Croydon residents get action on problem garage

Sarah Jenkins Author 2026-05-23 17:40 3 min read

An abandoned gas station with a blue canopy and overgrown weeds on the cracked tarmac.

Contents

Parchmore Road premises closed for two months
Cleaner streets and contractor standards
Investment, dementia support and town-centre events
Residents asked to keep reporting concerns

A problem garage in Thornton Heath has been ordered to close for two months after residents complained about antisocial behaviour and dangerous or untaxed vehicles at the site.

Mayor Jason Perry said Croydon Council had secured the court order against the premises in Parchmore Road as part of its zero-tolerance approach to antisocial behaviour. The closure follows enforcement work that included the removal of vehicles described by the council as dangerous and untaxed.

The update, published on 22 May 2026, places the garage closure alongside wider council work on cleaner streets, contractor performance and local enforcement across Croydon.

Parchmore Road premises closed for two months

The court order means the Parchmore Road garage must shut for a two-month period while Croydon Council reviews its next steps. The mayor said the authority would continue working with partners to take action against illegal operations and antisocial behaviour.

For residents in Thornton Heath, the closure is the most direct outcome of the council’s latest enforcement activity. Complaints from people living nearby were cited as part of the chain of events that led to the order.

The council has encouraged residents to continue reporting concerns so officers can respond more quickly where nuisance, unsafe vehicles or suspected illegal activity are affecting neighbourhoods.

Croydon residents get action on problem garage

Cleaner streets and contractor standards

The same mayoral update linked neighbourhood safety with the day-to-day condition of streets and roads. Mayor Perry said he had met regional executives from Veolia, which manages Croydon’s waste service, and FM Conway, which maintains the borough’s highways.

The discussions focused on contract delivery, raising standards, fly-tipping, street cleanliness and value for money. Those issues are often among the most visible tests of local services for residents, particularly where dumped waste, damaged roads or poor street maintenance can make an area feel neglected.

Croydon Council said the meetings were part of the mayor’s priority to make the borough cleaner and safer. The authority is also looking at ways to use different approaches to improve service delivery while holding contractors to the terms of their agreements.

Investment, dementia support and town-centre events

The update also covered wider borough activity beyond enforcement. Mayor Perry attended the UKREiiF property and real estate conference, where Croydon was promoted to businesses and investors. He pointed to the borough’s transport connections and young, diverse workforce as part of the case for new investment.

The mayor said he remained optimistic about Croydon’s future at the start of his second term and wanted to attract investment, create jobs and support the local economy.

The council also marked Dementia Action Week, which ran from 18 to 24 May. Residents affected by dementia were signposted to support through Croydon Dementia Action Alliance and the Alzheimer’s Society, as the borough continues work aimed at becoming more dementia-friendly.

In the town centre, the Surprised! festival brought Asian arts, music, dance and community events to Croydon over the previous weekend. The mayor thanked performers and residents who took part.

Residents asked to keep reporting concerns

The immediate next step after the Thornton Heath closure is a council review of further action at the Parchmore Road site. The two-month order gives the authority and its partners time to assess what should happen next while the premises remain closed.

The mayoral message was also issued ahead of the late May Bank Holiday weekend and included a reminder for residents to take care during an amber heat health warning.

Mayor Jason Perry said: “I encourage residents to report concerns so we can act quickly.”

Source: Croydon Council

Source check Source trail

This report is based on Croydon Council's 22 May 2026 mayoral update and keeps the enforcement details tied to that source.

Checks

Confirmed the closure order location as Parchmore Road, Thornton Heath.
Checked the reported closure period as two months.
Matched contractor references to Veolia for waste services and FM Conway for highways.
Kept wider borough items separate from the main garage enforcement story.

Croydon Council Check wider coverage