Croydon has a great offering of restaurants and food places that bring people together and create vibrant events, such as at Croydon Food Festival and Surrey Street Market. As part of my new term, I want to build on this – creating more experiences on our doorstep, supporting businesses and growing our local economy.

Residents have told me how much they enjoy visiting food markets across London and we want to hear more about this. That’s why we’ve launched a survey to find out whether residents and businesses would like to see a food market in Croydon and what that might look like. Have your say today.

Take off for Gatwick’s second runway

On Tuesday the Court of Appeal gave approval for Gatwick Airport’s plans for the Northern Runway project, paving the way for 14,000 new jobs, investment in skills and training, and a significant boost to the UK economy. This is great news for Croydon.

The airport is already providing opportunities, supported by our Economic Charter Agreement, from upskilling young people on graduate and apprenticeship programmes to creating retail supply chain opportunities for local businesses.

The expansion is another positive step for Croydon’s economy and reinforces our position as one of the South East’s leading locations for investment, skills and growth.

Costa del Croydon

Croydon’s award-winning urban beach is back! I visited Centrale’s rooftop beach yesterday and it was fantastic to see so many people enjoying the space. Now in its third year, it continues to offer a great summer experience for those who live and work in Croydon. If you haven’t been yet, it’s well worth a visit. Free tickets can be booked through the Centrale & Whitgift website.

Protecting our green spaces

Last weekend I joined local volunteers and families to celebrate the awarding of new Green Flags to Coombe Wood and Haling Grove. The awards are well-deserved recognition of everyone who works so hard to care for these wonderful green spaces.

A-level results day

Wishing our borough’s young people the very best of luck with their A-level and BTEC results next Thursday (13 August). We’ll be bringing you updates on the day and information for young people on how to access support about their next steps.

Have a great weekend.

Jason Perry

Executive Mayor of Croydon