Nearly 50 shops remain empty in Croydon’s Whitgift Centre.

On Tuesday (September 17), Your Local Guardian took a trip to the Whitgift Centre to see how many units were currently vacant.

From the Wellesley Road entrance to the North End entrance, we counted 46 storefronts either boarded up, permanently closed, or empty with just a few chairs scattered around.

On the first floor was a former shoe store, next to a hair salon up for sale, and next to that stood an untitled, bare store.

Just a few steps later stood an empty store with a sign that said the store was set to close in October 2022, indicating that the unit had been empty for nearly two years.

(Image: Ezekiel Bertrand) The unit next to it was being used to store the decorations from the popular Costa del Croydon pop-up from August.

(Image: Ezekiel Bertrand) As we continued roaming across the centre, more shops were seen completely empty and boarded up with “clearance” and “everything must go” signs still against the windows.

Many of the units didn’t give a clear indication of what used to be there, with several of them just being white rooms.

On the second floor, we came across what used to be an aquarium and pet shop, with its old name, "Aquazoo," still etched into the pillars.

The stores counted did not include any from Centrale Shopping Centre.

Despite the many empty units, The Whitgift Centre remains home to a variety of popular stores, such as the trendy Superdry, the budget-friendly Poundland, WHSmith, Classic Café, and the Continental Salon.

The department store provides calm and quiet scenery, making it perfect for a relaxed walk or a peaceful shopping experience.

The Whitgift Centre is conveniently located near public transport with East and West Croydon stations being a few minutes away.

Overall, despite several empty stores, The Whitgift Centre still provides a welcoming atmosphere with a variety of shops to explore.

Empty shops and retail spaces for sale have become a common sight in south London, with the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis have caused many businesses to close.

This includes the popular Wilko store which went bust in 2023, as well as about 300 Boots store closing all over the country.

Online shopping has also reduced the number of people visiting local shops, and high rents and business rates make it hard for small businesses to stay open on London’s high streets.

The Whitgift Centre were approached for a comment, but we didn’t hear back.