The inventor of an arson proof letter box is opening the first UK's invention centre in South Norwood.

Barry Slayford will soon be opening his one-stop-shop for inventors to research and work on their projects and get all of the support they need for arranging patents, research, manufacturing and importing and exporting their finished products.

Barry runs one of the largest inventors clubs in the country and will be following in the footsteps of Croydon’s most famous inventor William Stanley.

The new Centre will be open for business in the next few weeks, is sited on the exact spot where Stanley worked on his designs for mathematical instruments in the 1860s.

Mr Slayford said: “This is something we have been working on for the last 12 years. It is about 2,000 square feet and will be on Station Road in South Norwood, 100 yards from Norwood Junction Train Station.

It is going to be a meeting place for inventors so they can help each other to work on their inventions. There will be offices and a board room for meeting manufacturers and people involved in the invention. There will be research facilities so they can do proper research and workshops so they can make prototypes.  Mr Slayford has set up the centre because he feels there is no real support or advice for inventors in the UK. He has a lot of experience in the field and is happy to advise anyone who has an idea or new invention. The key to the whole process is Research.

He said: I have invented a number of things, my claim to fame was my first invention which was an arson proof letter box. Mr Slayford had a disgruntled tenant try and set his premises on fire by pouring petrol through his letter box. The result was the Safe ‘T’ Letterbox which deposits any liquid poured through it back on the street. He said: Inventors come across a problem and they endeavour to solve it and that is what I did.