Criterion

I read this morning in the June 6th number of the Surrey & Epsom Comet - our local freebie - of a tower block in Croydon, with chronically defective lifts called Canterbury House, which is operated by Criterion Hospitality of reference 1. Glowing references to be found at reference 2. At least some of the tenants are refugees.

My first thought was a council block which has fallen into the hands of a private property company, but reference 3 tells me a better story: 'a 79,385 sq ft scheme to transform former vacant offices in Sydenham Road delivering 98 residential one and two bedroom apartments to the private rental sector. The scheme, being constructed by RGB Group, is on site and is nearing completion'.

But not so much better that the current owners can see their way to keeping the lifts in working order. One more bit of evidence, if we needed one, that the private renting sector is not in working order.

PS 1: I failed to find and positively identify the right RGB Group, but there is an RGB Group Shrewsbury Ltd which has been dissolved. Perhaps the lift services part of the otherwise suitable looking parent was not really up to it, a bit awkward if you are in the tower block refurbishment business. Perhaps they took tinnies or worse with the fat leader.

PS 2: in the margins of buying a water melon from the convenience store next to the dentist in Waterloo Road, I have just passed an old-style double decker bus in BEA livery pulling out of town centre. Attended by quite a lot of people with cameras, at least one of whom had a chain, a more modest version of that sported by our mayor.

References

Reference 1: https://www.criterionhospitality.com/.

Reference 2: https://www.dstrkt.co.uk/canterbury-house.

Reference 3: https://developcroydon.com/development/canterbury-house/.