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 As Britain battles through snowy conditions, Young Ahmadi Muslims from across Croydon are on stand-by with salt and snow shovels to help ease any disruption caused.

Ever since the big snow showers of 2010, local members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association (AMYA) have come together to ensure that their neighbours and people driving or walking through their neighbourhoods do so safely.

Around 15 members of the Croydon branch of the AMYA, based out of Croydon Mosque on St. James' Road, set off from their early morning prayers on Saturday to clear important public areas in Croydon. The young volunteers cleared snow from the pathways leading to the entrances of Croydon University Hospital's A&E wing and the area surrounding the Holy Saviour Church.

Vicar Xavier Soosainayagan, from Holy Saviour Church, said:

"They are wonderful people who have the conscience of public property and make sure of peoples' safety to the hospital or to places of worship. God bless them always. We love you."

This is the latest initiative of the AMYA's year long campaign to help those in need and raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for a number of UK charities.  In the last month alone, local AMYA members held a blood donation session, fed the homeless on Christmas day, cleared the litter from the centre of Croydon on new year's morning and worked with Save the Children to raise donations at Morrisons Supermarkets.  

Mubarak Shams, Regional Youth Leader of AMYA Croydon, said: 

''This year marks the 100 year centenary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the United Kingdom and we take great joy in the fact that we have been running these kinds of initiatives since our arrival in this great country. 

''The Prophet Muhammad was sent as a Mercy for the whole of mankind and so we try to seek every opportunity to help others. Anyone in need of help during these hazardous conditions can count on our support.''

Eric, an employee at Croydon University Hospital who assisted the volunteers as to where the snow was proving most problematic, said:

"This is great.  I wish my boss was here to see this."

In March the Croydon branch of AMYA will holding a community football tournament to further enhance understanding and friendship between the multitude of communities in the borough. 

TRINITY School pupil Sophie Foreman represented England in the combined U20 and U17 McCain Cross-Country Challenge Series in Antrim last Saturday.

She finished in sixth place having completed the 3.6k course in 13 minutes and 11 seconds, only 28 seconds behind winner Becky Straw, who was the national winner for 2012.

However, Foreman came first of the U17 runners, a comfortable 26 seconds ahead of her closest competitor.

Her next race in the McBain series will be the Inter-County Championships in Birmingham in March, where she will be starting in pole position for the Surrey team.

Foreman, who is part of Tonbridge Athletics Club, was selected to represent England after her fantastic run in Liverpool in November.

She has won numerous competitions at local and regional level, including the Surrey Schools 3000m Championships, South of England 3000m Championships, London Cross-Country Championships, and the Surrey Championships at Lloyd Park earlier this month.

On the back of representing her country, Foreman said: "Competing for England was a fantastic experience. I really enjoyed the race and we were very well looked after the whole time."

THE pupil exclusion rate is at its lowest level since records began, figures published this week have revealed.

There were 64 permanent exclusions from Croydon's maintained schools and academies in the 2011/12 academic year.

This equates to an exclusion rate of 0.12 per cent, the lowest since national data on exclusions was first published in 1999/2000.

The council said the establishment of a Primary Fair Access Panel, which took over from the previous independent process for appealing exclusions in September, had been a "significant factor" in reducing the figure from the middle 70s in the two previous academic years.

The access panel ends the previous body's power to reinstate pupils to the school and instead has the ability to uphold, recommend reconsideration or quash the decision and recommend the governing body considers the ruling again.

There were three permanent exclusions at primary schools in 2011/12 and none since the access panel was established.

Intensive support and "challenge" for previously high excluding schools had also led to a reduction in permanent exclusions, said a report due to go before cabinet on Monday.

Boys are just over four times more likely to be excluded than girls, both permanently and for fixed terms.

Exclusion rates among black Caribbean pupils have caused concern in recent years.

Black Caribbeans make up 11 per cent of Croydon's school population but constitute 17 per cent of permanent exclusions and 23 per cent of fixed-term exclusions.

Croydon is targeting less than 55 permanent exclusions in 2012/13 which would equate to a rate of 0.11 per cent.

