Havelock Hall, East Croydon, CR0 6QP

*360 Virtual Tour Available – Click on the virtual tour/video link*

*£375,000-£425,000 Guide Price* A beautiful split-level, share of freehold conversion flat, with its own private off street parking space, converted from the East India Company gym (originally built in 1855), now Grade 2 listed and an important part of the East India Conservation Area (established in 2008).

It’s hard to find good size 3-bedroom flats, let alone examples as attractive as this one.

The property is split over the first and second floor - which includes the rounded tops of the full length windows (shown on the primary photo), as well as double height ceilings (best viewed using the ‘dollhouse’ setting on the virtual tour).

Internally, you could easily mistake this flat for house, with the first floor featuring an oversized master bedroom with an en-suite shower room, a double second bedroom, storage under the stairs and the main bathroom.

The second floor hosts the huge living room with the curved Victorian window centre stage, a large separate kitchen with granite worktops, and bedroom 3, which could either be used as a single bedroom or home office (as it is currently).

Purchased by Dan (19 years ago now) in 2005, the flat has been a well-loved home, and is regretfully being sold, as Dan is a software engineer, and is no longer as attached to London as he once was, so would like to move to the coast.

Cliché I know… but if Dan could pick the flat up and take it with him - he would!

Should you be a keen reader/researcher (as I am), there is more from Dan below my basic overview.

Being share of freehold with a 994 year term lease, the future owners won’t be required to pay ground rent and will have a stake in the running of the building, which is really important when compared against any leasehold alternatives.

‘Havelock Hall’ is fortuitously quietly (and privately) set back from the road, and was once an important landmark of the Addiscombe Military Training College which itself opened in 1809.

The East India Company (who originally owned the building) was established as a trading company by Royal Charter in 1600, and has been described as the largest multinational business in history.

The building was converted into 10 flats in the early 1990s.

Havelock Road, which the building is accessed from, is one of the most popular streets in the area due to it being central in the conservation area and the proximity to the local stations.

Though the closest station is Sandilands (tram stop), one could argue the flat is in East Croydon which is well known for its amenities – including ‘Box Park’ frequented by originally local lad ‘Stormzy’.

More on the local features from Dan below (who describes them much better than I can!)

Early booking is advised to avoid missing out!

Tenure: Share of Freehold (£0 ground rent)
Council Tax: Croydon Band C (£1,990.72pa)
EPC Rating: C Rated (Valid until 2033)


Some useful info from Dan (the owner):

What features of the property appealed to you when you were buying?

At the point of buying the property it was largely the unusual nature of the flat, high ceilings and the amount of light that attracted me to it as well as owning a piece of history, close to London and being ready to move into, with minimal work.

Having lived here now for some 19 years, I still really enjoy the light, but I’d also add to that the level of privacy, as the rooms are not overlooked.

Being nestled behind other buildings, ensures that the flat is unusually quiet, with the majority of the noise coming from the birds and more distant sounds of the city as opposed to any road noise.  The location and layout also add to the security, as it’s both hidden from the street and also not possible to determine which window would be associated with which flat.

Since moving in, what are your favourite local amenities?

Having grown up in the countryside, I’d have to say Lloyd park leading up to Addington Hills where you could easily be mistaken for thinking you are much further from the city.

The park itself offers great dog walking opportunities, an outdoor gym, a cafe, vast fields and leads up to woods where there is a viewing platform that offers panoramic views of the city as well as the local windmill.

Lloyd park also offers a ‘disc golf’ course which is certainly unique!  Nestled away in the woods there is also a Rhododendron lined garden, another cafe, a steak restaurant and a Chinese restaurant making for perfect places for a pit stop whilst out walking.  The tram line also runs through the area making for faster access should it be desired.

Can you share any knowledge only a resident would know?

An advantage of the flat layout is that the building manages heat well, both in the summer and the winter months, with the bedrooms being on the lower floor and having high ceilings topped off with skylights it ensures that the bedrooms remain cool in the summer.  Whilst in the winter months the flat remains easy to heat.

The flat is a great place to be if you want to be a part of a local community, both in terms of the community within the building and outside it.

There is also the opportunity to replace me as one of the directors of the freehold company (if you so wish) to further shape the direction and any expenditure.

The building also sits within the bounds on the HOME residence association (Havelock Rd, Outram Rd, Mulberry Lane, Elgin Rd) who are a very active and welcoming group that help to protect the unique characteristics of the conservation area that the building resides within.

Lastly, a fun fact, the building was featured in George Clarke’s ‘Old house new home’ (Series 6 Episode 2: Addiscombe, South London).  Unfortunately, most of the filming talking about the history of the area and the relevance of our building ended up on the cutting room floor, and all that remained was the history of the home being renovated and its ownership.  The filming itself was undertaken within the parking space for the flat!

What is your typical commute to work? How long does it take?

I no longer commute, and am fortunate to be able to utilise a home office within the flat.  However, in the past I was commuting to various different parts of central London such as Mayfair, Soho, the city and King Cross - all of which were very easy (see next point).

What are the best transport links locally and how long does it (approx.) take to get to key landmarks?

One of the main attractions of the flat for me was the multitude of transport options within easy reach, there are for example 6 bus routes and one tram line (2 stops) going to East Croydon which itself is only a ~12 minute walk.  From there direct connections service Victoria, London Bridge, Charing Cross, Kings Cross, Gatwick, Brighton and Bedford among many other places so it’s very easy to get to most key landmarks.

London Bridge – 31 mins
London Victoria – 31 mins
Charing Cross – 43 mins
Kings Cross (St Pancras International) – 43 mins
Gatwick – 30 mins
Brighton – 63 mins

(all times are approximate and according to Google Maps)

How are your neighbours?

The neighbours are all really lovely, we have a Whatsapp group, which is often used for people asking to use an available parking space or help each other out in some way.

What’s the Best local Café?

Personally, I love the little café tucked away in Combe Wood Gardens, it’s a great place to get away from things and grab a quick coffee to enjoy in the gardens there.

I know there are also various local cafes which the local facebook group seem to be very passionate about in Addiscombe.

What is the best local pub?

I’d say either the Bricklayers Arms for a summer pint in their walled garden, or The Oval Tavern which also has great al fresco dinning.

What is the best local restaurant?

For a more bougie eating experience with great cocktails and finer dining, I’d suggest the Yumn Brasserie in south Croydon, or possibly the newly opened Fern restaurant.

Box Park also offers a great opportunity to sample various cuisines and watch live events. While not really a restaurant, there’s also Ikea Croydon! Which offers a place for a quick pitstop for some Swedish meatballs, mixed in with some ‘out of town’ style warehouse shopping!

What are the best local supermarkets?

As well as well as the countless small chain supermarkets nearby, there is also a Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda and an Ikea nearby.

For a more local shopping experience, Addiscombe has some great local shops such as a highly rated butchers, traditional fruit and veg stalls, a number of takeaways, barbers etc.

Hope this helps!