‘Depressing’ London spot from the 70s that Taylor Swift is making famous 

Taylor Swift is no stranger to the joys of London, as you’ll know if you’ve ever heard the song London Boy.

In it, the pop sensation sings about walking around Camden Market, enjoying nights in Brixton, and hanging out at Hampstead Heath.

The 36-year-old is thought to have lived in North London for around six years, so it will come as no surprise to fans that she’d set a music video in the capital.

However, the exact location she chose might shock some, as it’s rather unexpected.

Taylor’s new Opalite music video shone a spotlight on the Whitgift Centre – a run-down shopping centre in Croydon.

Where did Taylor Swift film the Opalite music video?

In November 2025, rumours began swirling that Taylor had flown from America to London and was filming something at the Whitgift Centre in Croydon.

Last week, fans finally discovered the project she’d been working on was the Opalite music video, which was released on Spotify and Apple Music on Friday, February 6.

The song, Opalite, is taken from the singer’s 12th original studio album, The Life of a Showgirl.

In the video, Taylor and actor Domnhall Gleeson are seen in the Whitgift Centre, riding the escalator together, eating pretzels, and looking around. They’re joined there by some other famous faces too, including Graham Norton and dancers from the Eras Tour. 

The shopping centre was transformed into a 90s shopping mall as part of the production – a far cry from what it looks like in real life.

Signage was added to several shops, featuring lyrics from other Taylor Swift songs, with lots of green plants, extra lighting and lots of colour.

The Whitgift Centre was first opened in 1970 and was the largest covered shopping development in Greater London until the opening of Westfield White City in 2008.

Over the years, though, it’s become a shell of its former glory, according to locals.

Google reviews paint a rather grim picture of the shopping centre, with customers branding it ‘depressing’, ‘run down’, and ‘absolutely dreadful’.

Louise Mulhern recently wrote: ‘So upsetting to see this centre so run down with hardly any shops left, was an amazing centre back in the day with plenty of choices, shops and restaurants. Was always the place to go if you needed anything, definitely not the case anymore. Hope that it gets regenerated and gets back to being even better than it was.’

While Sofia Martins said: ‘I’ve frequented this shopping centre for many years; however, seeing it slowly close shop after shop through the years has made this place quite… depressing. A few years ago, you could spend a good hour just casually window shopping and exploring all that this centre had to offer, but all of that is gone. Many people who have lived in Croydon for a while will tell you how sad this place looks.’

Similarly, Leonora Nelson commented: ‘This place is a sad and impoverished version of the shopping mecca that it once was.’

And Ian Pritchard added: ‘The once vibrant Whitgift Centre is now a shadow of its former glory, totally defunct, depressing, and dismal. The vast majority of shops are closed down, and the premises are neglected.’

Is the Whitgift Centre abandoned?

Photos of how the Whitgift shopping centre looks in real life, compared to how it looks in the music video, have been going viral online over the weekend.

Many Americans are mistakenly under the impression that the shopping centre is abandoned, because of how empty it appears. However, it’s not abandoned; the sorry state of it is simply a sad sign of the times in Britain, with many of the shops having shut down.

In October last year, it was reported that as many as 73 of the retail outlets in the centre were sitting vacant.

In defence of Croydon

One post about the Whitgift Centre being abandoned on X garnered 32,000 likes and prompted Brits to respond with comments like ‘that’s Croydon for you’.

This negativity has inspired Croydon residents to share praise for their town, defending the area with gusto.

On Instagram, in response to a post by @eastcroydoncool, @RozzleDozzle shared: ‘Awesome video!!! If it’s good enough for Tay Tay then it must be a good location!’

@london_saga hailed Croydon as an ‘impressive, greatly underrated place’, while @samiartstyle said: ‘Croydon is where it’s at!’

And @tashbeautsss agreed, saying: ‘People who put Croydon down are the problem. I’m so happy things are changing, and it’s coming back to life.’

‘Most people are unable to see the beauty that is Whitgift, especially where they filmed,’ proclaimed @questofsnilhyami.

Others like @the.south.wing thought Taylor’s music video should serve as inspiration for the redevelopment of the building.

‘I love the idea of keeping the design of The Whitgift Centre and leaning more into the retro style as a design choice. This feels innovative and cool, and of course sustainable,’ they posted.

While some pointed out that Taylor had shown the centre could look very ‘retro’ and ‘cool’ with a little TLC.

The Whitgift Centre is currently owned by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), who are said to have plans to revive and revitalise it.

Consultation plans from Westfield revealed the space could be turned into a mixed-use area with housing, shops and green spaces.

However, the plans have stalled, and no work has yet begun, with some suggesting development might not begin until 2028.

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