I can't help thinking that if I'd reviewed Croydon's shopping twelve months ago, it would have been a very different review. I last went into Croydon town centre on Christmas Eve and even in the few days since, the credit crisis has hit the town hard.

For those of you interested, large amounts of land in the centre of Croydon are owned by a charitable trust which was set up by John Whitgift, an Archbishop of Canterbury in the 16th Century. The Whitgift shopping centre still has the Trust as it's freeholder today. It is one of the oldest shopping centres in the UK, with construction first taking place after a school which previously occupied the site moved to south Croydon in 1965. Having said that, it's had major refurbishment work carried out over the years, so it doesn't look particularly old fashioned.

If like me, your shopping is usually interrupted by a need for refreshments, you'll find there are plenty of little café bars scattered around the vicinity, although some like the Café Giardino in the Whitgift Centre might seem a bit pricey, even though the food is delicious.

Another treat just further along from here is Surrey Street market, which has a large selection of stalls selling some of the cheapest fruit and vegetables you'll find in the area. Occasionally, I've watched an episode of The Bill on television, and recognised the market, usually during a chase scene for some reason. Further along, in Middle Street, is where Beano's is situated. This is a second hand record store, where I have very fond memories of flipping through old LP's, and the first of a new product called cd's! This sadly, is also due to close later this month due to a downturn in sales.

There are some large multi story car parks in the centre of Croydon for those travelling here by car, although for most of December you will find that they are especially busy, as many out-of-towners seem to come here for their Christmas shopping. They can also work out to be very expensive depending on how long you stay. There are two train stations nearby, East Croydon which is about a ten minute walk away, and West Croydon which is only around the corner. You can also reach here via the Tramlink, which links areas of Croydon to Wimbledon. This is a nice smooth ride, and should you ever get the opportunity to use it, I would recommend it!