To achieve this, a number of secondary head teachers have agreed to be part of a group tasked with exploring alternatives to exclusion.

LIVING in a top shopping centre, Croydon's music lovers once had the run of the record shops with Virgin Megastore, Our Price, HMV – and, of course, the world-famous Beanos – at their disposal.

But it was with a degree of inevitability that the chain which began in Oxford Street in 1921 as His Master's Voice this week announced it had gone into administration.

And despite dewy-eyed nods to "ends of eras" and cliched references to videos killing radio stars, the record store is far from dead in Croydon.

"The retail market is obviously tough right now but we are still going strong and have been doing so since 1986," Duncan Barnes, who owns 101 Records in North End, said.

"We have a big internet presence, which I think is the secret.

"It has helped a lot, whereas HMV didn't use the internet for a long time, and by the time they did it was far too late. We also have a strong and loyal fan base and thankfully we're still going.

"However, I don't believe all these people that are saying how sad they are that HMV is going into administration.

"These people should use their record stores if they don't want this to happen. It's a case of use it or lose it."

Croydon institution Beanos closed in 2009 after 34 years trading and former owner David Lashmar said he was not surprised by HMV's demise, which could result in the loss of many jobs from the local branch in Centrale.

He said: "I am amazed it lasted so long and didn't close sooner. Frankly, people can't be bothered to go into town, go into the store and queue for an item that they could get cheaper from Amazon.

"The people working there can't help you. They don't know enough about what they're working with, so it's easier to order the product online.

"This isn't just about downloading music. Many people like myself still like to have the CD, the physical thing, because then you have it and you know it's yours.

"But why would you go to a shop to get it when you can just order online? No wonder Richard Branson closed Virgin when he did; he knew what was coming.

"Not only that but HMV looked more like a DVD shop than music. There wasn't great customer service. It's just sad that yet another shop has left the high street."

Another store relying almost solely on the internet is dance-music specialist DNR Vinyl, in Lower Addiscombe Road.

Manager Dan Nuthall told the Advertiser: "Ten years ago there were at least ten specialist record shops like us in Croydon but now there are only a couple or so left.

"Luckily, our rent isn't too high because we're out of the main town but without the internet part of the business, we just wouldn't have one. Thankfully, as we are specialised, our customers keep coming back."

HMV once had two stores in Croydon, before one in North End closed in February 2011.

The future of its current store in Centrale is unclear, following this week's announcement.

BUSINESSES in Croydon's Restaurant Quarter are uniting to combat high VAT by joining a national campaign to bring restaurant prices down.

Restaurants and bars in South Croydon including Bar Txt, Bagatti's and The Half and Half Bar have joined the Thrive on Five campaign, which aims to reduce VAT to five per cent for the hospitality industry.

But the campaign has already hit a stumbling block as the Treasury minister in charge of VAT, David Gauke, has claimed there is not enough evidence that a reduction in tax would help the trade.

Linda Arthur, owner of Bar Txt in South End, said: "A dinner for two offered by Marks and Spencer or other supermarkets has no VAT charged, yet all restaurants have to charge VAT at 20 per cent. Restaurants, hotels and pubs are suffering, and this is not helped by the high VAT they have to charge their customers.

"The hospitality industry is a major employer and taxpayer, and yet the government is willingly allowing many outlets to close down in the difficult trading period we are experiencing, due to lack of customers, many of whom are unwilling to pay the higher prices, including VAT.

"Every outlet that closes means fewer jobs and less revenue for the Government, yet it continues at an alarming rate. If the Government were to reduce the VAT on food in the hospitality industry to five per cent, many jobs and businesses could be saved."

Ian Taitte, owner of the Half and Half Bar, said lowering VAT at quieter times of the year such as January would help many bars and restaurants.

He added: "The high VAT is really killing us, and it's killing the industry.

"I'm on board for any campaign that tries to lower it. Christmas and the new year were great, but all of January Croydon has been like a ghost town.

"If VAT doesn't go down it's only going to get worse.

"People are still being made redundant and just don't have any money right now.

"Of course they aren't going to go out if they can't afford it, so it affects us all."

