page_title: Valley Park Retail Area
section_title: Structure and stores
hierarchical_section_title: Valley Park Retail Area / Structure and stores
caption_attribution_description: English: The chimneys at IKEA, Purley Way, Croydon The two chimneys were part of the old Croydon 'B' Power Station . They were built in the late 1940s. The power station opened in 1950, shut down in 1984, and was demolished in 1991. An IKEA store was opened on the site and the chimneys were retained and remain a local landmark.
context_page_description: Valley Park Retail and Leisure Complex is a retail park in the Purley Way retail and industrial area in Croydon, England. It is located near the Broad Green and Waddon areas of the London Borough of Croydon. Valley Park was opened in 1992 on the site of the former Croydon power stations, the first of which was built in the late nineteenth century. Croydon B power station was closed in 1984 and the majority of the site cleared in 1991. However the local council ordered the station's landmark chimneys be retained, which almost put IKEA off the site, but a compromise was made that IKEA could paint the top skirt of the tower in their colours.
context_section_description: The retail park is divided into two areas: one half is a long, large modern building which houses the entertainment and leisure area and a small parking area. The other half includes larger retail units with a large car park, B&Q and IKEA; both have their own car-parks for customers as well as McDonald's and Burger King.
caption: The towers of Ikea
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