CR0 1NA

Once again we find ourselves at that time of year when the multiple bars of Croydon host the dreaded themed nights in the hope of raking in money from customers drowned in the eternal glee that is the pre and post Christmas season. The drinking culture in the UK has over the many years of its functioning inevitably generated a very competitive market amongst pubs, bars and clubs of which Croydon has seen the creation and deaths of many. Through the course of just a single year it is standard practice to witness at least two to three new drinking holes opening around Croydon and just as many closing, it seems the required combination of location, logic and luck to maintain a successful bar is not naturally acquired.

From the famous Black Sheep Bar to the lifeless Pop World the South end of Croydon High St hosts a lively street life with a wide selection of bars, yet one building has stubbornly refused to conform for many years now. Located under the Croydon flyover a single rigid black-box of a building currently known only by its postal code CR0 1NA has been the location of at least 4 major clubs over the last seven years; Somthing-pre-Escapade, Escapade, The Hub and Svelte. Each one welcoming you with open arms, promises of joy and enchanting cocktails but they all fracture and collapse eventually. No matter how many times businessman re-brand exactly the same building I fear this space is quite simply doomed to fail, for a success to be fashioned from this space a large architectural overhaul would be required.

Presently you are greeted at CR0 1NA with a very oppressive black paint smothered building, which only aids in disorientating the exterior space and imposing a strong characterless facade. This building could quite easily make a luxury electrical sub-station. However the skeleton is favorable, a small elongated bar upstairs facing onto the street and a much larger bar and dance area downstairs, the upstairs bar in theory would act as window shopping material providing free advertisement whilst the downstairs is the substance. Funnily enough all the business's utilised this set-up and all failed in some way or another, but the failure was always for other reasons. The most obvious example being The Hub's absolutely thoughtless and bait signage of monochrome half circles and aerial font, clearly masterminded by a businessman the signage only helped in completely repelling any custom that was considering going there.

Anyone can have their theories and plans for reinstating CR0 1NA but at the end of the day all it has produced so far is architecture with too much make-up on. Either this building can easily be saved by some make-up wipes and better integration to the street front; clearer and aesthetically pleasing lighting and visibility, or the curse of the CR0 1NA club is hopelessly unmanageable and we should accept the arrival of another restaurant and forget the buildings past architectural embarrassment.

tW