For more information or to sign the petition, click here

DAMNING Ofsted reports published this week will lead to three Croydon schools becoming academies, the Advertiser can reveal.

Two; Westwood College for Girls in Upper Norwood and Winterbourne Junior Boys in Thornton Heath, have been put into special measures.

The third, Benson Primary and Nursery in Shirley, has been judged to have "serious weaknesses".

Cllr Tim Pollard, the council's cabinet member for children, families and learners, said under Government policy the expectation now was that any school failing an Ofsted inspection would become an academy.

He said: "The Government is trying to make it very clear to everybody that it is deadly serious about improving standards and will do whatever is necessary to achieve that.

"I can't disagree with that as a policy."

The ruling on Westwood comes as no surprise, as the inspection in November was taking place in parallel with a request from the council to the Government, to appoint an academy sponsor to improve the school.

The council told the Government "unacceptable" exam results were the main reason behind the request.

Consequently, it is understood that the Harris Federation, which already runs academies in Upper Norwood, South Norwood and South Croydon, is to become the Westwood sponsor.

The Ofsted inspection did nothing to allay council fears about the school's decline, problems which have been exacerbated by the long-term sickness of head Karen Benton and other senior staff. On top of that, GCSE results last year showed that just 36 per cent of pupils achieved five A* to C GCSE grades.

Listing the main faults at Westwood, the inspectors said students in Years 7 to 11 do not make enough progress, especially in English and maths, teaching is inadequate because expectations are not high enough, governors do not know enough about the quality of teaching, and that the leadership of the school was not in a position to make the required, urgent changes.

At Winterbourne, the inspectors said the achievement of pupils, quality of teaching, and leadership and management of the school were all inadequate when the inspection took place last October.

At Benson, pupils' achievement and quality of teaching is also judged to be inadequate, while the behaviour of pupils and leadership and management require improvement.

Tony Ahmet, executive head of Winterbourne, said: "Ofsted's report paints a picture that the school and its governing body recognise and that has already been acknowledged.

"We're pleased the inspectors found that Winterbourne offers a welcoming environment for pupils, and that our children are well-behaved with improving attendance.

"It was also good to see them note that new senior appointments are already delivering positive results."

A separate Ofsted report released this week says Addington High School, which is already in special measures, has not shown enough improvement.

It becomes an academy in April.

ON Monday, I was sitting in my hotel near Stoke watching Sky Sports News and it comes up that Arsenal and Manchester United are fighting over Wilfried Zaha, and I don't understand what's going on – I'm sure I would do.

We're all sitting there and we don't know nothing about it.

We're not considering anything at the moment because we're not in the driving seat. I mentioned on the Footballers' Football Show last week that my chairman had held one or two conversations with interested clubs, but it's gone no further than that since.

The most important thing for Wilfried is that he plays well for us, because they'll be watching him now and they'll be seeing what they think and how much he might be worth.

I strongly suggest to him that he plays better than he's played ever, that's the important thing.

I might want to sell my house, but no one might buy it because I might over-value it. Then again, if you get an offer for it and you don't want to sell it, then it isn't going to be sold, is it?

Unfortunately, we're talking about a human being here, who is on a four-year contract, so people can like him all they like, but he belongs to us.

At the end of the day, and before all of this talk, he had to play for us, and even during all of this talk, he has to play for us.

I've never experienced all of this with someone as young as Wilf. The one I had was Barry Hayles and it all got a bit ridiculous.

The other one was Jason Roberts and Jamie Cureton when they were a lot younger. This, now, is because of the way the media is these days, and according to them, we're just a one-player team.

At the end of the day, it's all about dealing with it.

In terms of players coming into the club, I put a tentative enquiry in about Peterborough United's George Boyd. I asked the question to them, but what they wanted wasn't right, so we won't be bringing him to Palace.

It's all about the valuation, his wages and about fitting him in the squad somewhere.

I'm hoping by the time this column has been printed, we've managed to get one Premier League player on loan. It's in a position where we're a bit short because KG has gone at the moment. And I was considering swapping David Wright and bringing in a youngster on loan in his place.

