I went to Croydon, so you don't have to!

Croydon has a reputation for being one of the most dangerous boroughs of London. It's reputation for gang violence doesn't help it either. I investigated.
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[@EdBrinton]

Timestamps: 01:00 Exploring the outskirts and alleyways 03:08 Fly tipping 03:56 Gentrification 06:08 Estates/ wealth inequality 09:25 West Croydon 11:07 East Croydon 13:50 Final thoughts/The park

[@pfy2k]

I’m not from the U.K.! But I have been travelling to the U.K. and London for work, pleasure and family since 1990 the year John Major became PM after Thatcher! At that time I remember London being quintessentially British, the people on the streets, the shops on the high streets! So sad how a nation, culture and the world’s first metropolis has declined in the last 30 years! Which seemed to accelerate from 1997 under Blair! Greed and passing the buck onto the next generation is the problem!

[@EdBrinton]

@@pfy2k very well said, couldn't agree more

[@Hubbellification]

It's not Blair. It was the global financial crisis in 2008, Brexit 2019 and Covid 2020-22 plus the rise of internet shopping all combined it's brought Britain to its knees all but for the most wealthiest areas are not that unlike Croydon now...

[@LJ07EBP]

Enjoyed watching this video keep this typa videos up man!

[@EdBrinton]

Thank you mate, that's made my day :)

[@TellyMan200]

Enjoyed the video and as a person lived in croydon is has changed so much from the 90s to now. sad to see how the central croydon has changed so much

[@EdBrinton]

@@TellyMan200 thank you mate! Have a good Christmas

[@rajnirvan3336]

Ed mate I remember when used to love going East Croydon High Street 90s and 2000s. Was always worth a visit. That big boarded up building was a flagship store of Allders. Sad seeing it left empty like that. Lost plenty great shops after Woolworths collapsed. Centrale was once C&A the big bit but the other part was once The Drummond Centre. Had BHS, Debenhams where Next Outlet is now, Littlewoods and plenty other great shops have gone. Westfield owners now own Whitgift and Centrale. And there was rumours Westfield was coming. The council is all but bankrupt and so many abandoned store which is really heart breaking.

[@EdBrinton]

@@rajnirvan3336 interesting mate, cheers for your comment bro

[@archie592]

I wouldn't be walking around after dark. Croydon looks grim and that housing estate you walked through looked dangerous. Good content as always and Merry Christmas to you Ed

[@EdBrinton]

Thank you man! Have a good Christmas mate ❤️

[@equinox95]

People think the entire borough of Croydon is rough. The truth is that the vast majority of Croydon is quite middle-class and affluent. Even places like Thornton Heath are mostly quiet and friendly. The media labelled Croydon rough to help bring down land value so developers can eventually gentrify parts of the borough. I find it strange that Brixton and Peckham are now cool and trendy, while Croydon is now apparently dangerous....Work it out.

[@EdBrinton]

@@equinox95 it's mad isn't it mate, Brixton felt dangerous Croydon felt generally fine

[@Lechonberryph]

Best and worst areas then?

[@equinox95]

@EdBrinton Brixton and Lambeth still has problems, and I would advise caution at night on side roads away from the main road.

[@EdBrinton]

@equinox95 yeah that makes sense mate

[@garethpayne6907]

Really good video. I've been to Croydon several times but only the town centre. Never ventured into the housing estates. Spot on with the political analysis!

[@EdBrinton]

@@garethpayne6907 thank you,that's made my day mate

[@andrewjones4006]

I worked in Croydon from 2011 to 2017. I only see it now from the Gatwick Express. Great video.

[@EdBrinton]

@@andrewjones4006 thank you brother!

[@worigami]

A really interesting insight into Croydon in 2024. I was born in Croydon and lived there for 25 years before moving to Yorkshire over 20 years ago. I travel to central London with work for a few days every month, when not working we often take a trip to Brighton and have thought about jumping off at Croydon for a look round. Ever so curious to see how it has changed but from watching this, will probably give it a miss. I grew up between Addiscombe and Elmers End and then when I left home, lived on Cedar Road, close to the NLA tower and East Croydon. Friends and family dotted from Addiscombe, over to West Croydon/Norbury (a bit rougher even then), through to South Croydon and Coulsdon (the more affluent end). Still curious to see what how those places have changed.

[@Lechonberryph]

Would you move back to Croydon mate

[@worigami]

​@@Lechonberryph I doubt it but that doesn't mean to say we didn't enjoy our time there. You tend to make the most of your surroundings and there was plenty to do in and around Croydon, and you have decent links into London, Brighton, Kent, etc. Yorkshire offered a different pace of life and much more affordable property, our house in a nice area in Sheffield would probably equate to something far smaller in Croydon and greater London.

