 Kingston Marketplace. The marketplace was historically at the heart of Kingston's prosperity, benefiting from a Royal Charter forbidding any other markets within seven miles. Today it mostly sells fruit and vegetables, although there are some other stalls. There are also occasional visiting markets from France and Germany that sell regional produce and takeaway food and drink.
Eat
Bromley
- 1 Cinnamon Culture, 46 Plaistow Ln, Bromley, BR1 3PA, ☏ +44 20 8289-0322, info@cinnamonculture.com. Tu–Sa noon–2:30PM & 6–11PM, Su noon–3:30PM & 6–10:30PM, closed M. Stylish Indian restaurant not far from the town centre.
- There is a large choice of typical restaurants you would see on most High Streets, such as Zizzi or Pizza Express, with some good curryhouses spread around like 'Tinga next to the Odeon Cinema. Opposite is Taste Buffet, which has standard Chinese dishes, but the friendly service lends a personal touch to your dining. £6.40 Lunchtimes.
Croydon
Visitors are often surprised by the variety, quality and affordability of Croydon's restaurants. Whilst the pedestrianised centre is overflowing with chains, the High St and South End Rd (south of the flyover) has an excellent selection of independent places, which is (sadly) becoming a victim of its own success, and itself is beginning to be taken over by the chains.
Budget
- 2 Cafe Giardino, 30 N End, Croydon, CR0 1TY (Centrale & Whitgift). Italian.
Mid-range
- 3 Chat House Tandoori, 14-16 Brighton Rd, South Croydon, CR2 6AA, ☏ +44 20 8680-5719. W–M 5–10PM, closed Tu.
- 4 Little Bay Croydon, 32 Selsdon Road, South Croydon, CR2 6PB, ☏ +44 20 8686-6981, croydon@littlebay.co.uk. M–Th 11AM–9PM, F–Su 11AM–10PM. There are live opera performances on Monday and Wednesday evenings, and live folk music on Saturdays. There are interesting murals on the toilet walls (at least in the men's) which might not be suitable for children! Three-course meal £11.00-16.00.
- 5 The Spread Eagle Ale & Pie House, 39-41 Katharine St, Croydon, CR0 1NX, ☏ +44 20 8781-1134, spreadeagle@fullers.co.uk. M–Th noon–10PM, F Sa noon–11PM, Su noon–10:30PM. A Fuller's "Ale & Pie" house serving up fresh, homemade pies and other pub classics, along with a great selection of cask conditioned ales.
Kingston
The area of Kingston of New Malden has a sizeable Korean population and there are a large number of restaurants along the High St. Korean barbecue, such as galbi or samgyeopsal is available in numerous places. Another option is bibimbap, a mixture of various vegetables, rice and chilli paste.
Sutton
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Sutton town centre's range of restaurants has expanded greatly in the last ten to fifteen years, and there are now culinary offerings of French, Spanish, British, Mexican, Malaysian, Thai, Japanese, Pakistani, Portuguese and Turkish cuisine, as well as the more longstanding presence of Italian, Indian and Chinese eateries. You can't miss them, as they are mainly concentrated in the area to either side of the mainline station.
Drink
Bexley
There are micropubs in Eltham, Blackfen, Sidcup and Crayford, and there is a large Wetherspoons in Bexleyheath town centre.
Bromley
Borough-wide, Bromley's town centre drinking establishments are generally the sort of generic chain fayre you would find anywhere. However, away from the centres, there are good pubs, many in the traditional vein. Sundridge Park is a small neighbourhood just to the north of Bromley, has retained some well-liked, traditional pubs.
- 1 The Anglesey Arms, 90 Palace Rd, Sundridge Park, Bromley, BR1 3JX, ☏ +44 20 3609-5800. M 3–10PM, Tu–Sa 2–10PM, Su noon–10PM. Traditional feel, friendly staff and good ale, albeit a bit on the pricey side. Shepherd Naeme pub.
- 2 The Prince Frederick, 31 Nichol Ln, Sundridge Park, Bromley, BR1 4DE, ☏ +44 20 8466-6741. Su–Th noon–10PM, F Sa 11AM–10PM. Allegedly the only pub named after George II's son, Poor Fred, Prince of Wales. It has managed to retain its traditional feel by maintaining separate saloon and lounge bars. A good choice of ales and lagers but no food. Greene King pub.
- 3 The Red Lion, 10 North Rd, Sundridge Park, Bromley, BR1 3LG, ☏ +44 20 8460-2691. Su noon–9PM, M–W 3–9PM, Th–Sa 3–10PM. Some christen this the best pub in Bromley. A friendly atmosphere, good quality ales and decent, affordable pub food make this an excllent choice. Greene King pub.
Croydon
- 4 Green Dragon, 60 High St, Croydon, CR0 1NA, ☏ +44 20 8667-0684, thegreendragon.croydon@stonegatepubs.com. Pub with an eclectic but very good natured crowd. Live bands and DJs some nights of the week.