Hopefully that has now been revealed, but at the time I wrote this, I didn't want to say anything.

I think we'll be looking to have up to four or five players by the end of the transfer window.

Alex Nimely came on for his debut at Burnley and he's someone I've been trying to take for a while. I saw how well he did at Coventry City last season and I just wanted a chance to work with him. He gives us options.

THIS "never-seen-before" Mini is the latest "weapon in the armoury" at Croydon Fire Station.

It is dwarfed when parked next to its big brother, the fire engine, weighing ten times less, while it packs just four fire extinguishers and no hose.

Although the Mini will be no inferno battler, it will be deployed to put out small blazes, such as bin fires.

And it is the London Fire Brigade's new answer to having a vehicle on standby at community events.

Borough fire commander Chris Bigland put in a bid for the Mini after their successful use at the 2012 London Olympics, making Croydon the first borough to receive one.

He said: "It's a fantastic new addition to the fleet. It's like nothing that's ever been seen before – anywhere.

"People may think that when they see a fire engine it's going to a fire or an accident, but we do much, much more than just fighting fires.

"This vehicle is just the newest weapon in the armoury to help us keep the people of London safe.

"Although we are using this Mini locally for Crossfire, our Community Safety Team, it will join for community events like the London Marathon or Notting Hill Carnival. By using these new vehicles we can attend small scale incidents without causing large scale disruption. This was proven during the Olympics."

Firefighters at Croydon Fire Station, in Old Town, have yet to test drive the car, which arrived in the borough last week.

But it has been well-received. "We're the envy of other boroughs, being the first to get one," said Mr Bigland.

The Mini is the latest addition to Croydon's fleet, which is one of the largest across London as it is one of five specialist rescue stations.

It carries four extinguishers, two fire crew from the Crossfire Community fire team and a defibrillator for helping people breathe at the scene of an incident.

Also at Croydon Fire Station's disposal are two fire engines, a fire rescue unit and three urban search and rescue lorries with five attachable pods and a Bobcat rubble clearance vehicle.

It can also call on a command unit from Woodside Fire Station, where the Mini will be permanently based.

The statement, which made no reference to the closures, welcomed plans for an additional 117 officers by 2015 and quoted council leader Mike Fisher as saying the move would give Croydon a "fairer share of police resources".

While, on paper at least, we appear set for the second biggest rise in police numbers of any borough, another statistic puts the increase in context – since the riots in August 2011, Croydon has lost the second highest proportion of police officers of any area in London.

The Advertiser has found that, following the disorder, which left 28 buildings destroyed by fire, 252 businesses damaged, 100 families homeless, and arguably affected Croydon more than anywhere else in the country, the borough's police force has lost the equivalent of 63 officers, or nine per cent, of its total strength.

This is a bigger proportion than other areas affected by the riots, including Haringey, Hackney and Lewisham, and second only to Lambeth, which lost almost 13 per cent of its officers.

Figures for the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) officers assigned to each borough between September 2011 and August 2012 show Croydon lost a higher percentage than areas with equivalent and lower crime rates, some of which now have more officers than they did 18 months ago.

In fact, the number of officers has dropped, almost without fail, every month since the riots, from 700.58 FTEs in September 2011 to 649 in May 2012 to 636.90 in November last year, the most recent figures available. Fewer than two people visit Kenley Police Station per day, figures show

FTE data is one way of gauging manpower but is not directly comparable to head count because it takes into account part-time working and job sharing.

The figures do, however, show that the additional resources contained in the Mayor's draft Police and Crime Plan, published last week, should be taken in context of the lowest officer numbers in Croydon for at least four years and a 15.2 per cent drop since May 2010. Head count stats released by the Met are directly comparable to the Mayor's figures, which claim that the borough will be allocated an extra 117 officers, with numbers rising from 623 to 740 by 2015.

The Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) used October 2011 as the benchmark when compiling the table.

But had its baseline been a few months earlier, when there were 730 officers in Croydon, the increase would have amounted to just ten extra men and women.

Even a year later, in March 2012, the increase is a more modest 70 additional officers.

