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From Wikitravel

South London is the outer southern part of London.

[edit] Understand

Many outer areas of South London were once part of the counties of Surrey and Kent. Surrey and Kent are sometimes used as part of the official postal addresses for these areas.

[edit] Boroughs

South London consists of the following boroughs:

• Bexley [1] — the borough includes:

• Bexleyheath
• Erith
• Sidcup

• Bromley [2] — the borough includes:

• Bromley
• Beckenham
• Orpington

• Croydon [3] — the borough includes:

• Croydon
• Coulsdon
• Purley

• Kingston upon Thames [4] — the borough includes:

• Kingston upon Thames
• New Malden
• Surbiton

• Merton [5] — the borough includes:

• Morden
• Mitcham

• Sutton [6] — the borough includes:

• Sutton
• Carshalton
• Wallington

[edit] Bromley

Bromley is a borough of London, situated in the south east of Greater London. Much of the borough was historically in the county of Kent, as is reflected by the presence of Kent County Cricket Club's second XI in Beckenham, and the fact that the postal county of Kent is sometimes still used for traditional reasons for much of the borough (though postal counties are no longer required in UK postal addresses). The London Borough of Bromley was created in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963.

The borough is the largest in London by area and occupies 59 square miles (153 km²), of which the majority is green belt land. Most of the settlement is in the north and west of the borough, with an outlier at Biggin Hill in the far south. The borough shares borders with Lewisham, Greenwich and Bexley to the north, Southwark and Lambeth to the north west, Croydon to the west; and the counties of Surrey to the south and Kent to the south and east. Westerham Heights, the highest point in London is located on the southern boundary.

[edit] Croydon

Known to some as the "Dallas of the South" due to the density of shiny glass and steel high rise office block, mostly owned by the Home Office government department. Wellesley Road runs north/south through Croydon and adds to the rather drab appearance but the pedestrianised shopping precinct west of here provides some relief. A new major re-generation plan has been announced, called Croydon Vision 2020, which includes the new shopping centre and Croydon Gateway site (which includes a arena, park, offices and bars).

Croydon has a cross-section of British history: Among its famous residents were author Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle, model Kate Moss, journalist Emile Zola and punk rocker Captain Sensible of The Damned.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By tube

There are no tube lines in South London. The Northern Line (Black) terminates at Morden on the border with Wimbledon.

[edit] By train

South London is served by several train services from Central London stations. Check the London Transport maps for the correct station as the layout of the lines is rather confused in places.

As a rough guide, services run:

• From Waterloo to Kingston.
• From Victoria, Blackfriars, London Bridge to Bromley, Croydon, Merton, and Sutton.
• From Charing Cross and Cannon Street to Bexley and Bromley.

[edit] Bromley

[edit] By car

The M25 sits on the southern edge of the borough. Junction 4 (Bromley/Orpington) quickly connects with the A21, though for Chislehurst and areas it may be quicker to use Junction 3. The A21 is the main London to Hastings and it runs through the borough before heading south to Sevenoaks and Tonbridge.

[edit] By train

The borough has 27 railway stations which cover much of the area and are served by three Central London stations; London Victoria, London Blackfriars and London Bridge (and, by extension, Cannon Street, Waterloo East and Charing Cross). The main transport hub in the borough is Bromley South, with regular fast trains to London Victoria and a network of buses that stop outside the station and go to all parts of the borough. Orpington is the major station for the east of the borough.

[edit] By air

Biggin Hill Airport is a former RAF airfield from which the Battle of Britain was coordinated and serves private jets. While the runway is usable by aircraft up to Boeing 737/Airbus A320 size, it is prohibited for airline operators to sell tickets for flights in and out of the airport, thus there are no scheduled or holiday charter flights from the airport. However, there is still a surprisingly large number of business flights.

[edit] Croydon

Croydon is not linked to the tube network at the moment, but by 2010 the East London Line will be extended to West Croydon station as part of the London Overground scheme by Transport for London. Croydon is relatively close in proximity to Central London even though the borough it is in (Croydon) is the southern most in Greater London.

