There is absolutely nothing wrong with Croydon, although it does seem to have a really bad reputation.

Travel links to this town are amazing. From East Croydon you can get to the South of England (Brighton and Portsmouth) easily with direct trains running every hour. Gatwick airport can be accessed within twenty minutes with many direct trains every hour, and London Bridge, Waterloo and London Victoria also have direct trains that take approximately 30 mins all day. There is also a tram link that links the east of the borough to Wimbledon. This is maintained really well and is a lot cheaper than trying to drive. Buses also link Croydon to all the surrounding neighbourhoods of this huge London Borough.

Croydon town center is a big bustling joy for shopping, with two huge shopping precincts, The Whitgift and Centrale, and you would be hard pushed to find something you can not purchase in one of these. On the tramlink you can also reach Ikea on the Purley Way, surrounded by retail outlets, a huge cinema and several restaurants.

The nightlife is busy, with countless bars and clubs that stay open late and use a high security system of CCTV all around the town centre. There are also several hotels for those who want to visit the town for a weekend for some shopping.

Having worked in the Criminal Justice System for a long time in Croydon, I would say that Croydon is let down by a minority of individuals who target vulnerable individuals. Sadly, this is the case throughout the entire country though, so don't let the reputation of yobbish behaviour put you off from visiting.

Some famous links to Croydon include Terry and June (sitcom), Derren Brown, Kate Moss, Status Quo and many more (including the hair do "Croydon Facelift").

Okay, so the centre is not a paradise island, and there are some issues with late night drinking that drag down the reputation of the area, but give it a go for shopping. You will be suprised how accessible it is and how enjoyable a day out can be here.