The rise and flames of Croydon town

Courtesy of Peter G Trimming, Reeves Corner on 9 August 2011

Caught up in the blaze of the House of Reeves was Croydon's community plummeting to a new low.

August 2011 will always be remembered as the gloomy, generation-defying summer when rioters were in power of our 'glorious' country whilst the remaining public watched David Cameron's 'greater monopoly' crumble.

Although Cameron did have problems of his own; like unwillingly forcing himself to take photos abroad with an Italian waitress after he clumsily forgot to tip her. You can understand why he couldn't hurry back...

With a reputation of a high crime-rate and regular gang violence, Croydon was already one of London's major towns in need of vast improvements.

Following the incidents in Tottenham, it felt like only a matter of time for our dear old Croydon town to become the infamous highlight of the nation's most heartbreaking riots for 25 years.

Walking down the South London streets, I was witness to the diminishing collapse of everyday people's lives.

Countless years of tireless effort and excruciating pain counted for nothing as hard-working individuals watched their independent newsagents and off licences being torn apart on live television.

What else to do but sit back and watch your customers tear your life away before your very eyes?

The House of Reeves in flames became an iconic image of the riots as fire-fighters found it too difficult to prevent £3million worth of damage and endless sentimental value.

The furniture store owner, Trevor Reeves, recalls the incident as “one of those fatalistic moments...” He remembers asking: “What are we going to do now? That's the end of that.

“I stayed quite calm and didn't worry. When the fire engines arrived too late it was pretty obvious what was going to happen. There wasn't going to be any incredulity.

“The staff turned up for work and we all made the best of what we had and everyone got stuck in. People felt closer in the community because everybody was in the same boat. There was more tolerance. It was much more pleasant.”

Once the public felt safe to walk on their own street at 3pm and businesses no longer felt threatened to open, London, and in particular Croydon, saw a rejuvenation.

Despite all the destruction and devastation surrounding the capital, a small pub on the corner of Croydon's Surrey Street changed the atmosphere dramatically.

The sun was coming up and I was blinded by a mass of yellow. Post-it notes covered Green Dragon's windows giving reasons as to why 'We Love Croydon'.

Manageress Espher Sutton made immediate impact: “My friend and I wanted to do something positive because everyone was in shock.

“I invited friends and regulars to post up one thing each and it took a life of its own. We had people coming in off the streets just to write something.”

Residents had taken their time to restore a little faith by doing something so minuscule. Comments ranged from praise for the town's musical influences, places to shop and the general attitude taken by everyday Croydonians.

The senseless vandalism was soon swept aside as the Croydon Recovery Campaign got well under way. The Croydon Business Improvement District (BID) represents and funds town centre businesses and delivered the project on Croydon Council's behalf.

In 1999 the London Borough of Croydon began the regeneration programme; Croydon Vision 2020, to improve the urban planning of the area. With major developments already years into place, the riots added another two years onto the workload, although residents certainly helped reduce that.

As one of the 32 unitary London Borough's, Croydon Council is the single, all purpose authority responsible for the vast majority of the town's functions.

Croydon councillor, Vidhi Mohan, said: “My faith in humanity was largely restored by the

reaction of the community as a whole in the aftermath of the violence.

“Everyone rallied around and the message that came across loud and clear was that local people felt passionately about their borough and their neighbours.”

Leader of Croydon Council, Mike Fisher, added: “Long-term regeneration is not just about the physical and economic – we're also committed to focusing on social recovery.

“Croydon residents have shown immense community spirit and belonging following the riots and we want to use this as a catalyst for renewed engagement across the borough.”

Major of London, Boris Johnston, alongside the Department for Communities and local government, provided the heavily-hit town with £23m.

The council supported by distributing £1m packages to local businesses, giving up to £100,000 for families made homeless, providing a weekend of free car parking and tram use; the list is endless.

MP Gavin Barwell is leading Project Change, a program trying to restore the damaged reputations of young people not involved.

Croydon teenagers have had enough of being victimised and have taken initiative to build their reputation by using a hands-on approach to speak to the public, clean up the streets and paint positive messages around the town.

More than eight months on and 33-year-old Gordon Thompson has been jailed for 11-and-a-half years for burning down 144 years worth of historical landmark and legacy. The heat-of-the-moment thought of stealing a laptop was assisted by a cheeky lighting of a sofa on the way out of the House of Reeves. So whereas the youth may be targeted, it's a middle-aged man who is convicted for one of the most harmful crimes involved.

Courtesy of Tiratna Photos, the Croydon Buddhist Centre

People have needed a place of comfort and reassurance in this dire time, and the Croydon Buddhist Centre has seen an overwhelming increase in numbers since the autumn.

Buddhist leader, Dhammavijaya, said: “People would say that when the Buddha spoke, it was like a light being brought into the darkness so that people could now see clearly. The riots in Croydon show that our society has its pockets of darkness, yet even within those pockets there is a hunger for the light.”

“The Buddha's last word was 'strive', and that is what we intend to do to raise people's awareness; both, a set of coherent values that are more satisfying than the purely material, and an understanding that the world we create cones from the states of mind we inhabit.”

De Stafford school teacher, Amit Chadda, attends the Buddhist Centre regularly and is touched to see “members of the youth spending time with their elderly neighbours to support them and keep them company.

“Charities have been established to help rebuild long standing businesses that have served the community for years. I mean, this is amazing. Isn't it? Its incredible how the mindless, blind behaviour of an unskilful minority has helped the wider community open their eyes and arms to one another.”

The born and bred Croydoner feels “it seems that we have recognised that our little Croydon is special, it has heart. It's 'ours', and we will stand by it, and its people.”

Perhaps it's too naïve to say the riots had a positive impact on the town, but this rehabilitation of an already tarnished reputation has seen the silent majority speak out and take action. However many times Croydon may perish, it seems nothing can bring it down for good.

Is it permanent though, or is an anniversary repeat during the Olympics only inevitable?