[@pfy2k]

Expensive cars parked on the driveways of council houses? Says it all!

[@EdBrinton]

@@pfy2k exactly

[@InvictaView]

And the two chimneys in your opening few seconds, they're worth reading up on. All part of Croydons industrial past. 🇬🇧✔💯👍🤔

[@EdBrinton]

@@InvictaView they used to be active back in the day :)

[@InvictaView]

@@EdBrinton Yes. Ex power station. 👍

[@EdBrinton]

@InvictaView pretty good marketing for IKEA too

[@mindblast3901]

Man used to go to Croydon 20 years ago to fix security equipment in shops and whitgift centre looks like little investment not changed much good video

[@EdBrinton]

@@mindblast3901 thank you brother

[@TellyMan200]

13:31 that used to be the old House of Reeves furturine store that burned during the london riots and now a garden

[@EdBrinton]

@@TellyMan200 interesting! Thanks for letting us know mate

[@aspectrin]

The only good thing about Britain is the risk of guns being low. Out here in US its a genuine fear sometimes that someone can end your life in an instant.

[@EdBrinton]

@@aspectrin I bet mate! I'm sure it's almost surreal in some areas

[@beastmaster6947]

instead of guns its knives

[@aspectrin]

@@EdBrinton for sure 👍

[@JimmuCossey]

@@beastmaster6947 knives are thankfully less dangerous and give people more time to think before stabbing but guns are just straight up bang

[@21BonittoJ]

​@@EdBrinton Mad how East london has a less crime rate than South even though it's gentrified

[@InvictaView]

@ 12:10 that market thrives because of the community, just like the long established one in Lewisham. Its the make up of the area. You should visit Lewisham one day, as its not dissimilar to Croydon. 🇬🇧✔💯👍🤔

[@EdBrinton]

@@InvictaView how does Lewisham compare mate?

[@InvictaView]

@@EdBrinton Very similar but that much closer to Central. A lot of blocks gone up in the past 10-15yrs. DLR reached there 30 years back. That Borough covers Deptford and Catford areas too. The whole borough is a real mixture, again, good and not so good, and quite pricy to live there. I've been visting for over 55 years, and some family still live in Catford. Quite a thriving place on most day's. Good market too. Again, you're down the road from the Royal Borough of Greenwich, and next to that is Woolwich. Lots of regeneration and gentrification in both those boroughs, but they still represent a good view of London life, with many locals still attached there. I rarely comment on the negative sides, as, honestly, i would never see it. If you're not a part of, or involved in that side of the fence, then all you'll see is the good side. I did a lot of drinking in those areas in the 80's, and worked there too, but left it all over 30 years back. Enjoy the exploration. And go find yourself one of the pie & mash shops still up there! ✔️💯🇬🇧👍😉

[@EdBrinton]

@InvictaView would be very interesting to go there!

[@jakemears]

I did a similar crime exploring trip to you in Croydon and had a very similar experience- I went around East Croydon, West Croydon, and Broad Green. You could tell there were some shady characters around but it didn’t strike me as remotely dangerous compared to parts of South East London I’ve visited. East London also isn’t that bad- you’ve got a lot of students from London universities living in places like Poplar, Ilford etc. and whilst there is gang activity, you wouldn’t exactly feel in danger walking around most parts there if you have a bit of street awareness which I’m sure has been embedded into your subconscious by now. West Croydon struck me as more deprived than dangerous but the media headlines and crime statistics don’t lie so it must be a different place at night. I’ve finally ticked off every dangerous area of London through all the Parkruns I’ve done and I’ve spent a fair amount of time exploring them after. Your takes on wealth inequality and the 2-party system were spot on in my opinion. My top 10 in London from most dangerous to least remains: 1. Deptford and New Cross- particularly around Pepys, Evelyn, and the Woodpecker estates- I’ve seen things happen there which I’m not comfortable with describing online. 2. Woolwich & Thamesmead 3. Tottenham, Wood Green, & Edmonton 4. Peckham & Camberwell (including Walworth road) 5. Brixton & Tulse Hill 6. Central Lewisham, Catford,, and Brockley 7. Barking, Beckton & Dagenham 8. Hackney- Daggerston, Dalston, Homerton, and Hackney Wick being the main culprits. 9. Beckton & Customs House 10. Harlesden As someone who’s grown up in Kent that now lives in South East London, I’d say that other than a few Medway towns and Sheppey, none of them are even a sniff as dangerous as the likes of Deptford. You don’t see gang members in balaclavas around Maidstone, Dover, and Canterbury as far as I’m aware… If you want to really go to the edge then try Deptford- if you walk off the main high street under the underpass through the estates, there’s a good chance you’ll have to reverse back onto the main road which is what happened to me…

