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Category Archives: Ashcroft Theatre
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
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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
Can there really be a happy ending to the Fairfield fairy tale?
CROYDON COMMENTARY: Building delays, budget-busting over-runs, the inexplicable changes of the names of long-established venues… The council’s £30million refurbishment of the borough’s largest arts complex has been a Pantomime from the start, and says DAVID WICKENS, it is Fairfield Halls’ … Continue reading
Now Fairfield operators want to re-name the Ashcroft Theatre
Our arts correspondent, BELLA BARTOCK, on the latest piece of meddling going on around the much-delayed arts venue’s refurbishment Neil Chandler, the former cruise ship entertainments officer who has been placed in charge of the Fairfield Halls’ artistic programme has … Continue reading
Royal concert postponed as Fairfield Halls suffer more delays
The Fairfield Halls, which Croydon’s council leader Tony Newman promised would re-open in July this year following a £30million, two-year refurbishment programme, now won’t be running a full programme of events until September 2019 at the earliest. That’s the shocking … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Fairfield Halls, London Mozart Players, Tony Newman
Tagged Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Labour, Tony Newman
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Fairfield Halls: progress being made, but still no opening date
The London Open House weekend gave Croydon residents a chance to peek inside the workings of the £30million refurbishment of the Fairfield Halls. Already months late for completion, and with suggestions that it is also running over-budget, plans for performances … Continue reading
Fairfield Halls ‘Grand Re-opening Gala’ date set for June 2019
EXCLUSIVE: Arts correspondent BELLA BARTOCK on the latest delay to the borough’s ‘Cultural Quarter’ plans The Fairfield Halls’ “Grand Re-opening Gala”, to be staged in the Concert Hall in the presence of the Earl of Wessex, won’t be taking place … Continue reading
College sells Annex building to thwart Cultural Quarter plan
Croydon Council has been accused of ‘incompetence’ after a building it needed as part of a multi-million-pound development has been sold to a private developer. BARRATT HOLMES, our housing correspondent, reports Croydon College has sold part of its site to … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Brick by Brick, College Green, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, Paul Scott, Planning, Theatre, Tony Newman
Tagged Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Chris Philp MP, College Green, Colm Lacey, Conservative, Croydon Council, Cultural Quarter, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Tony Newman
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Fairfield Halls makes a Savvy move over community theatre
BELLA BARTOCK, our arts correspondent, on an announcement today which suggests a greater community involvement in theatre productions once the Fairfield Halls re-opens Sutton’s loss appears to be Croydon’s gain, after it was announced this morning that the Savvy Theatre … Continue reading
Delayed Fairfield Halls now won’t fully open until March 2019
A cabinet report ahead of Monday night’s meeting has revealed that the Fairfield Halls now won’t be ready to open fully until the end of March 2019 – a full nine months later than promised. The Halls closed for a … Continue reading
Posted in Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Brick by Brick, Fairfield Halls
Tagged Arnhem Gallery, Ashcroft Theatre, Brick by Brick, Fairfield Halls
5 Comments
Newman: Fairfield Halls won’t be ready to open until 2019
Fairfield Halls will not re-open until 2019, Tony Newman, the leader of the council, announced in a somewhat off-hand matter last night. The prestigious arts complex was supposed to be ready for a grand re-opening in July 2018. But now, … Continue reading
Posted in 2018 council elections, Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Fairfield Halls, Theatre, Tony Newman
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Labour, Tony Newman
10 Comments
Fairfield manager wanted. Must be able to cope with council
BH Live, the Dorset-based conference and events venue managers who have been appointed to operator the Fairfield Halls, are recruiting for general manager. The daunting job spec is similarly demanding to that which the Football Association put out when looking … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Business, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Theatre
Tagged Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls
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‘Residents will be thrilled’ after Fairfield Halls’ £30m refit
A year since its closure, and there’s no perceptible signs outside the Fairfield Halls of much in the way of progress in its £30million redevelopment project. But Timothy Godfrey, the council’s cabinet member for arts and culture, says that, with … Continue reading
Tories agree: Labour’s Fairfield deal looking good for Croydon
WALTER CRONXITE on an outbreak of consensus and agreement for the future of the borough Tory councillors’ “opposition for opposition’s sake” approach to the £30million refurbishment of the Fairfield Halls crumbled amid commonsense, the best interests of the borough and … Continue reading
Dorset venue operator to be given £180m Fairfield contract
A social enterprise company which manages the Bournemouth International Centre on the south coast is set to be announced as the new operator for Croydon’s Fairfield Halls later this week. A council report revealed that the deal, which could last … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Music, Theatre, Tony Newman
Tagged BH Live, Conservative, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Tony Newman, Tory
3 Comments
Council to name new operator for Fairfield Halls next week
Croydon Council has awarded a contract worth as much as £180million for an operator to run the Fairfield Halls arts complex for up to 15 years, but cannot name the successful bidder until next Friday in case of any legal … Continue reading
Council confirms Fairfield Halls will not open before Nov 2018
Jo Negrini, the council’s chief executive, may like to pretend to her property speculator mates that refurbishment work on the Fairfield Halls is “on track”, but even her own officials are now admitting that Croydon’s major performing arts centre will … Continue reading
Posted in 2018 council elections, Ashcroft Theatre, Brick by Brick, College Green, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Housing, Jo Negrini, Planning, Timothy Godfrey, Tony Newman
Tagged Brick by Brick, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, London Borough of Croydon, Timothy Godfrey, Tony Newman
4 Comments
Work to refurbish Fairfield Halls already behind schedule
Just five months into the £30 million refurbishment of the Fairfield Halls, and Croydon Council is already admitting that it will take longer than the promised two-year closure to complete the works. With the main refurbishment contractor not due to … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, Paula Murray, Property, Theatre, Timothy Godfrey, Tony Newman
Tagged Alison Butler, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Timothy Godfrey, Tony Newman
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