Situated an hour's drive away, the threat of Bluewater to Croydon's ever-expanding retail economy may seem negligible but Croydon is certainly taking no chances.

And while Lakeside and town centres closer to Bluewater like Bromley are the ones with the most to fear, Croydon is doing all it can to avoid complacency and ensure its blossoming reputation as a leading shopping centre remains intact.

Already a second special fact finding mission has been planned for September when a party of Croydon retailers will take a closer look at the impressive triangular shaped complex.

The new centre will boast the latest innovations in design and technology and the biggest names in retailing across 1.5 million square feet of retail space.

But despite Bluewater's impressive credentials, Croydon will still be able to offer a million more square feet of shopping space than the Dartford development and according to Croydon and South London Chamber of Commerce chief executive Mike Wareham, Croydon is well able to fend off the competition.

"Lots of people will go to see the complex out of curiosity. And while there will definitely be a 'lets go and take a look' approach which could affect trade in the short term, I strongly believe Croydon will be well prepared to retain its retail trade."

He cited the range of developments in and around the town as the reason for his optimism.

"I am very positive about Croydon's future. It is a very exciting time with everything that is being planned with Tramlink, leisure developments at Grants and plans for the development of the East Croydon Gateway site.

"The threat is clearly there, though it will be greater to Lakeside and Bromley than to Croydon."

But he added that the confident outlook left no room for complacency.

"We want to see Bluewater for ourselves and experience it first hand to get a real taste of the sheer magnitude of the development. The trip to see the complex is important to keep us on our toes."

Town centre manager Susan Shaw saw the trip to Bluewater as 'a chance to see what the competition had to offer'.

She said: "Projected figures put the effect on Croydon's trade at about four per cent but the important thing is keeping Croydon competitive in the longer term not just with Bluewater but with other surrounding town centres like Sutton, Kingston and Bromley."

Council leader Valerie Shawcross also believes the various developments will give Croydon the edge in the battle with Bluewater though there could well be some early casualties when the centre opens in March. She said: "We have to ensure Croydon remains attractive and must make sure our overall appeal is enough to keep customers coming back. Bluewater will be a novelty but Croydon aims to offer better all-round facilities. Visiting Bluewater again will enable our retailers to remind themselves of what this new trading rival will offer.

"They are realistic to recognise that some trade may be lost initially, but it is encouraging that they feel Croydon has some useful weapons in its armoury which will win more shoppers and visitors."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.