[@EdBrinton]

@@jakemears interesting I know not much about Deptford. Might be worth an explore mate. Feel free to link up sometime for an explore:)

[@jakemears]

@ Hackney has about 10 different postcodes so a bit like Croydon it’s impossible to rate it as one of the most dangerous areas if its bad pockets are mixed in with lots of safer pockets. I’ve got a few friends who live in Hackney and they’ve never had any serious problems. I’ve been to play football in Haggerstone and walked around Dalston at 11 pm and even that didn’t live up to expectations… that said, you’ve got some estates in E5, E8, Homerton, and Kingsway which have an ongoing rivalries. It’s not too different to the rest of London- definitely not top 5 material for me when you consider all 10 postcodes.

[@Bazza-l1i]

I agree Croydon don’t look that bad in your video but travelling by public transport , evening /night time , McDonald’s after dark , you’d go running back to sheerness after visiting real Croydon

[@EdBrinton]

@@Bazza-l1i I agree bro! Can imagine it's so different

[@JennaFowler1]

I went to Ikea a couple of weeks ago. I left just before closing time. The tram to East Croydon was surprisingly busy for the time of night. It was full of nice ordinary people. I really enjoyed the journey.

[@Lechonberryph]

@@JennaFowler1 interesting I would go again just in daylight

[@adventurerful]

Croydon is a horrible place. Didn't use to be. I moved away from Sutton, a neighbouring borough that is declining to meet Croydon's low standards.

[@EdBrinton]

@@adventurerful interesting, how is Sutton

[@4BCJesus]

I couldn't live in London, what a dump.

[@EdBrinton]

@@4BCJesus very grey and expensive

[@EdBrinton]

@James-m9k4w yeah I heard that

[@cultfiction3865]

The point you made about peoples very short memories and the two party system needing to go are very true. If you've been in two bad relationships on the trot, what sane person would return back to the first one? I think the problem is the voting system and politicians unwillingness to change it to proportional representation instead of first past the post which almost every other country on earth has abandoned now yet, suprise suprise, here in UK its still the hot method. But of coursebit prevents smaller parties been able to get in power. You wouodnt believe it but I remember 30 years ago we had an election on the way, and even back then it was the exact same two horse race that it is now. For politics to fail to evolve at all in 30 years proves how hopeless tye current voting system is. It needs changing yet who will jave the courage to change it?

[@EdBrinton]

@@cultfiction3865 very well said. It's crazy how we still live in a two party state. Guaranteed it would help fix some of our issues

[@Lechonberryph]

Exactly man! We need change

[@anuchakanyakamin2500]

Hello..you mentions that open middle space which was near tram line and Croydon market..actually the reason that is nothings there now was due to big fire which burnt the furniture shop down.i can't remember what happen to that furniture shop..but I'm trying to think back it was demolished due poll tax riot which happen awhile back..the shop was set on fire and burnt till nothings left.if anyone know the real reason to the furniture shop..pls leave comments

[@EdBrinton]

Ohhh I see that's so interesting. Thanks!

[@will_n775]

A mixed bag is the perfect way to describe it, South Croydon is quite nice tbh but it just needs some love. Btw most McDonald's around London/NW Kent have security guards - bad sign innit😂😂

[@EdBrinton]

@@will_n775 wise words my friend and yeah bro 🤣

[@will_n775]

​@@EdBrinton😂

[@simonmakuro69]

Reeves corner furniture shop got burnt down in the riots 2010

[@simonmakuro69]

I used to live around here it was bad in my times , can't believe there is so much litter everywhere ,west Croydon is the hoodz ,but worst part of London

[@EdBrinton]

Do you reckon it's changed much mate

[@simonmakuro69]

@EdBrinton yes ,but to much litter on the road the skyline is nice do the new buildings

[@classics144sportscarschannel]

hi Ed could u come back to maidstone in kent in new year and do a vid in another area pls

[@EdBrinton]

@@classics144sportscarschannel course bro! What kinda video?