While the Mayor's office had to choose a date to use as the baseline, the manpower assigned to boroughs can fluctuate dramatically, for a number of operational reasons.

Metropolitan police commissioner holds consultation over planned changes The Met said centralising certain units, such as Safer Transport and Telephone Investigation teams, accounted for the reduction in officers assigned directly to individual boroughs.

The date chosen happened to catch Croydon when it was particularly understaffed. A slightly different date and the end result would have been different.

Even if the figures do add up, 740 officers policing the streets of Croydon puts the borough back to where it was in March 2010, a month after the council launched a high-profile campaign aimed at securing the borough's "fair share" of resources, a phrase repeated this week by Mr Fisher.

Under Boris Johnson's plan, part of £500m cuts to the Met Police budget, our share would increase from 3.44 per cent in 2011 to 3.83 per cent by 2015, bringing us to the question – is an extra 0.39 per cent enough to counter the loss of five police stations?

Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell launched that campaign when he was a councillor.

He claimed the drop in FTEs since August 2011 was as a result of the end of Safe For All, an operation to reduce crime in the town centre, and the departure of officers assigned to the borough in the wake of the disorder.

The figures, however, show no increase following the riots, and a spike which may be connected to Safe for All in 2010. Croydon police station closure plans gets mixed reaction

Mr Barwell said: "What is indisputable is that we have a fairer share of the officers allocated to borough command units, which is what we have been campaigning for. Even on the Advertiser's figures, we are going up to nearly as many officers as we had in March 2010.

"During a period of austerity, it's beyond me how anyone can think this isn't a good outcome."

That the majority of police will be based in Croydon's safer neighbourhood teams, where numbers will increase from 73 to 183, has been welcomed by those who want to see more bobbies on the beat.

But, despite the 0.39 per cent rise in the borough's share of resources, police numbers are at a four year low.

With stations also closing, it is fair to say not everyone is feeling triumphant.

• Croydon: 94.8/-9%
• Greenwich: 98.1/-8.6%
• Hillingdon: 90/-4.30%
• Barking: 104.7/+3.30%
• Redbridge: 89.7/-6.38%
• Wandsworth: 84.2/-5.92%

• Croydon North: 117.75/-63.6
• Southwark: 120.1/-56.32
• Hackney: 127.3/-51
• Brent: 123.1/-45.5
• Kensington & Chelsea: 122.5/-35.46
• Haringey: 115.2/+2.3

COMMUNITY leaders have urged the council to reconsider cutting funds to a scheme that has helped hundreds of youths on the estate become "responsible citizens".

The council wants to axe the £70,000 annual grant to the Croydon Auto Bike Scheme (CABS) from 2014/15, part of a slew of measures to save £36 million over the next two years amid government funding cuts.

That would raise serious doubts about the future of the "crime diversion" programme based in Fieldway, in which wayward youths learn about motorbikes alongside issues like sexual health and avoiding drugs and gangs.

Marion Burchell, chair of Pathfinders community group, said the cuts could result in a "huge loss" to the estate's young people.

She said: "I worry about who will pick up that cost to try and keep the group running.

"Young people there don't just learn to ride bikes – they teach them about everything – drugs, sexual health.

"A lot of young people return to visit [after they have finished their course] because they want to. The guys that run it are really good."

Run by the Croydon Youth Development Trust, CABS has been involved with more than 1,500 young people from across the borough since it started in 2009.

It was one of a handful of community projects in New Addington awarded money by Channel 4's 'secret millionaire' Bobby Dudani when he visited the estate in June.

John Steel, who runs the Steel Gym in Vulcan Way, said he "could not understand" how such an important scheme could have its funding cut.

He said: "The riots were a massive indication of how low the youth is – they are hopeless, completely hopeless. We are running youth days up here where we allow them to come and train for £2.

"We pay a lot of council tax and no-one helps us out."

Councillor Tim Pollard, cabinet member for children and young people, defended the plans as necessary in the face of the authority's slashed budget.

He said: "The issue is that we have got to the end of being able to cut things that people don't value as much and we are now cutting things that people do value.

"We're at the point where we are definitely cutting things that we are not happy about.

