News on Catford Town Centre

This week, Lewisham Council announced the ambition to make Catford the greenest town centre in London . The Framework Plan has been shaped by over 3,000 comments from local residents and we’re grateful to everyone who has taken part over the years. The plans are now due to be considered by Mayor and Cabinet next month.

Rerouting the South Circular will make it easier for people to walk and cycle as the heart of Catford town centre becomes largely car-free. Generous areas of public space will be created with new trees, planting and access to the River Ravensbourne.

It signals a positive economic future for Catford with new jobs for local people and opportunities for small businesses. Building new, affordable homes is an important part of the Framework Plan and up to 2,700 homes will be built in total over the next couple of decades. Half of these homes are set to be affordable, with almost 1,000 new social homes for residents on the Council’s housing register.

New projects will help secure a greener future for Lewisham. A fully pedestrianised approach to Catford Bridge station is planned, in response to local feedback.

As COVID-19 restrictions ease and a sense of normality starts to return, we thought it was the perfect time to make a comeback. We have really missed chatting with our fellow Catfordians and can’t wait to get back out to see you all again soon.

Half of the traders at the Catford Food Market live in Catford, meaning every pound you spend helps support the local economy. The market brings people to Catford which helps support local shops, traders and businesses. Why not make a day of it and book tickets to see a film at the Catford Mews?

Hospitality and retail has struggled enormously over the past twelve months and we want to take any opportunity we can to help our wonderful traders back on their feet. Recent surveys have found that 31% of people plan to shop locally more than they did before the pandemic and with so much on offer at the market who can blame them? Stay local and stagger home (laden with market goodies).

Street food stalwarts including Raastawala, Zongo Foods and Red Tent Ethiopian Food will be joined by newbies, many of which launched during the pandemic, including the Refugee Cafe who will be selling preserves and baked goods to fund the launch of the cafe to support refugees in the borough.

Local bakers, Slate & Crumb, will be making their market debut.

“We’re really excited to be joining that market. What we like most, apart from living just around the corner from it, is its diversity - it represents Catford and that’s important. It's also good that the market equipment is set up for traders so you just turn up and trade which saves a lot of time, hassle and money. It’s also very well promoted and the branding is great.”

Things may seem a little different to previous markets, increased hygiene measures and social distancing means that service may be a little slower and the market itself may be a little smaller. One thing you can always be sure of though is the highest quality street food Catford has to offer.