insideKENT Magazine Issue 76 - July 2018 | Page 41

IN ASSOCIATION WITH
TOWNSPOTLIGHT
Pato Lounge: The popular all day café/bar serves a great variety of food and drinks including
an excellent range of Vegan and Gluten Free options.
Priory Gardens, just a two minute walk from Orpington High Street, is the venue for a
number of the town’s events. PHOTO BY MARGOT ROHAN
Spotlight on
ORPINGTON
ORPINGTON,THE LONDON/KENT GATEWAY
Nestling on the southern boundary of
London’s largest and greenest borough, tucked
inside the M25, one of London’s 34 major
town centres and a short trip from Kent’s
countryside, Orpington has undergone
extensive development in recent years, adding
to its already broad appeal. An attractive, busy
high street lined with trees is home to some
well-established businesses, both national
brands and independents.
The town has some excellent schools,
including two of the country’s top grammar
schools, St Olaves and Newstead Woods, and
boasts great transport links to both city and
country. Journeys to London Bridge are just
15 minutes from Orpington railway station,
currently used by over 1.1 million passengers
The high spec ODEON Orpington offers the immersive isense experience.
each year, with additional Thameslink services
on state-of-the-art new trains further
improving the town’s connectivity.
Quality housing ranges from studios to
mansions with recent residential
developments including Berkeley Homes’
Brunswick Square in the heart of the town
centre and London Square’s Broadwater
Gardens.
ORPINGTON 1ST: BETTER FOR BUSINESS
In November 2017, Orpington businesses
voted overwhelmingly in favour (83 per cent)
of renewing the town centre’s Business
Improvement District (BID), Orpington 1st, for
a second five-year term running to 2023.
Initially established in 2013, the BID is a not-
for-profit Ltd company owned and led by local
employers. Businesses in a defined
geographical boundary pay a levy based on
their premises’ rateable value, which is then
reinvested back into the area.
Capitalising on the town’s position as the
London Kent Gateway, Orpington 1st has
funded a wide range of projects improving
Orpington as an area to work, live and visit.
These have included an exciting calendar of
events, improvements to the look and feel of
the town, safety and security initiatives,
measures to reduce its businesses’ operating
costs, as well as promoting the town and its
businesses to a wider audience and seeking
further investment.
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