"Does it worry me? Yes, but I think we have to balance what must be done with things that are good to do and this is one of those things."

Fieldway councillor Carole Bonner called the plans "short-sighted".

She said: "What is this going to cost us in the future? I've known young people who have been to the project, and seen the difference it's made to their lives.

"If they are not given the opportunity to find a way out of a life of crime and become responsible citizens, that is not only failing the young people it is helping now, but also setting that up for the future."

The managers of the scheme have said they are reluctant to comment until anything is formally decided.

MEASURES to push aside allotment-holders who waste their plots are to be toughened.

Anger is growing at the high proportion of untended plots in the Hartley Down allotments in Coulsdon at a time when the waiting list for council-run plots has been closed due to high demand.

Owners say rules about cultivating the plots are rarely enforced, and as many as a quarter have been left to seed.

Ward councillor Chris Wright said: "It is just a shame they are not being used when we know there is a big waiting list.

"There is perhaps a quarter, perhaps a bit less, a fair number."

The council now wants growers to form a committee to oversee the plots and alert its officers to any unused ones.

It could then either let them out or issue their holders with the standard warnings and notices to quit.

Hartley Down plot-holder Keith Spencer welcomed the idea.

He said: "I am a bit loathe to go down a path of rules and regulations, but these problems could probably be sorted out if we had a local committee.

"We could let the council know when the plots are available; it seems straightforward.

"Other allotments in the borough have formed co-operatives to help each other.

"We may want to share equipment or if we want to challenge something we could all get together."

Mr Spencer said untended allotments were not only a waste, adding: "It also becomes unsightly and can attract animals who can come through onto yours."

A council spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the issues caused by plots that aren't being cultivated.

"Now that it's winter and there are 14 vacant plots at Hartley Down, we have written to plot-holders there to ask for their views on setting up their own management committee – possibly in the spring. So far the feedback has been positive.

"A committee would have involvement in managing overgrown plots and letting them out to people on the waiting list."

The council is planning to strim overgrown areas, she added, which have also been blamed for attracting deer.

CHARITABLE motorists drove a fleet of dressed-up bangers from London to Blackpool last weekend.

The 24 fundraisers completed the Two Tower Challenge in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Simon Chapman, from Shirley, organised the rally in memory of a friend who died of cancer three years ago.

He said: "The sight of ten amazing-looking cars crossing the Peak District with nearly every passing car hooting their horns and every passer-by cheering and smiling was such an amazing feeling.

"The effort, energy and passion that everyone put into the rally was amazing."

The challenge was to complete the 250-mile route in a specially-decorated car costing no more than £350.

They have so far raised £2,000, and more is expected from the car sales.

The fundraisers will also be hosting a celebratory charity gig and auction on Saturday, February 23.

All the proceeds from the event at the Shirley Park Golf Club will go to the Teenage Cancer Trust.

The evening will feature live music from Amnesia, a charity auction, and a screening of a film of the Two Tower Challenge.

For tickets, £10 per person, contact Val on 020 8777 1063 or val.chapman19@hotmail.co.uk Visit justgiving.com/TwoTowerChallenge to donate.

A NORBURY shopkeeper is vying to become Croydon's first small shop with a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week alcohol licence.

But his proposals have run into immediate opposition in the area, with claims the move would create more late-night disturbance and encourage street drinking.

Wakeezan Manivasakam, owner of Linda Food & Wine in London Road, has applied to the council for permission to sell alcohol from his mini-supermarket 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Mr Manivasakam said at present, he had a licence to serve off sales drinks until 1am, but he wanted to boost his business by staying open longer.

He said: "Business is not at its best at the moment and we need to increase our hours."

Mr Manivasakam said his shop was close to Norbury railway station and the last train stopped at the station at 1.45am.

He said he already had a considerable number of people who bought alcohol from his shop after midnight.

By extending the licensing hours, he would be able to meet the demand from last train passengers and others out late at night.

He said: "I think a lot of people are happy with us being open 24 hours."

But Norbury councillor Maggie Mansell said she had been joined by Norbury Village Residents' Association in lodging a formal objections to the licence application.

