Taylor Swift puts run-down 1970s shopping centre on the map: Fans flock to take selfies on escalators that featured in star’s latest music video 🤳

A run-down shopping centre in South London has unexpectedly become one of the most talked-about filming locations of the year — all thanks to Taylor Swift.
The Whitgift Centre in Croydon, which first opened in the 1970s, has long been seen by locals as a fading retail space, with more shuttered stores than open ones in recent years. But that perception shifted dramatically after Swift chose the centre as a backdrop for her latest music video, Opalite.

The video, released over the weekend, features a now-viral scene of the global superstar descending an escalator opposite what is, in real life, a Clarks shoe store. What might appear to be a carefully constructed set is actually the everyday interior of the ageing shopping complex — a detail that has both amused and delighted viewers online.

Swift is believed to have filmed the video at the Whitgift Centre in November last year under strict secrecy. Even staff working in the centre were unaware of the full scale of the production at the time.
Jo, the manager of the Clarks store featured in the video, described the experience as surreal. “It was only our store that was used. It was mad. Obviously, it was all secret, so it was a relief when it all came out,” she said.
Since the video’s release, fans have been visiting the shopping centre specifically to take photos on the escalators made famous by the singer.

What was once a quiet, largely overlooked spot has quickly turned into an unexpected attraction for Swifties eager to recreate the moment.
For many locals, the renewed attention has been both surprising and welcome. Kimberley Roberts, who worked for years at the Claire’s Accessories store in the centre, praised Swift for shining a spotlight on a place that has struggled in recent times. With high street retail facing ongoing challenges and several shops in the centre now closed, the sudden influx of visitors has brought a sense of excitement back to the building.

The choice of location also reflects Swift’s ability to find storytelling potential in unexpected places. Rather than opting for a glamorous or iconic landmark, the singer embraced the authenticity of a real, lived-in environment — turning ordinary escalators into a symbol that now resonates with millions of viewers.
While it remains to be seen whether the surge in attention will have a lasting economic impact, there is no doubt that the Whitgift Centre has been given a moment in the global spotlight. For a shopping centre many had written off, that moment alone feels significant.