occurred as part of a national trend towards out of town shopping. The retail parks were not formally recognised by Croydon Council until the publication of its 1997 Unitary Development Plan. IKEA Croydon The IKEA in Croydon is a 23,000 m2 furniture store which opened in 1992, on the site of Croydon "B" Power Station. The old power station chimneys, with the addition of illuminated bands in the store's blue and yellow colours, were retained as a prominent advertisement. The store was revamped during 2006, to make it the largest IKEA in Britain: it was re launched in May 2006, at a ceremony attended by Mayor Maggie Mansell, and the ambassador of Sweden, Stefan Karlsson. IKEA is now the fifth biggest single employer in Croydon. The landmark chimneys have been a continuing point of contention with local residents. In September 2003, IKEA briefly considered demolishing them, stating that they cost over £70,000 a year to maintain, but decided against it. Ideas that have been aired for their use have included incorporating a museum of the site's history, and constructing a revolving restaurant at the top. Tony Blair and Gordon Brown visited IKEA on 5 May 2005, during the General Election campaign. Other information Purley Way Lido operated from 1935 to 1979; the diving board remains in the middle of a garden centre (which is now closed). The Croydon Water Palace, an indoor water park complex, operated nearby from 1990 to 1996. The site of the Water Palace is now occupied by Colonnades Leisure Park. In the past, there has been a depository for the Science Museum in the Retail Park area, and Tramlink passes Purley Way. References External links Early History Industrial History Retail History Streets in the London Borough of Croydon Shopping in the London Borough of Croydon