Cllr Mansell said: "I don't believe there is any reason for 24-hour licences.

"If anyone wants to drink responsibly they can look ahead and buy whatever they want earlier in the day."

Cllr Mansell said she and residents living close to the shop feared that a 24-hour licence would attract people from a wide area.

She added: "People will be driving to the shop in the early hours, getting out their cars and slamming doors."

"It will all cause a lot more nuisance and we don't need that, thank you very much."

Croydon Police licensing officers will be looking at the application closely, pointing out that until now, 24-hour licences in the borough had been restricted to major supermarkets.

The objections mean the application has to be considered by the council's licensing sub-committee, but no date has yet been fixed.

SMASHED windows, piles of rubbish and reports of drug dealing – this is the dishevelled hotel Croydon Council is urgently attempting to shut down for the good of the community.

The council wants to close the Gomers Hotel, in Warham Road South Croydon, after "persistent and serious antisocial behaviour" from the premises.

But at Croydon Magistrates' Court on Friday, the application for a closure order was adjourned to give the hotel's landlord Laurence Kite more time to seek legal advice. Representing Croydon Council, Sian Davis opposed the delay, saying the case was "urgent".

She said: "[Mr Kite] does not dispute that there has been persistent and serious anti-social behaviour from the property.

"The council has been in extensive consultation with [Mr Kite] about this matter. Certainly since last summer there have been numerous discussions with him.

"The council has been absolutely clear, certainly since last November, that if he does not take these steps it will be seeking a closure order, so there has been no doubt for the last couple of months that it has been seeking this step.

"It will have come as no surprise to him."

The premises are in a severe state of disrepair with a broken front door, glass and rubbish littering the front porch, and mess and internal damage visible through the windows.

Former burglar Nick Brown, who moved into the hotel after coming out of prison six months ago, told the Advertiser being behind bars was preferable.

He said: "The place has deteriorated and the council has built up a case and it is using the antisocial behaviour order.

"My son and daughter were here too but they have gone back to Margate. There is no water or heating. I am better off going back to prison."

Mr Brown said the mess in the front of the garden had been caused by "travellers", who temporarily parked there "a couple of months ago".

He added: "I can understand people not liking it, but what about my human rights?"

Neighbours we spoke to were too fearful of reprisals to give their names.

But one said: "There has been drug-taking there and we have got kids and we are quite afraid.

"The place has been like this for the best part of a year and in the space of the past few months it has got really bad. Many times they have stolen things from people's back gardens and properties – lead, for example."

Another nearby resident, who also asked not to be identified, said: "We just feel unsafe – there is a lot of noise and shouting. I do not know exactly how many people live there – it seems like quite a few."

A council spokesman said: "The council has never placed anyone in this hotel. The tenants in this hotel are private. At present, those who have existing tenancies at the hotel are remaining there while legal proceedings take place."

CROYDON Harriers' men took a great step towards 2XU Surrey League promotion thanks to a runners-up team finish at their third division race at Cranford Park last weekend.

Croydon enjoyed the first three finishers in the race, with David White notching his first ever win at Surrey League level, completing the flat five-mile course in 26 minutes and 49 seconds.

He was chased all the way by Surrey U20 team gold medallists Mark Plackett (26:50) and Peter Chambers (26:54). Meanwhile, Harvey White, 16, finished in a non-scoring seventh in 28:12 and Brendan Murphy (28:26) was also inside the top ten in ninth.

The rest of the scoring team of ten consisted of Ian Wright (27th, 29:50), Alan Burn (34th, 30:37), Simon Loughran (46th, 31:18), Colin Oxlade (62nd, 32:02), Neil Aikman (65th, 32:13) and Martin Rowe (87th, 33:03). There were a further eight Croydon non-scorers.

The result consolidates the Harriers lead on 740 points overall, more than 100 points clear of nearest challengers Dulwich (868pts) and well ahead of Full on Triathlon (1094pts), with the top two to go up in the nine team division. The final league fixture is on the February 9 at Wimbledon Common.

Furthermore, their female colleagues were in action at Mitcham in the Surrey women's league.

