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🌧️ Croydon weather, Monday 26/10/2026: light rain from first thing, heaviest through the morning, easing later. High of 16°C, gusts up to about 35mph. Tuesday 27/10/2026: a damp, blustery start (gusts up to roughly 41mph early on), then brighter, high of 14°C. Pack a brolly for the half-term school-run. Source: Met Office, Croydon forecast
🏛️ Mayor's business plan voted down at the Town Hall
Croydon's full council has rejected Mayor Jason Perry's 2026 to 2030 business plan, with 39 councillors voting against and 27 Conservatives in favour, according to Inside Croydon. Opposition members and the government-appointed Commissioners reportedly wanted clearer targets and a way to measure progress, and the plan is tied to the 2027-28 budget. The mayor can bring it back, possibly at the December meeting. Source: Inside Croydon
Quick hits
🚌 Fares rise this Sunday, 01/11/2026. The adult bus and tram fare goes up 10p to £1.85 and the daily bus and tram cap rises to £5.55. Source: Inside Croydon
📝 Council Tax Support consultation closes 10/11/2026. Have your say on the consultation page and confirm your email afterwards so your response counts. Source: Inside Croydon
🛣️ £1.79m for local transport projects. Croydon Council and TfL have agreed a funding package for projects under the borough's Local Implementation Plan. Source: South London News
🕯️ Sandilands ten years on. A public remembrance ceremony is planned for Monday 09/11/2026 at 11am in Market Square, Central Parade, New Addington. Source: South London News
💼 Still no permanent chief executive. Inside Croydon reports that a year after the vacancy arose, Mayor Jason Perry is no closer to recruiting someone to take over from Katherine Kerswell in the £275,000 role. Source: Inside Croydon
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On this week
🦖 Dinosaur Adventure Live: Danger on T-Rex Mountain, Monday 26/10/2026, Fairfield Halls, £19.75. Croydon BID listing
🎃 Halloween Family Fun Day, Tuesday 27/10/2026, 12pm to 4pm, BOXPARK Croydon, free. Croydon BID listing
💬 Restoration Talks Live: Let's Talk Mental Health, Wednesday 28/10/2026, 7pm to 9pm, The Front Room, 37 to 39 St George's Walk CR0 1YL, £10 on the door (card only). Everyone welcome.
🖌️ MINULI Makers: My Little Pumpkin Patch, Thursday 29/10/2026, 11am, Centrale Shopping Centre, Upper Mall, £12, ages 2 to 10. Book via Happity
👻 Haunted House Extreme, Friday 30 and Saturday 31/10/2026, Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. Check the listing for times and tickets. Inside Croydon listing
❓ Big Fat Quizbox, Monday 26/10/2026, 7pm, BOXPARK Croydon. Check the venue for entry details.
🎮 Next Level, until Tuesday 27/10/2026, Centrale and Whitgift Shopping Centres, free. Gaming, esports and creativity for half-term. Croydon BID listing
🛝 Kids Play Free at PLAYBOX, until Friday 30/10/2026, PLAYBOX Croydon. Check the listing for the offer's conditions. Croydon BID listing
🎨 The Big Make by Crisis, Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm, until Friday 30/10/2026, Croydon Urban Room, Whitgift Centre, free. 4,000 handmade porcelain discs, each standing for a household or person estimated to have experienced homelessness in Croydon over the past year. South London News
🎲 Monday Night Games, Monday 26/10/2026, 6:30pm, The Ludoquist, £8. Croydon BID listing
🎤 Halloween Karaoke, Thursday 29/10/2026, 8pm, The Porter and Sorter, free. Croydon BID listing
🚂 Little City Croydon x Trainmaster, Friday 30/10/2026, 9:30am to 11am, Our Lady of the Annunciation Church Hall, 147 Bingham Road CR0 7EN, £15. Book here
👻 Trickle-Treat Halloween Special, Friday 30/10/2026, 5pm to 11pm, Trickle. Croydon BID listing
🪩 Halloween Disco at The Dog, Friday 30/10/2026, 8pm to 12:30am, The Dog, £5.50. Croydon BID listing
Save the date:
🌱 Seed Swap by A Little Blossom, Tuesday 10/11/2026, 2pm to 4pm, St Mildred's Church, Bingham Road, free, with free refreshments. Everyone welcome.
💀 Day of the Dead Supper Club, Tuesday 03/11/2026, South Norwood Community Kitchen (SNCK). A special night out in South Norwood. Inside Croydon listing
🎭 Croydonites Festival of New Theatre, Wednesday 04 to Saturday 21/11/2026. The 12th edition opens at The Front Room on St George's Walk with Fringe First Award winner Hannah Maxwell's show. Croydonites
🎨 SoCro Art Fair, Sunday 08/11/2026, 10am to 3:30pm, Coombe Wood School, 30 Melville Avenue CR2 7HY, free. More than 50 local makers. SoCro Art
The Daily Commute
🚋 No trams east of East Croydon until Friday 06/11/2026. TfL is renewing track, so there are no trams between East Croydon and New Addington, Elmers End or Beckenham Junction. Replacement buses are running, so check the TfL Go app or journey planner before you set off and allow extra time, especially in the wet this morning. The Croydon to Wimbledon line is not part of the closure but has been busy. Source: Inside Croydon
🚌 Remember: bus and tram fares go up 10p on Sunday 01/11/2026.
🎒 School Corner
🍂 Half-term is here. Croydon schools are off from Monday 26 to Friday 30/10/2026 and back on Monday 02/11/2026. The autumn term then runs to Friday 18/12/2026. Academies and independent schools can set their own dates, so check with your child's school. Source: Croydon Council term dates
📌 PTAs, schools and parent groups: got a fair, fundraiser, open evening or a story to share? Send it in and we'll feature it in School Corner for free.
🧡 Community Watch
🎖️ Croydon Chronicles: a Victoria Cross hero. With Remembrance season approaching, David Morgan has dug into the Minster archive for the story of Captain Alfred Carpenter VC, hailed by the Croydon Times in April 1918 for his part in the Zeebrugge Raid. Source: Inside Croydon
🏪 Convenience store owners in Croydon East: the Association of Convenience Stores is looking for a retailer to host MP Natasha Irons on Thursday 12/11/2026, 11am to 12pm. Find them at acs.org.uk to get in touch. Source: Association of Convenience Stores event submission
🤝 Know a local group doing something good? Tell us about it and we may feature it in a future issue.
🏪 Business Spotlight: Pop Up Top Up CIC
🎨 Pop Up Top Up CIC is a Croydon-based creative youth enterprise organisation that helps young people turn their creativity into confidence, skills and real opportunities. Through workshops, pop-up markets, business challenges and hands-on experiences, it introduces young people to entrepreneurship, with practical experience in retail, marketing, sales and event delivery.
What makes it different is learning by doing: young people develop products, trade at pop-up markets and work alongside local businesses on real events. Pop Up Top Up has programmes ready to roll out across community groups, schools, colleges, universities and Pupil Referral Units, and would love to hear from local businesses and organisations who want to host, collaborate or share their expertise.
Source: Pop Up Top Up CIC's Business Spotlight submission.
🏪 Your Business Could Be Next
Every Pulse business spotlight is free. Tell us what you do, who you serve and how people can find you, and we will feature you in front of Croydon readers.
Got something for Croydon?
Tell us what's on and we'll feature it here and on the website.
Building a stronger Croydon, together. The Croydon Local Pulse Team.