Kingston
There are a large variety of pubs and bars from cheaper chain pubs such as Wetherspoons to the trendy riverside bars. The main club is Oceana which is always very popular and attracts a great number of people from surrounding areas. Oceana's popularity of late however has taken a nosedive due to a widely publicised murder, their close neighbours 'The Hippodrome' is now considered the place to be.
Sleep
Bromley
- 1 Avis Hotel, 33 Rodway Road, Bromley, BR1 3JP, ☏ +44 20 8460 4033, reservations@avishotel.co.uk. Mid-range.
- 2 Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley Hill, BR1 4JD, ☏ +44 20 8461-8600, enquiries@bromleycourthotel.co.uk. An elegant old-time place, that has been taken over now by Best Western.
- 3 The Manor at Bickley, Thornet Wood Rd, Bromley BR1 2LW, ☏ +44 20 3598-9900, info@themanoratbickley.co.uk.
- 4 Travelodge London Bromley, 37 London Road, Bromley, BR 1DG, ☏ +44 8715 591856.
- 5 London Bromley Town Centre, 18 Elmfield Rd, Bromley BR1 1LR.
- 6 Premier Inn London Bromley, Simpsons Road, Shortlands, Bromley BR2 0QL, ☏ +44 20 3960-3250.
Croydon
There is a wide range of accommodation for visitors to the London Borough of Croydon. The Tourist Information Centre promotes establishments which are members of the National Quality Assurance Standards Scheme. Each establishment is inspected annually by trained assessors from the AA, RAC or English Tourism Council (ETC). Members of the Quality Assurance Scheme are graded according to quality, facilities and level of service. The grading is denoted by stars (H) or diamonds. Any establishment which has no grading is not part of the Scheme, therefore quality cannot be assured. The AA, RAC and English Tourism Council (ETC) have joint grading schemes for hotels, guest accommodation and self-catering. Hotels are graded from one to five stars. These indicate the quality, facilities and level of service. The more stars the higher the quality, level of service and range of facilities offered. Guest accommodation includes guest houses, bed & breakfasts and some hotels. They are graded from one to five diamonds. All establishments must meet minimum standards for facilities and services. More diamonds are awarded for higher standards of quality and customer care.
- 7 London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel, BW Signature Collection, Purley Way (next to Croydon Airport), ☏ +44 20 8680-1999. Luxury hotel.
- 8 Holiday Inn Express London - Croydon, 1 Priddys Yard, Croydon, CR0 1TS, ☏ +44 20 8253-1200. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. Built in 2003, new and modern.
- 9 Leonardo Hotel (formerly Jury's Inn), Wellesley Rd, Croydon CR0 9XY, ☏ +44 20 8448 6000. Modern hotel.
- 10 Premier Inn London Croydon (Purley A23), The Colonnades Leisure Park, 619 Purley Way, CR0 4RQ, ☏ +44 870 990 6554. Hotel which offer warm and cosy rooms. From £40.
- 11 Premier Inn London Croydon South (A212), 104 Coombe Road, Croydon, CR0 5RB, ☏ +44 8701 977 069. Hotel which offer warm and cosy rooms. From £40.
- 12 De Vere Selsdon Estate, 126 Addington Road, ☏ +44 20 8657-8811, fax: +44 20 8651-6171, selsdon.reservations@principal-hayley.com. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM.
- 13 Travelodge Croydon Central, Norfolk House, Wellesley Rd, Croydon, CR0 1LH (next to Jury's Inn), ☏ +44 871 984 6318. Cheap and modest. From £40.
Stay safe
Croydon
- The Purley Way is a difficult place to get about by foot: some areas can be reached by tram but the park is designed for cars.
- Avoid flashing valuable possessions in the town centre to avoid attracting unwanted attention.
- Croydon town centre becomes very popular on Thursdays with TigerTiger open to under 21s, and its weekends with a multitude of popular bars in the town centre. Always prebook your taxi for safety on a night out because the local London Black cabs are very expensive. That said, the night bus network in Croydon is very good, and the vast majority of journeys will be completed without incident: as ever, common sense applies.
- It is advised to be cautious in this area as it can include a rough element.
Go next
- Chartwell, Westerham - during the summer months bus 246 runs from Bromley to Chartwell (Oyster cards accepted).
- Kent - accessible from various railway stations in Bromley and Bexley.
| Routes through South |
| Leicester Square / The City ← Wimbledon ← | N  S |
→ END |
| END ← | W  E |
→ Southwark-Lewisham → East End |
| Central London ← Greenwich ← | NW  SE |
→ Dartford → Dover |
| Central London ← Wimbledon ← | NE  SW |
→ Weybridge → Portsmouth |
| Central London ← Eltham ← | NW  SE |
→ merges with  → Channel Tunnel/Dover |
| Central London ← Lewisham ← | N  S |
→  / → Sevenoaks |
merges with  at Purley ← |
N  S |
→ East Grinstead |
| Central London ← Lambeth ← | N  S |
→ merges with  → Gatwick Airport/Brighton and Hove |
merges with  at Clapham Common ← |
N  S |
→ Epsom → Dorking |