As the year comes to an end, we are reflecting on the businesses that closed down in 2023.

Due to the cost-of-living crisis, many chains had to close their stores down in Croydon this year, with some atThe Whitgift Centre.

The Whitgift Centre is a large shopping centre that has been operating since its opening in 1968.

Two shops that were opened there when the centre itself first opened has closed its doors completely this year.

Below are the three shops we lost this year in Croydon.

WHSmith at The Whitgift Centre

Your Local Guardian:

It was announced late last year that customers wouldn’t be able to enjoy the long-standing WHSmith at the shopping centre in 2023.

The newsagents, book shop and stationery store shut down half its floor space by exiting the first floor of its premises on North End early this year.

They took in their final sales on New Years Day after 50 years at The Whitgift Centre.

Sainsbury’s at The Whitgift Centre 

Your Local Guardian:

The Whitgift Centre also bid farewell to its Sainsbury’s store this year.

The country’s second-largest chain of supermarkets confirmed in June that it would close its Whitgift Centre store after being open since 1969.

Croydon residents created petitions to keep the favourite store, but sadly they didn’t succeed.

The shop closed its doors on October 15 after 54 years at the shopping centre.

The Foxley Hatch

Your Local Guardian:

Wetherspoon pubs all over the country closed down this year, including The Foxley Hatch in Croydon.

It was announced it would close down in early 2023, before fully closing its doors on December 3.

Spokesperson for Wetherspoon Eddie Gershon said: “We would like to thank all of the staff and customers at The Foxley Hatch who have made it such a wonderful pub.

“We appreciate the dedication of our staff and the loyalty of our customers.”