[edit] By tram

Tramlink, opened in 2000, is the first modern tram system to operate in London. Trams at the moment have destinations at Beckenham, Wimbledon, Elmers End and New Addington with all lines traveling through Croydon, on the Croydon Loop. It can also be used to reach the Underground in Wimbledon. Tramlink also has planned extensions to the M25 motorway (Park & Ride system), Sutton, Bromley, Lewisham with a planned extension to Crystal Palace

[edit] By train

East Croydon station, is the second busiest station in London, and the main station for Croydon. Most services that head to the South Coast stop here. Fast trains run into Victoria or London Bridge stations in about 15-20 minutes. Services are provided by Southern and First Capital Connect. West Croydon station is a interchange station for train, tram and bus. Services generally terminate at Sutton but some continue to Guildford, Dorking and Epsom Downs.

[edit] By bus

Croydon is well served by the London bus network, with a major bus station at West Croydon and a new one opening on the eastern side of Croydon next to the Croydon clocktower and Park Place shopping centre soon. Bus services in the centre of Croydon include, but are not limited to:

• Towards central London: bus routes 50, 60, 109, 250, 468, X68 (a peak time express service).

• Other routes: 75, 119 (Purley Way (Croydon Airport) - Bromley), 157, 197, 264, 289, 312 (South Croydon Bus Garage - Peckham, via Central Croydon, Addiscombe), 407, 410, 450, 455, 466 (not too reliable), and X26 (West/East Croydon - Sutton - Kingston - Heathrow Central (Express)).

[edit] Get around

[edit] Bromley

Transport for London (TFL) manages bus services in Bromley and these are operated by Selkent and Metrobus.

[edit] Croydon

Croydon is mostly pedestrian friendly, North End the main shopping parade was closed for traffic over 10 years ago and most places can be easily reached on foot.

[edit] By taxi

There is a large taxi stand, served by black cabs outside the main entrance to East Croydon Station.

[edit] By bus

Buses leave at West Croydon station, with most buses leaving Croydon stopping at the bus station next to West Croydon station. The other bus station is opposite East Croydon station on George street, although not all buses going past it stop.

[edit][add listing] See

[edit] Bromley

• Chislehurst Caves, Old Hill, Chislehurst, ☎ +44 20 8467 3264 (enquiries@chislehurstcaves.co.uk), [7]. W-Su 10AM-4PM, seven days during school holidays. The caves are not in fact caves but a twenty-mile long network of passageways, carved from the chalk deep under Chislehurst over a period of 8,000 years. Used as a massive air-raid shelter during World War II, the Caves are now a local tourist attraction. £5, concessions £3, under 5's free.  edit

• Crofton Roman Villa, Crofton Roman Villa, Crofton Rd, Orpington, ☎ +44 (0)20 8460 1442 (croftonromanvilla@btinternet.com), [8]. Apr-Oct, Bank Holidays, W F 10AM-1PM and 2PM-5PM, Su 2PM-5PM. The only villa open to the public in Greater London. It was inhabited from about AD 140-400 and was the centre of a large farming estate. Today you can see the remains of 10 rooms protected inside a public viewing building. Remains include tiled (tessellated) floors and the under-floor heating system (hypocaust). £1, children £0.70.  edit

• Down House, Luxted Rd, Downe, ☎ +44 1689 859119, [9]. Feb-mid-Dec W-Su 11AM-4PM, additional hours in spring and summer. It was at Down House that Charles Darwin worked on his scientific theories, and wrote On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, the book which both scandalised and revolutionised the Victorian world when it was published in 1859. Built in the early 18th century, the house remains much as it was when Darwin lived here. The rooms on the ground floor have been furnished to reflect the domestic life of the family and the first floor offers an interactive exhibition on his life, his research and his discoveries. English Heritage has restored the gardens to their appearance in Darwin's time. £8.80, children £4.40, English Heritage members free.  edit

• Penge Police Station, [10]. Oldest working police station in London. Built in 1905.  edit

• Royal Waterman's Alms Houses, Penge, [11].  edit

[edit] Croydon

Because it was heavily bombed in WW2, Croydon features a patchwork of old and new architecture.

