Category Archives: Riesco Collection

Council’s once-prized listed building Heathfield House left to rot

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The borough’s built heritage is crumbling into a worrying state of disrepair, with no one at the council seemingly aware of the seriousness of the situation. By PEARL LEE, our south of the borough correspondent Any Croydon … Continue reading

Posted in Addington, Art, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Environment, Gardening, Heathfield House, History, Property, Riesco Collection, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Riesco Gallery reopens with all the colours of Kathakali

After a long closure, mostly due to the covid pandemic lockdown, the Riesco Gallery at the Museum of Croydon has reopened with Life Behind The Costume, an exhibition celebrating Kathakali, a form of drama through dance that originated in Kerala, … Continue reading

Posted in Activities, Art, Dance, History, Museum of Croydon, Riesco Collection | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Public outcry as council off-loads historic Heathfield House

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The future of a long-established ecology charity has been placed under threat, as well as hundreds of school visits conducted annually, by a council plan to lease out a publicly-owned listed building. By our environment correspondent, PAUL … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Charity, Croydon Council, Croydon Friends of the Earth, Croydon parks, Environment, Heathfield, Heathfield House, History, Property, Riesco Collection, Sarah Hayward, Schools, Selsdon & Ballards, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Unfinished and incomplete: where’s Fairfield £41m been spent?

And… Breathe! The Fairfield Halls has finally re-opened, with a gala concert planned for tonight. But after over-running by 15 months and over-spending by £11million, the refurbishment is not yet finished and is incomplete. Our photo-journalist, DANNY LEIBOVITZ, reports It … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Brick by Brick, CODA, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Paul Scott, Riesco Collection, Theatre, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Godfrey becomes third senior Labour councillor to quit

WALTER CRONXITE reports on the latest senior council figure to announce that they won’t be seeking selection for May’s local elections Timothy Godfrey last night became the third Croydon Council cabinet member or deputy to announce that they are to … Continue reading

Posted in Art, David Wood, Fairfield Halls, Riesco Collection, Selhurst, Timothy Godfrey, Toni Letts, Tony Newman, Warehouse Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Croydon Tories are playing with Fairfield Halls’ future

CROYDON COMMENTARY: Although they already know the identity of the winning bidder to run the Fairfield Halls following a council-run competitive tendering process, Croydon Conservatives yesterday moved to call-in the decision to the scrutiny committee, potentially delaying the appointment. TIMOTHY … Continue reading

Posted in Art, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Fairfield Halls, Riesco Collection, Selhurst, Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Newman breaks manifesto promise over Boxpark festival

Tony Newman’s Labour council has broken one of its 2014 manifesto commitments, after diverting £160,000 of public money from its intended free annual music festival to pay towards private business Boozepark’s opening shindig next month. The council-run Ambition Festival was … Continue reading

Posted in 2014 council elections, 2018 council elections, Ambition Festival, Art, Ashcroft Theatre, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Fairfield Halls, Music, Riesco Collection, Theatre, Timothy Godfrey, Tony Newman, Warehouse Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Council erases role of Borough Solicitor as Belvir leaves

Julie Belvir, the Borough Solicitor, is to leave her job and the post of most senior legal adviser to the council is to be abolished in a cost-cutting measure. Because it’s not like Croydon Council doesn’t need all the legal … Continue reading

Posted in Clare Hilley, Croydon Council, Julie Belvir, Riesco Collection, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

100 jobs will be lost with two-year Fairfield Halls closure

The battle for Croydon’s cultural future took a twist at the Town Hall last night, with local Tories arguing against job cuts and wanting to spend more public money on the borough’s flagship arts facility, as STEVEN DOWNES reports Croydon’s … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", 2018 council elections, Alison Butler, Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon College, Croydon Council, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Dudley Mead, Education, Environment, Fairfield, Fairfield Halls, Housing, Jo Negrini, London Mozart Players, Music, Nathan Elvery, Phil Thomas, Planning, Property, Riesco Collection, Stuart Collins, Theatre, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman, URV, Warehouse Theatre, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Gillian Wearing picks barred museum for competition vote

Gillian Wearing, the Turner Prize-winning artist, has chosen the Museum of Croydon as one of the venues at which she could conduct her work, in a competition which will be decided by a public ballot. Wearing is noted for her … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Croydon Council, Education, Museum of Croydon, Riesco Collection | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Walk into local history with Museum of Croydon events

The Museum of Croydon is staging a series of events over the coming months to encourage residents, young and old, to explore the borough’s history. Out of the Archive Saturdays May 16 and July 18, 11am-12pm Join Lindsay Ould, Borough … Continue reading

Posted in Activities, Education, History, Museum of Croydon, Riesco Collection | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Godfrey dismisses Tory ‘scaremongering’ over Fairfield Halls

A Croydon council cabinet member has hit out at what has been described as deliberate scaremongering and “opposition for opposition’s sake” from a Conservative councillor, who last night announced to a community association annual meeting that the Fairfield Halls was … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Fairfield Halls, Michael Neal, Riesco Collection, Selhurst, South Croydon, Timothy Godfrey, Warehouse Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ruskin Square could include theatre if council refunds £3m

Croydon could get a purpose-built, modern 200-seat studio theatre to replace the much-lamented Warehouse Theatre, provided that the council re-allocates a £3 million grant originally intended for the purpose by private developers Stanhope. The news comes as the now Labour-run … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Business, Cinema, Comedy, Croydon Council, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Dudley Mead, Fairfield, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, Music, Planning, Property, Riesco Collection, Ruskin Square, Theatre, Timothy Godfrey, Warehouse Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Exclusive: John Loony wins Tory election (sort of). At last

