The Winchester

July 2011

Another night, another trip into the skies. It’s quieter out there, no people, just a feeling of serenity. Whether it’s 80 stories or 17, being ‘up’ is rewarding.

Marc was over, so we met with Gary and Ercle to do something, (anything!) and somehow ended up in Croydon, where the uncompleted IYLO development sits. The company that owns it is in administration and the site is deserted to the point that it just looks derelict. Gary climbed into the site and within about 4 seconds, we were greeted by the security guard with “Hello Please?”. Ercle denied anybody was there just as Gary popped his head over the fence… Rumbled.

We walked off to another development in the centre of town, got to the base of another stubby crane (in a basement) before somebody else in the basement started singing loudly, assumedly to deter us. We returned to IYLO.

“Inspiration for Life” is the pitiful tagline for this pitiful building. It pissed it down while we were there and even the top floor is insufficiently complete to walk on. Unless you like death, it’s just not worth it.

Gary’s been getting high lately. If you check his photostream it’s cranes, cranes and more cranes. We didn’t go up this one though, the site office that ‘Mr Hello Please’ had come out of was just by the base. As you can see above, the crane wasn’t any bigger than the building, so we opted for the steps. Given it was raining, this was probably the best choice.

The view over to Central London wasn’t great, but if you look either side of the two masts, you can see two tiny clusters of buildings. On the left you see Shard and the City, and on the right you see Canary Wharf. The rest of the buildings are impossible to make out: this is suburbia.

Croydon is nothing really to write home about. They’re apparently bidding to become London’s third city, after The City of London and the City of Westminster. Not really sure what they want to offer but with London ‘proper’ on your doorstep, why go to Croydon?

IYLO wasn’t amazing, but it was good spot to stand and relax in the drizzle. The fact it’s left unfinished makes it a strange place to be. The desire to get above always remains but when you’ve been to tall places in Central London, everything else seems a little insignificant –  maybe that’s the problem we’re finding now?