The building is now converted into offices but the Historic Trust gives free tours on the first Sunday of the month (all donations gratefully received) so I booked last minute via Eventbrite and went last week (I suspect in normal times you can just rock up, but at the moment you have to book). I had plans to walk all the way there (via the Wandle Path and then Beddington Park before I had to pavement walk) but hopped on a bus for the last bit because I was a bit worried about time and the most direct route - the Purley Way - is not a joy on foot.
It's well worth going. There are a number of original or restored features (you do get to go up the control tower, if anyone's wondering) and you get a potted but not tediously long history of Croydon Airport and early aviation and see all sorts of things - old models and radios, the silver service crockery from when flying was a luxury, uncomfortable wicker chairs from when it was extremely basic, menus, posters, aerial photographs. We were told that sometimes the cafe is open (pre Covid, I suspect) - but there's a retail park with Costa and the other usual suspects opposite if it isn't.
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