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Category Archives: Ashcroft Theatre
BHLive starts redundancy process for staff at Fairfield Halls
There have been unconfirmed reports that BHLive, the Bournemouth-based operators in charge of running the council-owned Fairfield Halls, have this week begun making their full-time employees in Croydon redundant. According to BHLive insiders, the move could see the Fairfield Halls … Continue reading
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Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Oliver Lewis
Tagged BHLive, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Oliver Lewis
4 Comments
Fears grow at Fairfield Halls over operator’s unsigned lease
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
Croydon in crisis: Contractors in £9m row over Fairfield Halls
EXCLUSIVE: The council’s blundering house-builders Brick by Brick face the threat of a multi-million-pound legal action in a payments dispute over the refurbishment of the town centre’s arts venue. By STEVEN DOWNES The building contractors who carried out the refurbishment … Continue reading
80 casual staff laid off as Fairfield Halls goes ‘into hibernation’
EXCLUSIVE: Our unfurloughed arts correspondent, BELLA BARTOCK, on dark times for Croydon’s major arts venue Fairfield Halls’ casual staff, who have been furloughed since the arts venue closed its doors for the coronavirus lockdown in March, have been told that … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Fairfield Halls, Neil Chandler, Theatre, Timothy Godfrey
Tagged Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls
4 Comments
Facing uncertain future, Fairfield Halls returns all its pianos
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 BHLive, Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, coronavirus, Covid-19, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Labour, Neil Chandler, Phoenix Pianos
7 Comments
Culture deals with covid-19 without making a song and dance
The sense of doom and gloom caused by the covid-19 pandemic had well and truly taken hold of London by the middle of last week. There was a dark humour about the place reflected by the public address system at … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Cinema, Croydon Bach Choir, Croydon Male Voice Choir, Croydon Philharmonic Choir, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Fairfield Halls, Music, Talawa Theatre Company, Theatre, Theatre Workshop Coulsdon
Tagged Ashcroft Theatre, BHLive, Croydon Council, Croydon Male Voice Choir, David Lean Cinema, Fairfield Halls, London Borough of Croydon, Save the David Lean Campaign, Theatre Workshop Coulsdon
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Seconds out: Operator hopes wrestling will boost Fairfield Halls
EXCLUSIVE: The art venue’s director quit in a dispute over dumbing down of its programme in a bid to boost ticket sales, reports BELLA BARTOCK, who has discovered that BHLive are recruiting for Neil Chandler’s replacement, but offering a lesser … Continue reading
Fairfield Halls director quits less than six months after opening
EXCLUSIVE: A £42.6m white elephant without its mahout? Our arts correspondent, BELLA BARTOCK, reports on the most dramatic of exits from the Fairfield Halls Neil Chandler has left the building. The Fairfield Halls’ venue and artistic director has left his … Continue reading
‘Lack of trust’ sees arts venue selling just 26% of tickets
With the Fairfield Halls refurbishment costs now confirmed as £42.6m, and still rising, the venue is struggling to win back its audiences, as KEN LEE reports The costs of refurbishing the Fairfield Halls rose by another £1.6million in just five … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Jo Negrini, Neil Chandler, Sean Fitzsimons
Tagged BH Live, Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Jo Negrini, Labour, Leila Ben-Hassel, London Borough of Croydon, Neil Chandler, Sean Fitzsimons
10 Comments
Croydon is named London’s ‘Borough of Culture’ for 2023
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 Croydon Council, Labour, London, London Assembly, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor, Oliver Lewis, Sadiq Khan, Tony Newman
7 Comments
Newman plays a numbers game and exposes his short-comings
Could a Town Hall chamber boast by the bungling council leader have managed to reveal that the Fairfield Halls’ prestigious panto struggled to sell tickets? Oh yes it did… Our arts correspondent, BELLA BARTOCK, reports Tony Newman gets yet another … Continue reading
Posted in Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Comedy, Dance, Fairfield Halls, Music, Neil Chandler, Theatre, Tony Newman
Tagged Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Private Eye, Tony Newman
2 Comments
Audition for Younger Generation Theatre Group annual show
Posted in Ashcroft Theatre, Dance, Fairfield Halls, Music, Theatre
Tagged Younger Generation Theatre Group
