I fully appreciate your correspondent's letter Deep roots and golden memories of land I love' (Croydon Guardian, August 31), having lived through the war in West Croydon, right up until 1958 when I got married and moved away.
I have been back to Croydon a few times over the past 20 years and, much as I loved the place when I was a youngster, living in Croydon now would be a nightmare.
It has a completely different "feel" now. Far too crowded. Quite untidy and downtrodden in many parts.
All the decent buildings, such as the Grand Theatre, the Davis Theatre, the Savoy and even the Methodist Church in West Croydon have been smashed out of existence in the name of progress.
I feel so sad that the old spirit of Croydon has been killed off by the town planners leaving the whole place a soulless mess of high-rise office blocks and flats.
Even Surrey Street, where I once worked during school holidays for Mr Toohig and Mr Hart on the stalls and in the sorting sheds, has lost a lot of its charm.
Yes, I too still love my memories of old Croydon and collect memorabilia via eBay and other places, but would I want to live there now? No way, Jose!
George Harfleet
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