Taylor Swift's Croydon Escalator Video Sparks Tourist Rush at Whitgift Centre
Fans are descending upon a dilapidated shopping centre in Croydon to capture photographs of its escalators, following their starring role in Taylor Swift's newest music video. The Whitgift Centre, which opened in the 1970s, has been thrust into the spotlight after the American pop icon used it as an improbable backdrop for her song Opalite.
Secret Filming and Sudden Fame
Swift is believed to have filmed at the shopping centre in November of last year, with the video released over the weekend to the astonishment of both internet users and south London residents. The footage shows the singer gracefully descending an escalator opposite a shop, which in reality is a Clarks shoe store.
Jo, the manager of the Clarks store, remarked yesterday that she has observed people arriving specifically to photograph the escalators since the video's debut. 'It was only our store that was used. It was mad. Obviously, it was all secret, so it was a relief when it all came out,' she said. 'We didn't know who it was at the time, though. It all looked mad. I like Taylor Swift. We were here on the day, but I didn't really see her. Our windows were turned into the spray bottles. It was great. It looked like there was some soul and life in here.'
She added, 'I think it was a real boost for Croydon. People have come to take pictures of the escalators. It was nice for the town that they chose here, but I think it was only chosen because it was empty.'
Mixed Reactions from Locals
Many Croydon natives were completely unaware that Swift had filmed at the Whitgift Centre, only discovering the location after seeing the star on the escalators in the video. The shopping centre, more renowned for its weary appearance than any connection to pop stardom, was transformed into a nostalgic paradise from a bygone era for the production.
Some local residents have praised Swift for putting Croydon 'on the map', while others have expressed irritation at media descriptions labelling the shopping centre as 'abandoned'. However, there is widespread agreement that it represents an unusual choice of setting for a global superstar.
Friends Laura Williams and Eve Burgess recalled the Whitgift Centre once bustling with shoppers and visited to reminisce after spotting it in Swift's video. 'Croydon used to be the place to be,' said 23-year-old Laura, a Costa manager. 'We used to come here every weekend. We saw online it was an 'abandoned shopping centre'. When we were kids, it was busy all the time, but I guess it kind of is abandoned now. We haven't been back in years, so we came to see it.'
Eve, a 25-year-old nanny, added, 'I thought [Swift's video] was made with AI. It's so weird. Why would she come to Croydon?'
Criticism and Praise from the Community
Steph Deering, a lifelong Croydon resident, voiced her displeasure about the American star filming in her town. 'I don't like her at all,' the 27-year-old stated. 'Her music's the same old, same old. I prefer Queen. No one knew she was here. Why here? Like, why? All of the shops are closed. She could have chosen somewhere else, but she came and chose Croydon.'
In contrast, Kimberley Roberts, who worked for years at the Claire's Accessories store, commended Swift for highlighting the disused shopping centre, where more shops are now closed than open. The 42-year-old noted that during its peak, the precinct was crowded daily. 'If she's putting Croydon on the map, I am now her biggest fan,' Ms Roberts declared. 'I used to work down here at Claire's for years. Now, it's dead as a dodo. I used to like coming to Croydon, but now it's sad and empty.'
Regarding the centre's glamorous makeover for the video, she added, 'It never looked anything like that. I'm not a Taylor Swift fan. I would've preferred Adele. She's a Brit and she's a London girl.'
Unexpected Boost and Political Recognition
Fakto Ecclesia, a busker who performs outside the Whitgift Centre and includes a cover of a Swift and Ed Sheeran song in his repertoire, recalled seeing the stage being set for the shoot last year but was unaware of its purpose. 'No one told me,' the 46-year-old said. 'I saw them setting it all up. Taylor Swift's alright; all the criticism is just from people who are jealous.'
Sarah Jones, the Labour MP for Croydon West, enthusiastically shared news of Swift's filming in the town on social media, posting, 'Not every day Taylor Swift films a video in Croydon's Whitgift Centre!'
The Opalite video also features British singer Lewis Capaldi, Irish actors Domhnall Gleeson and Cillian Murphy, and presenter Graham Norton. The concept originated when the cast appeared together on the Graham Norton Show, with Gleeson jokingly expressing a desire to be in one of Swift's music videos.