[@classics144sportscarschannel]

@@EdBrinton maybe around our park area as its more better in summer than winter, its called mote park. u did our town earlier this year. just watched ur vid on croydon real bad ah

[@InvictaView]

​@@EdBrintonYou need to do a river walk too. Much more tranquility, peace and quiet, away from the usual dross. 👍🤔

[@mandymclan]

Croydon is defo up there with poplar as being so grim

[@floydjohnson8885]

I am from Croydon and I can understand some of the comments regarding the state of the estates however what you people with negative views the estates have a lot of hard working people living there such as web designers, para Legal’s and teachers. all trying to make it to the next level. It’s very easy for a KZbinr to come along and pick at the negatives. Like all areas Croydon has its issues just like the rest of the UK. To the KZbinr you insult those of whom haven’t had the best hand dealt to them in life. Please remember that when compiling your summaries. Think about it and try to be more socially responsible. Thank you kindly.

[@EdBrinton]

@@floydjohnson8885 nothing was aimed at the residents, I'm from a place in the UK which is named one of the most deprived areas, I'm highlighting the issues in the country. Hence why I say the houses are expensive and that it's caused mostly by the government. Of course it's mixed everywhere is I say it all the time

[@floydjohnson8885]

Thank you for the clarification as most never reply. I will continue viewing and supporting your channel. Kind Regards Floyd

[@EdBrinton]

@floydjohnson8885 thanks Floyd I appreciate you! Any recommendations on where to go next? I'm starting to do some of Essex and Surrey at some point

[@stateofflux7453]

I would prefer any east London borough rather than Croydon, for the quality of neighbourhood and the people. They are not comparable imo. Near the start of the video you were saying a few times "Purley", but that is not where you were walking. You were definitely in Croydon proper (CR0), roughly between Ikea and the town centre. You were near a major road called ‘Purley Way’ the A23, but the town of _Purley_ itself is very different.

[@EdBrinton]

@@stateofflux7453 fair enough mate! Can't blame you and yeah as I was editing the video I realised that haha

[@Firode9856]

Grim. Don’t know how you do it😊

[@EdBrinton]

I had a few beers when I got home 😜

[@mandymclan]

How much would you get paid to live in Croydon?

[@JimmuCossey]

More expensive then Belfast btw

[@InvictaView]

Well done Ed. Your certainly braver than most, walking around the London suburbs, talking to a phone on the end of a stick! 😅 Croydon was the home of Paynes Poppets until 2001. And the first commercial airport in the UK opened in Croydon between the wars. Like everything else in our country, its all gone to pot since that last big war. Add to that the demise of the British Empire and the Commonwealth, and the independence that these once protected nations all so desperately wanted. And here we are, fast approaching 2025, and we are completely in the clutches of Europe and the U.S, being dragged down to there level in every facet of society. Why have successive governments let our once great country slide downhill so much in just 80 years? 🇬🇧✔💯👍🤔

[@EdBrinton]

@@InvictaView thanks mate! Croydon is definitely one of the more extreme places haha. Still more likeable than Luton at least lol

[@Lechonberryph]

Croydon is definitely scary it's always somewhere I was told to avoid

[@JennaFowler1]

It's not that bad. It's so sad to see the decline though.

[@Lechonberryph]

@JennaFowler1 I got jumped there

[@JennaFowler1]

Sorry to hear that. After living in London for 30 years I managed to get mugged in Lewisham. I wasn't even meant to be there. Couldn't find a party venue near London Bridge by which time I'd missed the last train to Bromley. Jumped on a bus to Lewisham where I could get a bus to Bromley. Was hungry so got off the bus at the Leisure Centre and crossed the road to get a burger. Saw a wrong'un and his girlfriend sitting in the bus shelter and hoped they would be gone when I got back. Ten minutes later they were still there. I kept away from them and went to check the bus timetable. Seconds later my handbag was ripped from my hand. I chased him down a side street shouting all the time. All of a sudden some black teenagers appeared and one started to walk towards me, and I saw he was holding my handbag! They had been skateboarding in a cul-de-sac and heard me shouting. This guy followed the mugger on his skateboard, and after a tussle got it back. The guy had his hand in my bag trying to get my purse. Unfortunately, during the tussle my phone fell out and was damaged and would no longer charge, but I got everything else back. These kids even phoned the police for me! I was so darn lucky.

[@Lechonberryph]

@@JennaFowler1 omg I'm sorry to hear

[@Trey12392]

when is the next video mate

[@EdBrinton]

@Trey12392 just uploaded my Oxford video!

[@DavidRobinson1978]

You need to check out Fathing Downs and Happy Valley it's a green belt area and you won't believe you are still in Croydon but you are, part of it belongs to the City of London (Yes right out there)

[@EdBrinton]

@@DavidRobinson1978 no way really?