The rooftop beach on Centrale's level 3A car park runs to 31 August. Two sessions a day, free tickets, and the adults-only Thursday nights end on 27 August.

Croydon’s rooftop beach is open every day until Sunday 31 August, on level 3A of the Centrale car park, and entry is free. There are just over two weeks of it left, which makes this the moment to plan a visit rather than read about it afterwards.

Costa del Croydon is in its third year. Executive Mayor Jason Perry visited on 6 August and said it “continues to offer a great summer experience for those who live and work in Croydon” (Croydon Council). Here is what you actually need to know before you go.

Session times

The beach runs in timed sessions rather than all day, and the Thursday timetable is different from the rest of the week (Centrale & Whitgift):

  • Monday to Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday: session 1 from 11.30am to 3pm, session 2 from 3.30pm to 7pm.
  • Thursday: family session from 12pm to 4pm, then adults only from 5pm to 8pm.

Note the half-hour gap between the two daily sessions. If you turn up at 3.15pm on a Saturday you will be waiting.

Tickets are free and booked in advance through the centre’s own event page, and the operator says walk-in tickets are available for every session subject to space. The address is Centrale & Whitgift Shopping Centre, 21 North End, CR0 1TY, about five minutes’ walk from either East Croydon or West Croydon station. The centre lists step-free access, parking and cycle parking at the site.

What is free and what is not

Free with your ticket: the splash zone, sandpit, beach games and chill-out area, plus a daily programme of workshops, dance, crafts and community performances. Paid separately: rides and activities including bumper cars and trampolines, and anything from the food and drink traders. Prices for those are not published on the event page, so take that as the usual seaside warning about the cost of a day out with children.

Thursday nights are adults only, and two are left

New for 2026 is the Beach Club, an over-18s evening from 5pm to 8pm on the level 3 car park, free to enter. Three were scheduled; the dancehall night on 13 August has been and gone, so two remain (full line-up):

  • Thursday 20 August, Pride Beach Club. Free pottery painting with Turf, a DJ set from 5pm to 6pm, and a drag lip sync battle from 6pm to 8pm hosted by Tiana Biscuit and Sophia Stardust, both familiar from Croydon Pride.
  • Thursday 27 August, Garage Night. Free carnival make-up, a workout and DJ set from 5pm to 7pm, then DJ Luck & MC Neat from 7pm to 8pm to close the season.

Each evening has a rooftop bar, street food, live music and DJs. The DJ sets on both nights come through Love Me, the Croydon Sessions strand run with the borough’s Creative Enterprise Zone.

What it means for you

If you are bringing children on a Thursday, book the 12pm to 4pm family session. The site clears for the adults-only evening at 5pm, and that is a different event, not a continuation of the afternoon.

If you are coming for a Beach Club night, 20 and 27 August are your only chances and both are free, so they are likely to fill. Book rather than chance a walk-in for the headline slots.

Getting there. If you normally arrive by tram, do not. There is no service between Reeves Corner and East Croydon from 6 until Sunday 23 August for track renewal, which takes out the Centrale, Church Street, George Street, Wellesley Road and West Croydon stops, including the one named after the venue, and TfL’s status page notes additional works on Sunday 16 and Thursday 20 August, the day of the Pride Beach Club night (TfL tram status). Separately, the Arena to Elmers End section has no service at certain times until 30 August, including all day on Sundays. The mainline stations are unaffected and both are five minutes away on foot. If you are driving, parking in Croydon has the town centre tariffs, and our roadworks and travel page has the wider picture.

For the rest of the summer, things to do in Croydon covers what else is on across the borough.