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Croydon’s independent spirit is buzzing, the weekend is filling fast, and your next local favourite could be hiding in plain sight.
📅 TODAY IN CROYDON: THURSDAY 03/09
🤝 Evening Networking Meet-up for Women Business Owners, Thursday 03/09/2026, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, TAO cafe, 2A Ruskin Square, East Croydon, is hosted by The Kind Vibe with guided networking, a hot drink and a sweet treat. Tickets are listed at £15 to £20 depending on the platform, so check the current listing.
👨👩👧 Fostering Information Session, Thursday 03/09/2026, 5:55 pm to 7:00 pm, Croydon Town Hall, Katharine Street, offers a chance to learn about the role of a foster carer, the support and training available, and the rewards and challenges of fostering, with a Q and A.
🎤 Michael Bublé Tribute by Jason Allan, Thursday 03/09/2026, 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm, is listed as a free show at Manuel's Restaurant and Bar, 127 Gipsy Hill SE19. The venue advises reserving a table by phone or through its website, so check the current listing before travelling.
🎨 Life Drawing and Portrait Class, St Mark's Church Hall, Albert Road, SE25 4JD, is listed at 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm, while the organiser's own page says 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, so check the current session time before attending. Tickets are listed at £15 in advance or £18 on the door.
Croydon Local Pulse exists to surface neighbourhood businesses and venues that help shape the borough’s character but can be easily overlooked.
We find them by attending local events, scanning noticeboards, monitoring the events listing and listening to tips from residents and business owners.
Before featuring a business, we check public details, visit where possible, speak with the owner or manager and confirm the basics.
The best hidden gems are independently run, distinctive and rooted in their community, with a personal story or craft at the heart of the venue.
Support them by visiting, buying directly, attending events, leaving reviews, sharing new finds and signing up for updates.
Let us know via our events listing or advertising enquiries and read the full hidden gems feature.
🍺 The Dark Horse, 221 Gloucester Road, Croydon CR0 2DW, is the Croydon and Sutton CAMRA Pub of the Year 2026. CAMRA confirms monthly live music, while the reported Hidden Talents open mic should be checked with the pub before travelling.
🥞 Crispy Dosa, 38 to 40 High Street, Croydon, is a strong food watchlist pick for Saturday 05/09/2026, with Thiruvonam celebrations reported but no event time supplied, so confirm before setting off.
🍛 Tindli by Chef Karnavar, 5 to 7 St James’s Road, Croydon CR0 2SB, stays on our food watchlist for modern Indian dining. Check the official site for current menus and bookings, with no unverified offer details included.
🍽️ Across the borough boundary: The Portland Arms, 152 Portland Road, London SE25 4PT, is worth a visit for pub classics, pizzas, Sunday roasts and vegan options.
🎥 Reel Talk: The Christophers arrives on Wednesday 09/09/2026 at 18:00 at David Lean Cinema, Croydon Clocktower, with a pre and post screening conversation, special guest and cinema patron Joanna Scanlan.
Tickets are listed from about £11.55 to £15, including a free drink, and the organiser says only a handful of seats remain, so check the current listing before booking.
📅 WEEKEND RADAR: FOOTBALL, FASHION AND FRESH AIR
⚽ CAYSH Cup, Friday 04/09/2026, Goals Beckenham, outside Croydon borough, is a five a side fundraiser supporting CAYSH, which helps young people facing homelessness. The supplied event window is 13:30 to 17:00.
☕ First Friday Networking: Friday 04/09/2026, from 12:00 pm, Up Croydon, Weatherill House, 23 Whitestone Way, Croydon CR0 4WF. A monthly chance for local business owners and entrepreneurs to connect.
🎭 Janmashtami 2026: Friday 04/09/2026, from 6:00 pm, Krishna Avanti Primary School, Croydon, organised by ISKCON South London. A celebration of the festival with an evening programme.
🎶 Step and Groove: Friday 04/09/2026, 9:00 pm to 3:00 am, Escape Bar, 72 Westow Hill, Croydon. Soul, reggae and disco sounds to start the weekend. Check the listing before heading out.
🥅 CPFC Fan Park: Crystal Palace v Fulham: Saturday 05/09/2026, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, BOXPARK Croydon. Fan park entertainment around the Palace fixture, though note some Fan Park events do not broadcast the match on site, so check the BOXPARK listing before attending.
⚽ Newcastle v Bournemouth live screening: Saturday 05/09/2026, from 12:30 pm, BOXPARK Croydon.
👗 The Fit Edit: Preloved Plus Size Pop Up, Saturday 05/09/2026, 12:00 to 18:00, takes over Centrale Shopping Centre, 21 North End, Croydon CR0 1TY, with VIP access from 12:00 and general admission from 13:00.
🎶 Ponnonam 2026: Saturday 05/09/2026, from 4:00 pm, Fairfield Halls, Croydon, hosted by the KCWA Trust.
🎉 The Croydon Reunion, Saturday 05/09/2026, 16:00 to 21:00, is a strictly over 30s celebration of Croydon nightlife history at The Event Rooms, 3 to 7 Middle Street, Croydon. Last entry is 18:00 and physical photo ID is required.
🌳 Selsdon Community Fair, Sunday 06/09/2026, welcomes visitors at the Old Farleigh Road entrance to Selsdon Woods, combining community spirit with a chance to explore the local green space.
📚 London Radical Bookfair, Sunday 06/09/2026, 11:00 to 17:00, brings free entry, independent publishing and radical ideas to Stanley Arts, 11 South Norwood Hill.
🎵 Atrium: Soulful Sundays: Sunday 06/09/2026, from 12:00 pm, BOXPARK Croydon Atrium.
🌱 Pampisford Road Allotments Open Day, Sunday 06/09/2026, offers a closer look at local growing and gardening at Pampisford Road Allotments.
🚲 Cautious lead: Croydon Social Cycling Group has a loop ride listed for the weekend, but check the organiser’s current channel for the confirmed start point and time.
💚 COMMUNITY AND WELLBEING: CALM CONNECTIONS
🧠 CHWS and Mind in Croydon continue their free September wellbeing programme at Whitgift Centre, Unit 1101 to 1102, with recurring sessions rather than one single event. Check the current timetable before attending.
💪 Pump and Praise London, Saturday 19/09/2026, 9:00 am to 11:30 am, comes to BOXPARK Croydon as a fitness and worship experience for women aged 11 and over, with tickets from about £24.99.
♻️ Eco Living Fest, Saturday 19/09/2026, 13:00 to 16:00, comes to Holy Innocents Church and Hall, South Norwood SE25 6XX, with Wild Food Detectives, a refill station, TerraCycle point, bike repairs and vegan food.
🏠 Icon Kitchens Open Day, Friday 25/09/2026, 12:00 to 18:00, is organiser supplied for 116 Brighton Road, Purley CR8 4DB, offering a chance to explore kitchen and home renovation ideas.
🏛️ PRACTICAL PULSE: PLANS, PERMITS AND PERSPECTIVE
🏛️ CALAT moving from the Clocktower: Croydon Adult Learning and Training, CALAT, is moving out of Croydon Clocktower, Katharine Street, by the end of October 2026 as part of council transformation plans, and is sourcing alternative local venues so courses can continue.
💷 LTN fine refunds: Croydon Council has refunded about £520,000 of the more than £13 million collected through Low Traffic Neighbourhood fines that were later ruled unlawful, according to recent reports. Residents affected by the refund process should check the council's official page for the latest guidance.
🏠 Landlord licensing: Croydon Council says applications for the 2026 selective and additional HMO licensing schemes open on Friday 25/09/2026. Landlords should check the official guidance for affected properties.
🏙️ East Croydon towers: A planning committee discussion is due on Thursday 03/09/2026 for a pre application proposal for 268 homes, with the meeting intended for feedback rather than a final planning decision.
🚧 Croydon Flyover: A funding decision is expected this autumn, with works proposed for April 2027, subject to approvals and funding.
🕊️ Surviving Evin continues at Croydon Clocktower Café, 9 Katharine Street, Croydon CR9 1ET, from Tuesday 01/09/2026 to Thursday 01/10/2026, sharing the story of former prisoner Anoosheh Ashoori.
🏫 SCHOOL CORNER & PTA NOTICEBOARD
Local primary schools and PTAs can use this free community space to highlight fairs, bake sales, fundraiser discos and family activities.
No school notice has been verified for this edition, but the noticeboard remains part of the Pulse community rhythm.
💡 DID YOU KNOW? CROYDON CINEMA SECRETS
The David Lean Cinema is a non profit, volunteer led community cinema inside Croydon Clocktower, named after the celebrated British film director Sir David Lean.
It gives Croydon film lovers an intimate alternative to the multiplex, with world cinema, independent British films, cult classics and special conversation events.
📣 YOUR THURSDAY PULSE
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Building a Stronger Croydon, Together
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The Croydon Local Pulse Team