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Newman fails to deny that Fairfield Halls bill has reached £60m
The refurbishment of the Fairfield Halls could end up costing Croydon’s Council Tax-payers £60million – or even more. And there are fears within the town’s arts circles that BH Live, the events and management firm brought in by venue owners … Continue reading
Posted in Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, Paula Murray, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman
Tagged Ashcroft Theatre, BHLive, Brick by Brick, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Tony Newman, Tory
7 Comments
‘Overnight sensation’ Kojo Anim is coming to Ashcroft Theatre
Kojo Anim, the comedy star “discovered” by Britain’s Got Talent after spending just 20 years playing the club and stand-up circuit, is booked to perform at the Ashcroft Theatre at the end of next month as part of his first … Continue reading
Posted in Ashcroft Theatre, Comedy, Fairfield Halls
Tagged Ashcroft Theatre, Fairfield Halls, Kojo Anim
3 Comments
Oscar-winning musical makes uncertain steps on the stage
They’ve had Angela’s Ashes – The Musical, and the traditional panto has returned (Oh yes it has) as the Fairfield Halls tries to re-establish its creative credentials after the theatre was dark for three years. So how does Once, the … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Fairfield Halls, Music, Theatre
Tagged Ashcroft Theatre, Fairfield Halls, Once, Rory Kelly
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160 voices sing Verdi’s Requiem at Croydon’s People’s Palace: with Elton John in the toilets and ‘limited nibbles’ for £15
The Croydon Philharmonic Choir made its long-awaited return to the refurbished Fairfield Halls last night. And so, too, did KEN TOWL When a Croydon re-opening commands the presence of the Mayor of London himself, you know something big is happening. … Continue reading
Now council refuses FoIs over Fairfield Halls’ £41m costs
Croydon Council, which Tony Newman once promised would, under Labour, become the most open and transparent in the borough’s history, has started to block Freedom of Information requests from Council Tax-payers who want to know where the £41million of their … Continue reading
‘I paid £45 to see Dame Judi, and this is the view I had’
The management of the Fairfield Halls is facing having to make thousands of pounds-worth of refunds after the latest nuclear weapons-grade balls-up connected to the re-opening of the venue this week. Our loyal reader has been in touch, desperately disappointed … Continue reading
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 Alison Butler, BH Live, Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Labour, Oliver Lewis, Tony Newman
16 Comments
What’s in a name? Ashcroft Theatre is sign of commonsense
Our arts critic, BELLA BARTOCK, on how pointless meddling with an established venue’s name could be a cause of marketing confusion There’s been something of a victory for commonsense, for the views of local councillors and, it has to be … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Fairfield Halls, Neil Chandler, Theatre
Tagged Ashcroft Theatre, BHLive, Croydon, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Peggy Ashcroft, Fairfield Halls, Neil Chandler
4 Comments
Will long-delayed Fairfield Halls re-open on time? ‘It’s got to’
Our arts correspondent, BELLA BARTOCK, donned a hi-viz jacket and hard hat to check on the progress being made on the £41million-plus project on the borough’s arts centre, where the first month’s programme runs from royalty to Redknapp No expense … Continue reading
Who’d pay £50 to see Barry from accounts as Max Bialystock?
It may be more than a year late in re-opening, and is at least £11million over budget, but that hasn’t stopped the operators at the Fairfield Halls from continuing to pursue their pointless exercise of re-naming the Ashcroft Theatre. Workmen … Continue reading
You can help CODA produce a return to the Ashcroft Theatre
After a seven-year absence, Croydon’s foremost AmDram group is preparing for a return to the Fairfield Halls when the council-owned arts venue re-opens in September after a £41million-plus refurbishment. And CODA wants you to be part of their week-long run … Continue reading
Fairfield Halls chief tells councillors not to ask questions
Political editor WALTER CRONXITE reports on how the manager hired to run the Fairfield Halls won’t tolerate questions about the venue from the borough’s elected representatives Neil Chandler, the former cruise ship entertainments officer who has been placed in charge … Continue reading
How CEO Negrini used council money to promote herself
Here is the text of the ‘sponsored competition’ which appeared on the website of the Architect’s Journal on December 5, just after the publication was announcing that Croydon Council’s Brick by Brick house-builder (which has yet to build a single … Continue reading
