The centre was designed by Anthony Minoprio and built between 1965 and 1970 by Fitzroy Robinson & Partners.
 Commenting in 1971, architectural historians Ian Nairn and Nikolaus Pevsner stated that "most of the architectural details are banal, but the centre functions unusually well as a shopping precinct".

In the first two decades of its existence, the Whitgift Centre had no roof and was open to the elements.

The first shop to open was Boots on 17 October 1968, and the centre itself was officially opened in October 1970 by the Duchess of Kent.
In the middle of the Whitgift Centre there was a Roman-themed pub called The Forum.

In the 1990s, the centre was almost completely rebuilt to an atrium design, and the Forum pub was demolished.

Some businesses of the former Croydon Village Outlet, based at the former Allders site, moved into Whitgift after the Outlet was taken over by Croydon Council in 2019.
The centre was designed by Anthony Minoprio and built between 1965 and 1970 by Fitzroy Robinson & Partners.  Commenting in 1971, architectural historians Ian Nairn and Nikolaus Pevsner stated that "most of the architectural details are banal, but the centre functions unusually well as a shopping precinct".
In the first two decades of its existence, the Whitgift Centre had no roof and was open to the elements.
The first shop to open was Boots on 17 October 1968, and the centre itself was officially opened in October 1970 by the Duchess of Kent. In the middle of the Whitgift Centre there was a Roman-themed pub called The Forum.
In the 1990s, the centre was almost completely rebuilt to an atrium design, and the Forum pub was demolished.
Some businesses of the former Croydon Village Outlet, based at the former Allders site, moved into Whitgift after the Outlet was taken over by Croydon Council in 2019.
Whitgift Centre