• The Whitgift Almshouses. Form a fine Tudor courtyard.  edit

• The Town Hall. Very impressive with a huge clock tower.  edit

• Clock Tower Museum. Exhibitions on the gifted black composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) who lived most of his life in Croydon. His works include The Song of Hiawatha, a great favourite (before World War II) at the Royal Albert Hall conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent.  edit

• Woodside Green. Visit for a villagy experience and go to the Joiner's Arms or Beehive pubs for a pleasant drink or meal.  edit

• Croydon Airport. London's former main airport, now disused and is now a tourist attraction.  edit

• Museum of Croydon. A museum highlighting Croydon in the past and present includes the Riesco Gallery  edit

• Shirley Windmill. Restored and the only surviving windmill in Shirley.  edit

• Addington Palace. 18th century mansion in Addington.  edit

• Croydon Clocktower. Arts venue, opened by Queen Elizabeth II.  edit

• Nestle Tower. The famous UK headquarters of Nestle, one of the tallest towers in England.  edit

• Fairfield Halls. Arts centre,which opened in 1962, frequently used for BBC recordings.  edit

• Croydon Palace. Summer residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury for over 500 years.  edit

• Croydon Cemetery. Most famous for the gravestone of Derek Bentley, wrongly hanged in 1953.  edit

• Mitcham Common. Partly in the borough, shared with Sutton and Merton.  edit

[edit] Kingston

• The Coronation Stone. Whilst not full of sights, an item of some interest is the coronation stone, on which seven English kings from Edward the Elder to Aethelred the Unready were crowned. The stone is located outside the Guildhall, and is close to the market.  edit

• The Thames. Kingston borough has recently put a lot of effort into redeveloping the riverfront, and it is an extrememly pleasant way to spend a summer day. It can get very busy, and to avoid the crowds you can cross over Kingston bridge and walk along the quieter Richmond side.  edit

• Out of Order. For a good photo opportunity seek out the phone boxes, a sculpture by artist David Mach in Old London Road featuring a number of disused red telephone box leaning against each other like dominoes.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit] Bromley

• Churchill Theatre. Offers a range of theatrical performances, including touring productions, performances by (very good) local amateur groups, and pantomime during the Christmas and New Year period (usually starring somebody who used to be in Neighbours).  edit

[edit] Croydon

• David Lean Cinema. Cinema built in memory of David Lean.  edit

• BRIT School. Performing Arts and Technology school owned by the BRIT Trust (known for the BRIT Awards).  edit

• City Limits Entertainment Venue. Includes bowling, restaurants, nightclubs all in the same building. Inside the Colonades Leisure Park, Purley Way.

• Croydon Grants. Entertainment Venue. Includes a large 11-screen Vue Cinema, The Milan Bar (a Wetherspoons chain pub), Reflex 80's Bar and Disco, Nandos and Tiger Tiger restaurant and nightclub.  edit

• Selhurst Park. Home of Crystal Palace Football Club.  edit

• Warehouse Theatre. Large and well-known theatre for (mostly) young performers.  edit

[edit] Kingston

• Bike along the riverside. Follow the Thames path to Richmond upon Thames, Kew (home of the botanical gardens) and beyond into Barnes and Putney. In the opposite direction you will find Hampton Court, which has open air picnic concerts during the summer months.  edit

• Non-league football. Football enthusiasts can catch two "non-league" clubs (i.e., clubs outside of England's four fully professional leagues). Both teams play at Kingsmeadow, also known as The Cherry Red Records Fans' Stadium due to a commercial sponsorship deal.  edit
  • AFC Wimbledon, ☎ +44 20 8547 3528, tickets +44 20 8546 9582, [12]. Founded in 2002 by former fans of Wimbledon F.C. when that club received approval to move from London to Milton Keynes, where the club is now known as Milton Keynes Dons. After three promotions, AFC Wimbledon will play the 2009–10 season in Conference National, the fifth level of English football and one promotion from The Football League.  edit
  • Kingstonian F.C., [13]. Formed in 1885, will play 2009–10 in the Ryman Premier Division, two promotions away from AFC Wimbledon.  edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit] Bromley

Each of the towns and villages in the borough has its own distinct high street but Bromley High St remains the main shopping centre and runs the length of the town. The northern section is mainly comprised of a cinema, specialist shops and restaurants. As the high street gets to the Market Square, there are a number of pubs. The central section of the High Street, between Market Square and Elmfield Rd, is pedestrianised.

