Croydon council are inviting anyone interested in helping shape the range of culture on offer in Croydon to a discussion evening on Tuesday (July 8th).
The event will be held in the community space at Bernard Wetherill House in Mint Walk, central Croydon. It will be hosted by Cllr Timothy Godfrey, Croydon’s cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport, who will outline how culture is central to the council’s ‘Ambitious for Croydon’ vision.
Cllr Godfrey and his deputy, Cllr Oliver Lewis, will also be using the evening to encourage guests to share their own views and generate new ideas, said a Croydoin council spokesman.
“These will be built into a plan which is being developed with a view to boosting the range and quality of cultural events staged in the borough.
“There will be presentations from speakers representing the existing diverse cultural offer in the borough in addition to a frank and open opportunity to listen to Croydon residents and organisations.”
Cllr Godfrey said: “We’re ambitious for Croydon with a vision to see the borough established as a genuine destination for both visual and performing arts.
“We have some great spaces for exhibitions, theatre, music and dance and we have a wealth of local talent plus the opportunity to build on what we already have to ensure we have a vibrant, exciting and diverse cultural offering that is attractive to people from across Croydon and further afield.
“Nobody is pretending this will be an easy task to achieve, but we’re absolutely determined to unlock Croydon’s potential over the next few years.”
The venue has limited capacity and due to the expected popularity of the event booking in advance is recommended, although not compulsory
E-mail [email protected] for further details.
ENDS
Event Details:
6pm for 6.30pm
Community Space
Mint Walk
Croydon (Source: Croydon council press release)
SHOPPERS FLEECED BY DISCOUNT ELECTRONICS POP-UP AUCTION
Shoppers are being warned they should not hand over cash at pop-up auctions in the belief they are buying high-end goods.
The alert has been issued by Croydon council’s trading standards team after rogue traders set up shop in a short-lease unit in North End during June, hung glossy posters displaying the logos of respected electronics manufacturers such as Apple, Sony, Bose, LG and others, and promised bargain deals for market-leading goods.
On show alongside signs saying that there would be no cash refunds were price lists of consumer electronics and electrical goods – including kettles, digital cameras, laptop computers, sat navs, headphones and games consoles – all at heavily discounted prices.
Lured by what appeared to be too-good-to-be-true bargains, a large number of unsuspecting shoppers gathered and once allowed inside the shop and the doors shut behind them, were shown a sealed bag that, they were told, could contain an iPhone or an iPad.
Having handed over as much as £100 – or, in some cases, more – they were given the bag at the end of the sale only to find it contained very cheap unbranded electronic items, perfume, watches and the like, but not the hoped-for leading brand-name smartphone or tablet.
The scammers disappeared with the money as soon as the sale ended, refusing all refunds.
Trading standards and police officers attended following complaints and reports of disturbances. The scammers were identified and ejected from the premises, and the landlord contacted to prevent re-entry. The same scammers had been found operating in Reading a week earlier.
Cllr Mark Watson, cabinet member for safety and justice, said that shoppers had a duty to themselves not to be taken in by the outlandish promises made by traders setting up what turned out to be a sort of mock auction.
“We haven’t seen these for a few years, and today’s younger consumers may not be that aware of the way they operate, or the inevitable pitfalls.
“In this instance, many of the complaints were around the fact that they felt that, as it was held in a high-street shop premises and a price list was displayed, it was a genuine business and had to sell the listed items for the price shown – I’m afraid that isn’t the case.
“The ‘No Cash Refunds’ signs really should have rung warning bells, if the too-good-to-be-true prices didn’t.
“Consumers need to protect themselves first and foremost in these hard economic times, and be aware that all that glitters is not gold.
“The expectation that the council or the police will be able to get their money back once they willingly throw it at these rogues to grab a bargain is not a reality. “Once it goes, it’ll probably never be seen again.” (Source: Croydon council press release)
