Catford residents fear people are ditching the town centre for Lewisham after the closure of the fourth prominent venue in two years. The new Catford Constitutional Club on Rushey Green called last orders on Saturday (January 11).
The pub is the latest in a string of venues to flee the South East London town centre in the last 24 months. Cinema and food hall Catford Mews was locked out of its premises in Catford Centre by Lewisham Council at the end of October last year after racking up £650,000 of unpaid rent.
A couple of months earlier, the London and Rye Wetherspoon’s on Rushey Green closed its doors after being put up for sale by the pub chain. A year before that, the Bottle Bar and Shop announced it was moving out of Catford due to increasing rent and bills coupled with falling customer numbers. It is now based in Bromley.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) on Wednesday (January 15), locals in Catford town centre said they were worried about the deterioration of the area. Noor Nazari, 31, owner of Concourse 223 fruit and vegetable shop, said: “People don’t come to Catford any more, and a lot of people want to go to Lewisham instead.
“I have lived here since 2019, but I think the problem only started about a year ago. As a businessman, it’s hard because I don’t get as many people coming through. They don’t want to come into Catford.”
Local mum Ellie McCleave, 33, agreed that the town centre had gone downhill. She said: “It has got worse. Catford Mews was the one good part of Catford. I used to go at least once a week, not for the cinema but for the community feel, for meeting friends.
Ellie McCleave, 33, said she thought the town centre had got ‘worse’
(Image: Robert Firth)
“Catford really needs a community centre, like a safe, warm place to be in. And I think that Catford Mews provided that. The library is nice, but you can’t have a conversation there.”
Ms McCleave added that she’d like to see more coffee shops and child-friendly places open up and for there to be less rubbish in the area.
Tony Griffin, 74, a retired teacher who has lived in Catford for 35 years, said the town centre seemed to have fallen on bad times. He said: “There were better shops in the past. It has become downmarket and that’s something I don’t like. It would be nice if there were more places to drink and eat. My wife had to meet her friend here and it was like, where is there in Catford that’s a nice eatery?”
Tony Griffin, 74, said Catford town centre had become ‘downmarket’
(Image: Robert Firth)
Will Mortimer, 44, a theatre producer who has lived in the area for 11 years, added: “It would be nice to have Catford Mews back. It would be nice to have coffee shops and more amenities and less rubbish everywhere. Businesses aren’t setting up shop here and I guess there’s a reason for that.
“There’s not much of a reason to come into Catford to be honest. When Catford Mews was open, I would come in to work from there, but there’s nowhere to sit and stay now.”
In October 2024, a Lewisham Council report revealed businesses in Catford Centre had racked up £1.3 million in unpaid rent
(Image: Robert Firth)
In October 2024, a Lewisham Council report revealed that businesses in Catford Centre had racked up £1.3 million in unpaid rent. Firms were struggling in a ‘highly challenging high street and retail environment’, according to the report.
But better times may be around the corner for Catford. Lewisham Council’s 20-year vision to revamp the town centre could see up to 2,700 homes built in the area and a new pedestrianised town square created by re-routing the South Circular.
The plans would see key parts of Catford connected, including Catford Broadway, Lewisham Town Hall, the Broadway Theatre, Catford Shopping Centre and Laurence House. Other town centre landmarks set to be redeveloped as part of the planned regeneration scheme include the Milford Towers estate and Holbeach Road car park.
The former Catford Constitutional Club building on Catford Broadway, which is different to the new Catford Constitutional Club that closed last week, is currently being refurbished by the Labour-run council.
Got a story? Email robert.firth@reachplc.com.
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