A cherished Croydon wine bar that has served locals for more than four decades has been told it must leave its home within six months, sparking a community campaign to save it.
A Community Hub Faces the Axe
Bishops Wine Bar, run by lifelong Croydonian Angela Ferrara and her father Tony for the past 17 years, received a letter from its landlord on New Year's Eve. The notice, issued by the solicitors for Whitgift Limited Partnership, invoked a break clause in the tenancy, demanding the bar vacate its premises by June 2026.
The bar has been a fixture in the Whitgift Centre since 1982, operating from a characterful unit attached to the former Allders car park. Its walls are a tapestry of Croydon memorabilia, photos of regulars, and tributes to icons from Elvis to Queen Elizabeth II. "Every picture tells a story," Angela told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The sudden notice, which the proprietors describe as coming without explanation, has left their future in limbo. "We are not asking for special treatment — just answers," Angela emphasised.
Isolation and Operational Struggles
The bar's unique location has become increasingly problematic. Following the closure of the Allders car park in May 2024, footfall plummeted as the route to the bar is now rarely used. Angela states the management has been "the opposite of helpful," citing a lack of signage—including one sign pointing directly at a wall—and poor access to essential services.
Operational hurdles have mounted. The bar's safe, electricity meter, and freezer are located within the locked car park building, requiring management assistance for access. "We lost a grand’s worth of food before because we couldn’t get into the freezer," Angela recalled. The closure of an escalator has further reduced access, leaving the bar feeling stranded in a "grey area" of the centre.
Community Backlash and an Uncertain Future
The news of the potential closure has galvanised the local community. A petition urging the landlord to allow Bishops to stay has already garnered nearly 1,000 signatures. Supporters describe the bar as a vital, welcoming social hub where "people have formed lifelong friendships."
The bar is known for its eclectic mix of patrons, from drag queens and solicitors to older single women who find it a safe, unpretentious space. It hosts live music, from rock covers to ABBA tributes, and even has its own informal choir of regulars. "You walk in and you just get it — if you do, you’ll come back," said Angela.
The landlord, Whitgift Limited Partnership, stated it has "offered the opportunity to discuss relocating" as it focuses on "consolidating and improving public access and experience" while preparing for future redevelopment. This is believed to be linked to the long-stalled Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) plans to redevelop central Croydon.
For Angela and Tony, the strain is palpable. "We are all struggling, but it’s just me and him here. It’s very, very tiring," Angela confessed. When asked about the future, she is reluctant to look too far ahead. "I don’t think we’ll get another bar like this," she said, a sentiment echoed by the hundreds campaigning to keep this piece of Croydon's social history alive.