• Bromley Charter Market, (In a car park behind Bromley North Station). Th.  edit

• Farmer's market. At weekends.  edit

• Glades shopping mall, (Runs parallel to the east side of the High Street). The bulk of the better-known stores are in this area.  edit

• The Mall, (The southern section of the High Street, which runs down to Bromley South Station). Does not get many shoppers.  edit

[edit] Croydon

Croydon is one of the top 20 retail destinations in the United Kingdom, it has two large and a smaller shopping centers. All the major chain stores can be found in Croydon, along with most department stores (including the only Allders left in the UK).

• Beano's. Second-hand CD and LP store with kitsch, cool styling which claims to be the largest in Europe.  edit

• Centrale Shopping Centre, North End (Close to West Croydon station), [14]. M-W, F Sa 9:30AM-7PM, Th 9:30AM-9:00PM, Su 11AM-5PM. Shopping centre opened in 2004, situated on 4 floors. Shops include House of Fraser, Debenhams, Next, Zara, H&M, French Connection and Aldo. The Food Gallery is on the top floor of centre and includes a wide variety of restaurants.  edit

• North End. The shopping road in Croydon  edit

• Purley Way, (To the south west of Central Croydon, but still in the borough). Large retail area including large stores such as one of the four IKEA's in London, a B&Q warehouse, the first Homebase, TJ Maxx, Vue, Megabowl, Mothercare World, Argos Extra, Sainsbury's, City Limits and more. There are various retail parks there aswell, Valley Park, Purley Way retail park, Croydon Colonades, Waddon Goods Park, Croydon Fiveways.  edit

• Supermarkets. Include, in Croydon, Sainsbury's (Whitgift Centre), Tesco's (on Brighton Road 5 mins walk from town cntr), Lidl (West Croydon), Marks & Spencer (Whitgift Centre), and a Waitrose (East Croydon).  edit

• Surrey Street Market. Market which has a Royal Charter dating back to 1276 linking it to the Archbishop of Canterbury.  edit

• Whitgift Centre, North End (Close to West Croydon bus station), [15]. M-W, F Sa 9AM-7PM, Th 9AM-9PM, Su 11AM-5PM, Bank holidays 10AM-6PM. Main shopping centre, situated on 3 floors and used to be biggest shopping centre in Europe. Shops include Marks & Spencer, Bhs, Allders, Boots, Woolworths (now defunct), WHSmith, Sainsbury's Central, Mothercare and Books Etc. Various restaurants and cafes throughout the centre.  edit

[edit] Kingston

Kingston has the most extensive range of shops in the southeast of England outside central London, and is very popular, especially at weekends. Virtually all major chains have branches, as well as several independent shops and boutiques.

• Bentall centre, Clarence St, [16]. Biggest shopping mall. Four-storey mall, which is anchored by a multi-level department store, Bentalls, which sells high-end fashion, home ware and specialty food products. John Lewis is the other main department store in town and is noted for quality. It has a branch of Waitrose supermarket in the basement.  edit

• Fife Road, (Between the Bentall Centre and the railway station). Several clothing boutiques.  edit

• Kingston Marketplace. The marketplace was historically at the heart of Kingston's prosperity, benefiting from a Royal Charter forbidding any other markets within seven miles. Today it mostly sells fruit and vegetables, although there are some other stalls. There are also occasional visiting markets from France and Germany that sell regional produce and takeaway food and drink.  edit

• Borders bookstore. Built on the site of the old Empire department store. Its beautiful listed wooden staircase was maintained through recent renovations.  edit

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Bromley

• The Crown, 46 Plaistow Ln, Sundridge Park, ☎ +44 20 8466 1313, [17]. Recently opened, this is a stylish yet affordable gastropub minutes from Bromley High St.  edit

[edit] Croydon

Visitors are often surprised by the variety, quality and affordability of Croydon's restaurants. Whilst the pedestrianised centre is overflowing with bland chains and fried chicken, The High St and South End Rd (south of the flyover) has an excellent selection of independent places, which is (sadly) becoming a victim of its own success, and itself is beginning to be taken over by the chains.

[edit] Budget

• Cafe Giardino, Centrale Centre and Whitgift Centre. Italian.  edit

• Cafe Santa Fe, 201 High St, ☎ +44 20 8688 6717.  edit

• Chicken Cottage, 263 London Road, ☎ +44 20 8689 1666. Fast-food chicken and ribs.  edit

• Fatty Arbuckles, Valley Park, Purley Way. +44 20 8680 4717. American Diner.  edit

• Noodle Time, 56-58 George Street, ☎ +44 20 8681 6598. Noodle Bar.  edit

• Yo! Sushi, 21 North End, ☎ +44 20 8760 0479. Sushi bar.  edit

[edit] Mid-range

• Addington Village Inn, 36 Addington Village Rd, ☎ +44 1689842057. Various.  edit

• Aphrodite Greek Taverna, 19 Westow Street, ☎ +44 20 8653 9895. Greek.  edit

• Beefeater, 419 Streatham High Rd, Norbury, ☎ +44 20 8764 1671. English family pub chain.  edit

• Chat House Tandoori, 14-16 Brighton Rd, ☎ +44 20 8680 5719.  edit

• Chiquitos Restaurant & Bar, Unit 3 Valley Park, ☎ +44 20 8686 8341. Mexican.  edit

• Nandos, 26 High St, ☎ +44 20 8681 3505,. Peri Peri Chicken.  edit

• Nandos, Hesterman Way, ☎ +44 20 8688 9545. Peri Peri Chicken.  edit

• Ocean Fish Restaurant, 56 Lower Addiscombe Road, ☎ +44 20 8406 3634. Seafood.  edit

• Old Orleans, City Limits Colonades Leisure Park, ☎ +44 20 8225 1900. American.  edit

• Tiger Tiger, 16 High Street, ☎ +44 20 8662 4949. English.  edit

[edit] Splurge

• Auberge, Units 2153-2156, Whitgift Centre, ☎ +44 20 8680 8337. French.  edit

• La Brasa, 108a High St, ☎ +44 20 8760 9610. Argentinian. Winner of numerous 'Best local restaurant 200x' awards and is a real gem - small and unpretentious and serving flavoursome steaks, chicken and other delights. They buy good quality meat which actually has some taste, and it shows.  edit

• Croydon Steak House, 31 South End, ☎ +44 20 8688 8422.  edit

• Frankie & Benny's, Valley Leisure Park, ☎ +44 20 8760 5021. Authentic Italian and American.  edit

• Paradise Island, 67 South End, ☎ +44 20 8688 9848. Seafood.  edit

[edit] Kingston

The area of Kingston of New Malden has a sizeable Korean population and there are a large number of restaurants along the High St. Korean barbecue, such as galbi or samgyeopsal is available in numerous places. Another option is bibimbap, a mixture of various vegetables, rice and chilli paste.

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit] Bromley

Borough-wide, Bromley's town centre drinking establishments are generally the sort of generic chain fayre you would find anywhere. However, away from the centres, there are good pubs, many in the traditional vein.

