A pop-up coffee shop inspired by the cult comedy, Peep Show. Created by East Croydon Cool in collaboration with local partners 80 Stone Roasters, The Croydon Smile Hub and Scene in London.
On Saturday 10 October 2026, we brought a little bit of Peep Show to West Croydon with The Velvet Spoon: a pop-up coffee shop celebrating the cult comedy’s connections to the area.
Created to coincide with The Dobby Club’s ‘Run 2 Windsor’ marathon (the annual event that sees 100 people run from Croydon to Windsor), the pop-up offered runners, supporters and local residents a chance to fuel up on coffee, breakfast and a healthy dose of Mark and Jez-inspired humour before the big departure.
Hosted inside The Croydon Smile Hub, the two-hour pop-up transformed the space into a Peep Show-inspired café, complete with themed table decorations, meme walls, supporter-made signs and plenty of references for fans to spot.
More than just coffee
The experience brought together local businesses, fans and residents, with plenty of opportunities to get involved.
- Coffee with a local connection: Croydon-based 80 Stone Roasters served the caffeine – with newly branded cups (and special edition beans) giving a Peep Show twist
- Breakfast fuel: the free breakfast station offered toast (“brown is savoury. white’s the treat”), cereal (Frosties vs Crunchy Nut) and Mrs C’s themed jams.
- Homage to Croydon: Visitors could pick up limited-edition Peep Show inspired mugs from East Croydon Cool, alongside prints (of key filming locations) by Scene in London.
- Freebie souvenirs: included a Guide to Peep Show film locations in Croydon, Peep Show tattoos and JLB pens.
- Fan-powered fun: Inspired by the show’s iconic meme walls, supporters created their own signs to cheer on the runners, while visitors added their thoughts and quotes to the Unhinged Post-It Board.
- A local space with a new purpose: The Croydon Smile Hub provided the venue, giving locals and visitors alike the chance to get to know more about this community space.
- Charity donations: 5% of all takings went to The Croydon Smile Hub’s nominated charity – Communities First Foundation.
An East Croydon Cool collaboration
The Velvet Spoon was initiated by East Croydon Cool, bringing together local partners to create a Peep Show-inspired pop-up alongside The Dobby Club’s ‘Run 2 Windsor’ event.
From developing the concept and creating the themed experience to producing limited-edition merch, the project incorporated local coffee with a healthy dose of sitcom nostalgia. It also gave runners, supporters and local visitors a chance to get involved, whether by making signs, sharing quotes or simply stopping by for a coffee.
Open for just two hours, it was a great starting point for exploring how we can build on Croydon’s big moments, helping more local businesses get involved and giving residents more ways to feel part of what’s happening on their doorstep.
Missed it?
The annual event will be back next year and you can still get your hands on East Croydon Cool’s limited-edition mugs, alongside prints from Scene in London, via our online shop. Every order also comes with a free “guide” to Peep Show filming locations in Croydon. 😉
Click Here for a video of the day or check out the photo gallery below:
