Croydon is a large town in the London Borough of Croydon, part of Greater London and roughly nine miles south of central London. Originally a medieval market town and home to Croydon Palace, it expanded rapidly in the Victorian era and was extensively redeveloped after the war, leaving a mix of modernist buildings and big post‑war shopping centres.
Today Croydon functions as a major suburban commercial and transport hub - with East Croydon station and the Tramlink providing fast links into central London and easy access to Gatwick - and has one of the largest office and retail concentrations outside the centre. It is culturally diverse, home to venues such as Fairfield Halls, noted for a lively music scene (including important links to UK garage and dubstep), and continues to see significant regeneration and new residential development.