Croydon Ambassadors to hit the streets in June
Croydon is to introduce a street ambassador service in the town centre in June as it looks to provide a friendly welcome and advice service for visitors.
The new on-street concierge service is being introduced by the Croydon Business Improvement District to help meet demand from the public for information, advice and directions particularly once redevelopment of the town’s retail heart gets underway.
The team of three uniformed ambassadors will be deployed five days a week from Tuesday to Saturday, and will provide information, assistance and way-finding advice as well as information on events.
Working alongside Croydon BID’s five-strong executive team, the ambassadors will also help support the day-to-day operational needs of town centre businesses by helping to ensure that any cleanliness and safety issues on the streets are addressed.
Wearing Croydon BID branded three-piece uniforms, complete with bowler hat and blue tie, the team members will focus on the main gateways into the town at peak times.
The street ambassador service is being introduced following the closure of the Croydon Visitor Centre on 1 May as the town looks to make way for the re-development taking place at Ruskin Square, East Croydon.
The service will be delivered in conjunction with visitor welcome and street management service provider, the Welcome People.
Croydon BID chief executive Matthew Sims said: “Introduction of the on-street ambassadors service is a total shift change compared to what was in place previously. It also comes at a highly crucial time both for the BID and for Croydon, as the impact of the town centre’s redevelopment takes hold.
“Having a team of approachable and knowledgeable people out on the streets, actively engaging with and assisting those who use the town centre will go a long way towards ensuring Croydon is increasingly regarded as a welcoming and friendly place to be, where there is lots going on and lots of exciting developments taking place.
“The fact that the team will also help to serve as our ‘eyes and ears’ while they are out on the streets, means that any issues that arise regarding street cleansing, maintenance or security can be quickly identified and addressed, helping to ensure that the town centre is regarded as a welcoming, comfortable and safe place to be, no matter when people visit.”
