With its lanes of empty shopfronts and drip buckets scattered across the marble flooring, it's no surprise that many now see the Whitgift Centre as more of a cut-through than a destination. Far from the buzz of its heyday, the shopping centre sits in a kind of stasis, awaiting its long-promised redevelopment under URW (formerly Westfield).

But looks can be deceiving. There is still life in the Whitgift for those who know where to look. Tucked away in a once-bustling corner is what some now call Croydon's 'real cultural quarter.'

At its heart is the brightly coloured and heavily greened Turf Projects. "It's a Tardis of art," said co-founder B Atherton, describing the complex of creative spaces hidden beyond its shop front exterior.

Turf has occupied its Whitgift space since 2017, t

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