I need to mention the changing rooms. They are the theatre of the store. You hear the sighs, the zips, the whispered conversations: “Does this make me look like a doily?” “No, Linda, it’s textured.”
The lighting is… honest. Not forgiving, not cruel. Just real. Which is more than I can say for the Instagram-filtered world we live in. It’s like the changing room is saying, “This is how it is, love. Now buy it or don’t.”
And if you’re lucky, you’ll hear a child scream for a jammy dodger from the café. That’s the soundtrack of civilised retail.
Final verdict on this Croydon institution
Is M&S Croydon Purley Way the most exciting destination in South London? No. The IKEA down the road has meatballs and existential dread. But this M&S?
It’s the adult equivalent of a security blanket. It’s the place you go when you need to feel like your life is slightly more organised than it actually is. It’s where you buy the ‘good’ biscuits for when the in-laws visit, even if you eat half of them on the drive home.
So next time you’re in that car park, dodging Dave the Seagull and a rogue trolley, remember: you’re not just shopping. You’re participating in a very British ritual of quiet dignity and excellent cot sheets. And honestly? That’s a pretty good Saturday.
