PENGE TOWN CENTRE REPORT

The budget for the project was tight, so large-scale renovations and restorations of buildings would not be possible, and there were a lot of shops in the high street. Improvements would have to be strategic to maximise impact. We brought in Untitled Practice, an award-winning architectural practice based in Crystal Palace, for their advice and guidance. We had worked with them before in Sidcup and later in Ealing and Northolt on similar schemes. We met with the local traders, talked with locals and shopped in the area. Listening to locals and learning what they really think is invaluable for projects of this nature.

The report focused on building on what Penge already had, leaning into its history and unique personality. This included :

• Painted signs: Clear instructions as old ghost advertising signs painted onto the wall showing the way to the car park, which was often quiet because few knew where the entrance was!
• Painting uppers: Some shops had been painted in bright colours, but there were gaps. We recommended filling the gaps to tie groups of buildings together to give the area a lift.
• New signage and other improvements: a light touch approach was needed to maximise budgets, unifying signage datum levels across some shops, painting others and focusing on corner sites and other landmark businesses.