Purley Way is a section of the A23 trunk road in Croydon, London and has given its name to the out-of-town shopping area alongside it with a catchment area covering most of South London. It was designed as a bypass for Croydon and was opened in April 1925. In 1932 Purley Way became the first road in the United Kingdom to be lit with sodium lights.
Industry History
Croydon Airport (operational 1928 - 1959) is located on Purley Way.
The opening of Purley Way attracted industry to the area and it became the main industrial area of Croydon. Industry attracted to the area included Redwing Aircraft Ltd, Trojan Ltd (car manufacturers) and Tizer Ltd. There were also several metal companies including Standard Steel Co, Croydon Foundry Ltd, Metal Propellers Ltd and Southern Foundries Ltd.
Croydon 'B' Power Station was built in the late 1940s and opened in 1950. It shut down in 1984, was demolished in 1991 and an IKEA store was opened on the site. The large chimneys of the power station were retained and remain a local landmark.
Retail history
The first retail warehouse on Purley Way, Queensway furniture store, opened in 1980. Sainsbury's opened its first Homebase store in 1981. The first PC World opened on Purley Way in 1991.
The retail units were not part of the local planning guidance and were part of a national trend towards out of town shopping. These retail parks were not formally recognised by Croydon Council until the publication of its 1997 Unitary Development Plan .
Other Information
Purley Way Lido (1935–1980): the diving board remains in the middle of a garden centre.
External links