As part of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield’s (URW) programme of improvements in Croydon’s town centre, ‘Allders Parade’, a curated line-up of shops and dining offers, will launch this week at the much loved and iconic Allders department store building, marking a key milestone for The Croydon Project and broader URW Masterplan Framework for the town centre.
Allders Parade will be a new retail precinct for the Central & Whitgift, fronting onto North End Road celebrating Croydon’s retail heritage with a line-up of global and local brands. The first shops set to open include Miniso, a global lifestyle and design-led household and cosmetic retailer, as well as national digital media provider, Sky.
From early October, Abaci, the women’s clothing brand, and Isle of Flowers, a London-based florist, will join the offer, followed by the opening of much loved local independent café Coco & Nut, alongside Meltin’ Memories, an ice cream shop that was once part of the original Allders department store.
Adam Smith, strategic development director at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, said: “The launch of Allders Parade is a fundamental step in The Croydon Project’s revitalisation and transformation of the town centre. We’re delighted to welcome these great brands this Autumn creating a new retail destination in one of the town’s
most cherished landmarks. This is just the start of delivering on our vision for the town centre, as we look to create a more sustainable, connected and community-focused future for Croydon.”
Jason Perry, Mayor of Croydon, added: “It is great to see Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield preserving this landmark building and bringing it back into use for our residents to enjoy again. I am pleased to see a range of quality local and global businesses opening in our town centre. Allders Parade will be a welcome addition to North End and represents an exciting milestone in the wider regeneration of our town centre and growth of the borough.”
In addition to the new openings, Allders Parade is already creating opportunities for the local community. Earlier this summer, URW launched its Retail Skills Academy in Croydon – a three-day training programme designed to equip participants with accredited customer service skills, employability support and real interview experience with retailers. Delivered in partnership with Ethos Farm, Croydon Works and Croydon Council, the July 2025 programme saw 12 local residents complete the training, with five securing roles at Miniso, one of the first retailers to open at Allders Parade.
As part of its wider commitment to the local community, The Croydon Project has also recently awarded its recipients of the Croydon Community Grant Fund, a programme operated in partnership with Croydon Voluntary Action (CVA). In 2025, the Fund distributed £14,500 to 18 local organisations, selected from a record 70 applications – an 11% increase on 2024. Funding has been awarded to a diverse mix of initiatives, from community gardens and carers’ cafés to youth sports programmes and cultural projects, ensuring meaningful local impact alongside URW’s investment in the town centre