• The Anglesey Arms, 90 Palace Rd, Sundridge Park. Traditional feel, friendly staff and good ale, albeit a bit on the pricey side. Shepherd Naeme pub.  edit

• The Prince Frederick, 31 Nichol Ln, Sundridge Park. Allegedly the only pub named after George II's son, Poor Fred, Prince of Wales. It has managed to retain its traditional feel by maintaining seperate saloon and lounge bars. A good choice of ales and lagers but no food. Greene King pub.  edit

• The Red Lion, 10 North Rd, Sundridge Park. Some christen this the best pub in Bromley. A friendly atmosphere, good quality ales and decent, affordable pub food make this an excllent choice. Greene King pub.  edit

• Sundridge Park. A small neighbourhood just to the north of Bromley, has retained some well-liked, traditional pubs.  edit

[edit] Croydon

• Bar Red Square, 63-67 High St, ☎ +44 20 8688 1020. Wine Bar.  edit

• Black Sheep Bar, 68 High St, ☎ +44 20 8680 2277, [18]. Alternative and very friendly rock bar which provides a nice change from the rest of the town centre's establishments. Very cheap drinks until 10pm most days. It is a members bar but arrive with any form of ID and you will be signed up for free and allowed in.  edit

• Green Dragon, 58-60 High St, ☎ +44 20 8667 0684. Pub with an eclectic but very good natured crowd. Live bands and DJs some nights of the week.  edit

• The Spreadeagle, 39-41 Katharine Street, ☎ +44 20 8781 1134. Good place to get a pint with a tasty pie.  edit

[edit] Kingston

There are a large variety of pubs and bars from cheaper chain pubs such as Wetherspoons to the trendy riverside bars. The main club is Oceana which is always very popular and attracts a great number of people from surrounding areas.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Croydon

There is a wide range of accommodation for visitors to the London Borough of Croydon. The Tourist Information Centre promotes establishments which are members of the National Quality Assurance Standards Scheme. Each establishment is inspected annually by trained assessors from the AA, RAC or English Tourism Council (ETC). Members of the Quality Assurance Scheme are graded according to quality, facilities and level of service. The grading is denoted by stars (H) or diamonds (¨). Any establishment which has no grading is not part of the Scheme, therefore quality cannot be assured. The AA, RAC and English Tourism Council (ETC) have joint grading schemes for hotels, guest accommodation and self catering. Hotels are graded from one to five stars. These indicate the quality, facilities and level of service. The more stars the higher the quality, level of service and range of facilities offered. Guest Accommodation=== Guest accommodation includes guest houses, bed & breakfasts and some hotels. They are graded from one to five diamonds. All establishments must meet minimum standards for facilities and services. More diamonds are awarded for higher standards of quality and customer care.

• Aerodrome Hotel, Purley Way (Next to Croydon Airport), ☎ +44 20 8680 1999. Luxury hotel, recently re-fited to become a luxury hotel.  edit

• Express by Holiday Inn, 1 Priddys Yard (Central Croydon), ☎ +44 20 8253 1200. Built in 2003, new and modern.  edit

• Jury's Inn, Wellesley Rd (Central Croydon), ☎ +44 20 8448 6000 (Central Croydon). Modern hotel.  edit

• Premier Inn, The Colonnades Leisure Park (West Croydon), ☎ +44 870 990 6554. Hotel which offer warm and cosy rooms. From £40.  edit

• Premier Inn, 104 Coombe Rd (South Croydon), ☎ +44 8701 977 069. Hotel which offer warm and cosy rooms. From £40.  edit

• Travelodge, Norfolk House, Wellesley Rd (Central Croydon, next to Jury's Inn), ☎ +44 871 984 6318. Cheap and modest. From £40.  edit

[edit] Stay Safe

[edit] Croydon

• Croydon has the highest rate of knife crime in any London Borough, so places to avoid at night are Thornton Heath, West Croydon and Selhurst.
• The Purley way is a difficult place to get about by foot, some areas can be reached by tram but the park is designed for cars.
• Avoid flashing valuable possessions in the town centre, it may attract unwanted attention.
• Croydon town centre becomes very popular on Thursdays with TigerTiger open to under 21s, and its weekends with a multitude of popular bars in the town centre. Always pre-book your taxi for safety on a night out because the local London Black cabs are very expensive. That said the night bus network in Croydon is very good and the vast majority of journeys will be completed without incident, as ever common sense applies.

[edit] Get out

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!