Stevie Lawrence did her Surrey selection chances no harm with a third place finish in the U17 women's race.

And in the U15 ranks, Emily Howe led the way in seventh place as the team battled their way to an impressive fourth placed finish.

A SOLICITOR is pledging to donate money to good causes in Croydon – every time a new case is put his way by Advertiser readers.

Lloyd Green, the senior partner of personal injury specialists Lloyd Green Solicitors, is this week launching the Croydon Advertiser Community Fund (CACF), by putting £500 into the coffers.

And for each personal injury case accepted directly from Advertiser readers, the firm is promising to make a charitable donation of £300; £150 to its chosen charity, the Royal National Institute for the Blind, and £150 to the CACF.

Mr Green told the Advertiser how he wants to change perceptions of his chosen trade, often criticised for an "ambulance-chasing" mentality.

He said: "The main reason that I became a personal injury solicitor was to help people who find themselves in a bad predicament through no fault of their own; my job is to ensure that they are protected under the law.

"We know that there are still certain perceptions when it comes to making a personal injury claim; that people are concerned about what others will think of them."

The CACF will distribute money through the year to community organisations or projects in need of a funding boost.

Mr Green continued: "Fundraising for various charitable organisations has been a huge part of my life for many years now. In light of this, and particularly with the current economic climate, I believe it is imperative that we work together to help those less fortunate than ourselves.

"I am proud of my firm's involvement with the CACF and sincerely hope that it goes from strength to strength and becomes a benchmark for other communities too."

For the money to be put into the CACF, approaches must come directly from an individual, rather than through an intermediary.

Claims can be made for injuries including those suffered in a car accident, sustained at work or by tripping over in the street.

Mr Green added: "There's no shame in making a claim.

"Why should someone feel guilty for making a genuine personal injury claim? Why shouldn't people be compensated if they are left with horrendous injuries or psychological trauma from an accident?"

THOUSANDS of new homes are coming to Purley and Coulsdon following the approval of a council blueprint stating the two towns must play a "substantial role" in borough-wide housing expansion.

A report by the Bristol-based Planning Inspectorate has approved Croydon Council's Core Strategy for a minimum of 13,300 homes to be built by 2022 – 1,663 a year – to meet the borough'shousing demands.

The development edict, which dictates Purley and Coulsdon – along with Waddon, Broad Green and Selhurst – must bear the brunt of development outside Croydon town centre, also states an extra minimum 6,900 homes are to be built by 2031.

The Core Strategy will now officially come into effect in April.

Jason Perry, Croydon Council's cabinet member for planning, said the approval is good news for those "substantial role" areas because it means development can be "controlled".

He said: "At the moment we have growth whether you like it or not and we are acting on that growth and coming up with a measure to control it.

"At the moment development is happening and we're only being able to react to it. This is giving us control."

Mr Perry insisted developments would be in keeping with surrounding areas because of "character appraisals" built into the council's blueprint.

Around 60 per cent of the homes outside of Croydon town centre must be at least three or more bedrooms, sparking fears the increase would lead to sprawling developments.

However, the plan states the Green Belt will be protected – with no need to review its boundaries – and that growth will remain concentrated in town centres.

But more sites such as the Cane Hill plot in Coulsdon will need to be found to meet the demand. Mr Perry said he is hopeful of seeing building at the Purley Baptist Church-owned site on Purley Cross as part of the housing expansion.

Delays are expected in Purley for a number of years where flooding issues will have to "be dealt with" more conclusively before significant developments can take place.

Tarsem Flora, chairman of Purley and Woodcote Residents' Association, said: "There are mixed feelings about the scale and type of development being proposed. Above all we want to ensure that developments are in keeping and that we do not see sprawling developments all over the place."

Estate agent Rob Albery, owner of Croydon-based Albery Estates, said: "I think it's a good thing personally.

"You're going to see a lot more people settling in the borough, which means more money and potentially a rise in house prices if it is becoming a more desirable place to live.

"Purley is right next to the train line, is not far from Croydon and is a very desirable place to live. If we can get more people here spending money then that can only be good."