Insights Take a blog tour of Atkins Croydon

Will Chung | Managing Consultant

23 August 2018

Welcome to AtkinsRéalis, Croydon

Our location is in Croydon, a borough of south London, about 9.5 miles south of central London. With a population of 382,300 people, if Croydon was a city, it would be the UK’s 12th largest!

What’s so special about Croydon?

You’ve heard the saying, ‘location, location, location’. Well here’s the thing about Croydon, you have all the benefits of living in London without having to elbow your way through frantic crowds wherever you go. You can wander through Lloyd Park and feel like you have the whole world to yourself. But also hit Croydon’s night spots and be part of a really amazing vibe – our team recently went to Stormzy’s homecoming gig. Need I say more?

Is there a dress-code at AtkinsRéalis Croydon?

Business attire Mondays to Thursdays and dress down Fridays. Whichever the day though, our atmosphere is relaxed and friendly.

What’s it like to work at AtkinsRéalis Croydon?

I love it! I’ve never been part of such passionate engineering teams who also have so much time for each other. The way we work is truly multi-disciplinary and collaborative – so everyone brings together amazing skills to deliver the best for our clients, and also to change the world for real people and communities.

What are your teams like?

One of the things I love about where I work is the different levels of experience in our office. We have people who used to work for British Rail with 25+ years’ experience! And plenty of apprentices & graduates, who bring a real energy to the work space.

What is the actual work like?

The Croydon office is very open and aware, so there is plenty of engagement in business process, which makes work so much more ‘real’ and exciting. We also have an amazing technical depth at the Croydon Office. You can get any answer you want within a few calls at AtkinsRéalis, and even faster if you use our internal social network.

What are your clients like?

We work on inspiring projects for major global companies. Our clients have an energy about them and through their work, we get to connect with lots of different people & teams around the UK & the world. I love the opportunities we have working with people from different cultures.

What do you love the most about AtkinsRéalis Croydon?

I have to say Flexible Working! And at the Croydon office flexing is not just for mums. Really! We have dads, athletes, reservists, apprentices and graduates who flex. Having a great work-life balance is an important part of our culture and something that we all celebrate and prioritise. AtkinsRéalis is a very forward-thinking business that invests in technology and apps that make mobile working easier.

When Croydon’s Atkineers aren’t innovating what are they doing?

As an office we love playing sport together, just hanging out, or hitting the local night spots! There’s just so much to do in Croydon, so we’re regularly out, at the theatre, meeting up for drinks, golf days, beach volleyball, table tennis, pool, pub quizzes, BBQ and the panto!

Where do you eat out?

Oooh where do I start? We are a stone’s throw away from Boxpark, a Croydon’s foodie paradise. You’ll find the Atkineers enjoying fantastic food from more than 40 different places. Fancy a short walk? Then there are plenty of gastropubs and world cuisines lining the streets of central and south Croydon. We’re really spoiled for choice!

What else makes your location a great place to work?

Croydon is going through an amazing regeneration. It’s already a great location for first-time home buyers, early in their careers, who can’t afford central London prices. And if you love to travel, it's also a great place to be for breaks to Brighton, Sussex and abroad via Gatwick.

Where should I stay if I visit?

If you’re visiting from another AtkinsRéalis location, or interviewing from out of town, here are a few hotels that are all a short walk from our business premises: The Premier Inn, Travel Lodge, Croydon Park Hotel and the Hampton by Hilton, to name a few.

If I have time to stay and sight-see, what should I put on my list?

Besides eating out and going to concerts, there is so much more to do in our fun city. There are plenty of beautiful walks – explore Coombe Wood, stopping for a cuppa at Coach House Café. If you love film, the David Lean art cinema is worth a visit. I love the Surrey Street Market which dates back to 1236! The Rise art gallery is cool if you’d like a glimpse of a Damien Hirst or Banksy. You can watch a game of football at Selhurst park, which has been home to Crystal Palace Football Club since 1924. There’s also great retail therapy in Croydon and we’re all very excited about our brand new Westfield shopping centre!

How do you commute?

I travel by train and it’s so easy – we have two train stations, with East Croydon station right next door to us.  There are fast trains to and from London every few minutes, and you can reach central London in less than 15 minutes. Best of all, the trains are air-conditioned.  No sweat.

Connections to other parts of the country are equally fantastic: Epsom, and loads of other places in the South East are all within a quick train or an Overground ride away.  Many trains from Croydon will connect with the Elizabeth line (Crossrail) at Farringdon when it fully opens in 2019, making even more destinations within easy commuting distance. Bus services are excellent, too, serving numerous towns in and around Croydon, London and Surrey. And then there is the tram – of course! Croydon is home to the only tram network in London which connects it with Wimbledon and southeast London.

For those who drive, the A23 connects Croydon with London and the south coast. 

Picture yourself in our Croydon office? Here’s some good news: we’re hiring!