After a political career that started in failure (to misquote Enoch Powell), John Cartwright has at last won a public vote. Cartwright, after spending 20 years contesting every possible election in Croydon as John Loony, the Official Monster Raving Loony … Continue reading

Posted in Dudley Mead, Fairfield, Gavin Barwell, Heathfield, Helen Pollard, Maria Gatland, Mike Fisher, Phil Thomas, Riesco Collection, Sanderstead, South Croydon, Tim Pollard | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Time for thorough ethical review of Croydon’s governance

 CROYDON COMMENTARY: The nexus of connections that have been developed between the local authority – of whatever political hue – and vested interests in the borough makes it long overdue for a review of proper governance, says CHARLOTTE DAVIES The … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Bishop of Croydon, Business, Care Homes, Croydon Commitment, Croydon Council, CVA, Dudley Mead, Fairfield Halls, Gavin Barwell, George Ayres, Housing, Jason Perry, Jo Negrini, Lynne Hale, Margaret Mead, Planning, Property, Riesco Collection, Timothy Godfrey, Toni Letts, Trinity School, URV, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation, Whitgift School | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

You can make today’s council elections all about trust

STEVEN DOWNES, editor of Inside Croydon, winds up the pre-election coverage on what all parties agree is a vitally important day for the borough This is the £1 billion local election. As if eyeing a prize dangling at the end … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", 2014 council elections, 2015 General Election, Art, Bernard Weatherill House, Cane Hill, Council Tax, Crime, Croydon 8/8, Croydon Council, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Family Justice Centre, Gavin Barwell, Libraries, Mike Fisher, Nathan Elvery, Planning, Riesco Collection, Taberner House, URV, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Time to rebuild cultural wasteland created by Croydon Tories

VOTE 2014: TIMOTHY GODFREY, Croydon Labour’s arts and culture spokesman, says that encouraging culture, instead of axing its funding, is possible and can be done Art and culture have a civilising influence on us all. They bring people together, they … Continue reading

Posted in 2014 council elections, Art, Cinema, Comedy, Dance, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Fairfield Halls, Music, Riesco Collection, Theatre, Timothy Godfrey, Warehouse Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Let’s make our libraries the cornerstones of our communities

VOTE 2014: TIMOTHY GODFREY, spokesman on arts and culture for the local Labour group, outlines his party’s policy for the borough’s marginalised and privatised public library service Something has gone terribly wrong at Croydon libraries. When the then Labour Council … Continue reading

Posted in 2014 council elections, Art, Carillion, David Lean Cinema Campaign, John Laing Integrated Services, Libraries, Riesco Collection, Timothy Godfrey | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Ever felt you’re being taken for granted? Welcome to Croydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: Don’t be taken-in by promises of “new” money bringing a “new dawn” for our borough, says CHARLOTTE DAVIES So what if the Tories have missed out including en entire ward, West Thornton, from their election advert? It’s a … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", 2014 council elections, Art, Croydon Council, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Education, Fairfield Halls, Riesco Collection, South Croydon Community Association, Warehouse Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Our two-year-olds need a childhood, not lessons in Latin

SUSAN OLIVER, pictured left, wants the borough’s teaching professionals to come forward and make their voices heard, perhaps even to challenge the controlling orthodoxies of Michael Gove and Ofsted Children should be taught in schools from the age of two … Continue reading

Posted in Education, Riesco Collection, Schools, Susan Oliver | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Croydon Arts Network – initial meeting: Sat Feb 15

Following last autumn’s Croydon Arts Debate chaired by Lord Harries, a further meeting is being held at Croydon Conference Centre on Surrey Street on Saturday, February 15 at 3pm to establish an independent body which can co-ordinate activity across the … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Community associations, Dance, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Fairfield Halls, Music, Riesco Collection, South Croydon Community Association, Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Requiem has sounded for Mozart Players’ Croydon future

Turtle’s. The Mela. Nestle. The Warehouse Theatre. The Riesco Collection. Allders. The David Lean Cinema. Next, the London Mozart Players? It is looking increasingly likely that the London Mozart Players will soon be added to the litany of Croydon institutions that … Continue reading

Posted in 2014 council elections, Art, Cinema, Croydon Council, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Dudley Mead, Education, Fairfield Halls, London Mozart Players, Music, Riesco Collection, Schools, Warehouse Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Charity Commission forces council to drop Fairfield takeover

Croydon Council’s plans to take over the Fairfield Halls have collapsed, in yet another embarrassing and costly (for Council Tax-payers) reversal for the Conservative administration at the Town Hall. And this at a time when the costs of the much-needed … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Charity, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Education, Fairfield, Fairfield Halls, London Mozart Players, London-wide issues, Margaret Mead, Planning, Riesco Collection, Theatre, URV, Warehouse Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Boris, the NFL, libraries and precious crockery: iC’s 2013

As we approach 2014 and all that may have to offer, here’s the 10 most-read iC articles of 2013 – an eclectic mix of politics, exclusive news stories, sport, arts reviews and controversy. With more than half a million page views … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", 2012 Olympics, 2014 council elections, 2015 General Election, Andrew Pelling, Art, Boris Johnson, Business, Cane Hill, Centrale, Croydon Council, Education, Housing, Inside Croydon, John Laing Integrated Services, Jon Rouse, Libraries, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Museum of Croydon, Planning, Riesco Collection, Roke Primary, Schools, Tramlink, Transport, URV, Waddon, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation, Whitgift School | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chinese government has role in £500m Crystal Palace scheme

The major financial backer behind the ZhongRohn Group, which wants to build a £500million replica of the Victorian Crystal Palace as a hotel and entertainment complex on public open space at the top of Sydenham Hill, is the Chinese government. … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Boris Johnson, Bromley Council, Business, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Crystal Palace Community Association, Crystal Palace Park, Mayor of London, Property, Riesco Collection | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments