Historical significance
Crawley was an important centre for ironworking in Roman
times. Its superb location midway between London and
Brighton was recognised in the 18th century when the town
prospered as a coaching halt for the fashionable travelling
between the city and the coast.
In 1930 an airfield was opened alongside the site of what
was Gatwick Racecourse. Gatwick later went on to become
the world’s busiest two-terminal, single runway airport and
is one of Crawley’s great strengths.
Some significant and big companies were attracted to the
area during the 1960s and large firms still account for a
high proportion of employment today.
The town centre and shopping
Crawley’s town centre offers a great combination of
shopping, relaxation and entertainment. It is a regional
shopping destination attracting people from across the
county and beyond. Visitors can enjoy an extensive variety
from an indoor shopping experience at the popular County
Mall, a bustling Queens Square, to refreshments in the
historic High Street, relaxing in the award-winning
Memorial Gardens or weekly markets.
It’s also an active location for our annual event programme
including outdoor film screenings, cultural, family and
seasonal events.
Crawley Borough Council and West Sussex County
Council are investing £3 million to improve Queens Square.
We aim to ensure the vitality and viability of the town
centre is enhanced.
The town centre has recently attracted new investors
from the leisure and finance sectors that include RBS,
Lombard, Morrisons, Travelodge, Ed’s Diner, Turtle Bay
and Pret A Manger.
It’s an important centre for retail, hotels and other related
businesses and there has been a significant rise in the
number of business support-related companies over the
years (e.g. finance, legal and IT), driving up the level of
employment in Crawley within this sector.
Crawley is a significant contributor and driving force for
the local and wider economy. Its economic productivity,
provision of commercial floorspace and premises, as well
as providing good quality of life and affordability, makes
it a very competitive commercial choice for any business.
Sport and leisure
More than 40 sports and activities are available at K2
Crawley leisure centre; a £37 million state-of-the-art facility
that was used by Olympic and Paralympic squads as their
training camp ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Located on the edge of the town centre, Crawley Leisure
Park attracts people from across the region to its 15-screen
cinema including an IMAX screen, health club, bowling alley
and several restaurants as well as offering free parking.
Crawley town information
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