Category Archives: Borough of Culture 2023

‘The damage to the Fairfield Halls reputation is severe’

Posted on September 9, 2021 by insidecroydon

CROYDON IN CRISIS: While the cash-strapped council remains preoccupied with its finances, the once prestigious arts centre on the other side of Park Lane risks sliding towards cultural oblivion. By our arts correspondent, BELLA BARTOCK There are growing concerns that … Continue reading →

Posted in Arnhem Gallery, Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Business, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, GLL - Better, Mayor of London, Neil Chandler, Oliver Lewis, Paula Murray, Sadiq Khan, The Wreck, Theatre, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Cultural hopes are raised as Talawa and Nick Cave take a bow

Posted on September 7, 2021 by insidecroydon

Two shows staged at the borough’s major arts centre over the weekend helped to underline how precious the Fairfield Halls should be for Croydon. If only the artistic programme on offer more generally could rise to the local public’s expectations, … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Fairfield Halls, Music, Talawa Theatre Company, The Wreck | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Council has no answers over missing Fairfield Halls sculpture

Posted on August 29, 2021 by insidecroydon

Croydon’s crass council has been accused of another act of cultural vandalism, after “losing” a significant piece of mid-century street art from the site alongside the “award-winning” (try not to laugh) Fairfield Halls. The art installation, in a modernist, geometric … Continue reading →

Posted in Arnhem Gallery, Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Borough of Culture 2023, Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Oliver Lewis, The Wreck | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

It’s time to put back the Sparks into Croydon’s Fairfield Halls

Posted on August 13, 2021 by insidecroydon

For £70m, the Fairfield Halls should be offering a lot more for the community, says KEN TOWL If the Fairfield Halls disappoint, and they do, over and over, it is because they have a lot to live up to. Through … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Fairfield Halls, Music, Savvy Theatre Company, Talawa Theatre Company | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

Now it’s the Fairfield Halls fiasco that gets one in the Eye

Posted on August 5, 2021 by insidecroydon

Britain’s best-selling satirical fortnightly returns to Croydon’s financial woes – and says police should be called in to investigate deals around unfinished arts centre refurbishment While some citizen bloggers claim to try “to emulate Private Eye”, the professional journalists here … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Fairfield Halls, Simon Hall, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Millions of questions for BHLive over Fairfield grant aid

Posted on July 29, 2021 by insidecroydon

CROYDON IN CRISIS: It’s like nothing has ever changed at the borough’s prestigious arts centre, where tribute acts still dominate its sparse programme, while the venue operators are staying schtum about how they’re spending public money. By our arts correspondent, … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Brick by Brick, Business, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, London Mozart Players, Neil Chandler, The Wreck | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Fairfield Halls’ £70m fiasco: ‘BxB didn’t know what it was doing’

Posted on July 23, 2021 by insidecroydon

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Trade newspaper The Stage has described the five-year saga of the Fairfield Halls refurbishment as a ‘catastrophic mess’ and a ‘£70m fiasco’. Now, the centre’s former artistic director has broken his silence over the bungling of Brick … Continue reading →

Posted in Arnhem Gallery, Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Fairfield Halls, Neil Chandler, Oliver Lewis, Sadiq Khan, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Directors Murray and Cheesbrough start exodus from council

Posted on November 30, 2020 by insidecroydon

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The director of planning and the borough’s culture chief are to leave Fisher’s Folly – the first top-level departures since the council issued its Section 114 notice. By STEVEN DOWNES Heather Cheesbrough, Croydon’s director of planning, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Heather Cheesbrough, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Paula Murray, Planning, Section 114 notice, Shifa Mustafa | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Council backs down over plans to license 15,000-people rave

Posted on October 6, 2020 by insidecroydon

Croydon Council has dropped its application for a licence to stage a rave, potentially with as many as 15,000 people, on Purley Way playing fields. The council had submitted the licence application to the local licensing body – Croydon Council … Continue reading →

Posted in Addington, Addington Residents' Association, Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Crime, Croham Hurst, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Dance, Music, Paula Murray, Purley Way, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fears grow at Fairfield Halls over operator’s unsigned lease

Posted on June 30, 2020 by insidecroydon

The Fairfield Halls may be in “hibernation” until next year because of coronavirus, but Croydon Council is now facing another crisis over its ill-fated £43million refurbishment project, with growing fears that the company appointed to manage the arts complex could … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Neil Chandler, Oliver Lewis | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Facing uncertain future, Fairfield Halls returns all its pianos

Posted on June 3, 2020 by insidecroydon

The Fairfield Halls had the removal men in yesterday – taking away the arts venue’s pianos. Inside Croydon understands that the pianos – nine in total, including two grand pianos – have been returned to their makers after the venue … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Music, Neil Chandler, Oliver Lewis, Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Delays, postponements and cancellations become a new art

Posted on March 24, 2020 by insidecroydon

Croydon’s turn to be London’s Borough of Culture in 2023 remains unchanged. For now. But if they can postpone the Olympic Games, as the Prime Minister of Japan requested today, then anything can fall victim to the effects of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Borough of Culture 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Croydon is named London’s ‘Borough of Culture’ for 2023

Posted on February 11, 2020 by insidecroydon

Croydon has been named London Borough of Culture for 2023. Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, announced the decision at City Hall this morning. The “prize” is an additional £1.35million funding from the Mayor towards the borough’s cultural programme. At … Continue reading →

Posted in Amy Lamé Limited, Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Dance, Fairfield Halls, Mayor of London, Music, Sadiq Khan, Theatre, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments