Shopping in Croydon is to become an altogether more pleasant experience with a £70,000 facelift project due to start on March 17.

The project focuses on North End between Drummond Road and Poplar Walk, and involves a number of improvements to the area, including doubling the number of trees, and the replacement of the current pavement with high quality natural stone and brick. New advertising columns and bins will also be added.

Despite the work, access to shops will be kept clear throughout the 20-week period, and disruption is hoped to be kept to a minimum.

Among other new features, stainless steel seating, and wall mounted light fittings will be introduced.

Councillor Gerry Ryan said: "Altogether this will be a further boost to the attractiveness of the Croydon shopping experience."

Councillor Ryan hopes the increased outside seating, and the continuing crackdown against traffic illegally entering the pedestrian area will give Croydon a pleasant boulevard atmosphere.

The work is being funded jointly by Croydon Council, Transport for London and the developers of Centrale shopping centre.

If successful the improvements in North End could be extended throughout Croydon town centre under the councils Vision 2020 blueprint.