Category Archives: Fairfield Halls
‘More buckets than businesses’: readers quiz Labour’s Davis
‘What are you going to do about the Whitgift Centre?’ one of our readers asked Councillor Rowenna Davis, Labour’s recently selected candidate to stand for election as Croydon Mayor in May 2026. ‘At the moment, there’s more buckets than businesses.’ … Continue reading
Fairfield panto star Mia Overfield picks up national stage award
Mia Overfield, star of the Fairfield Halls’ 2024-2025 panto, Snow White and the Five Dwarves, has been named as the winner of the Barbara Windsor Award for Best Principal Lead at this year’s National Pantomime Awards. Overfield, who has a … Continue reading
From Dolly Parton to Haydn: Whitgift concert jazzed things up
DAVID MORGAN reports from an event which saw one of the Fairfield Halls’ biggest audiences for a while – and certainly one of its most enthusiastic The excitement and expectation of more than a thousand primary school children from across … Continue reading
Top Tory admits Fairfield Halls could be sold for the right deal
CROYDON IN CRISIS: ‘Come on down! The price is right!’ The cabinet member for finance has said that the arts and conference centre could yet be sold if the cash-strapped council is ordered to do so. By STEVEN DOWNES Jason … Continue reading
Cut Mayor’s special allowances by 50%, say Croydon’s Greens
CROYDON COMMENTARY: Ahead of the council’s more-heat-than-light annual Budget meetings that begin this week, PETER UNDERWOOD highlights how the councillors of one party at the Town Hall are presenting some realistic proposals Honesty and fairness. They are the themes of … Continue reading
LMP’s Changing Seasons concert put a real spring in my step
Three lucky Inside Croydon subscribers each won a pair of tickets to enjoy the London Mozart Players’ Vivaldi-inspired Changing Seasons concert at the Fairfield Halls on Saturday. One of them, PAUL AINSCOUGH, shares his thoughts on the evening I was … Continue reading
‘The improvement panel’s general position is to sell everything’
CROYDON COMMENTARY: This website’s editor, STEVEN DOWNES, on why a Mayor who keeps getting caught out in untruths really needs to start being more honest with the borough’s residents If ever there was an example of Mayor Jason Perry “being … Continue reading
Government panel wants Croydon to flog off the Fairfield Halls
CROYDON IN CRISIS: With the council’s annual overspend reaching £100m, Whitehall-appointed commissioners could force the sale of the arts centre, which the C20 Society describes as an ‘underappreciated South Bank Centre of the suburbs’. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Croydon could … Continue reading
Join iC’s 3 lucky winners at Mozart Players’ Changing Seasons
Congratulations to loyal readers Paul Ainscough, Ian Anderson and David White: all three have won a pair of tickets – worth £65 – for the London Mozart Players’ Changing Seasons concert at the Fairfield Halls on Saturday, February 15. The … Continue reading
WIN!!! 3 pairs of tickets for Changing Seasons at Fairfield Halls
Inside Croydon is delighted to team up with the London Mozart Players to offer three lucky subscribers each a pair of tickets – worth £65 – for their Changing Seasons concert at the Fairfield Halls on Saturday, February 15. The … Continue reading
Mozart Players return to Fairfield with community-style Vivaldi
The London Mozart Players are to make a rare concert appearance at the Fairfield Halls next month, with what they call “a new cross-genre performance” of Changing Seasons. Changing Seasons is “a multi-genre spectacular”, London Mozart Players say, “that reimagines … Continue reading
Only in Croydon: Fairfield stages Snow White and the 5 Dwarfs
What was it that David Bowie said about Croydon? Festive fun-seekers turning up at the council-owned Fairfield Halls earlier this week having paid as much as £37 for their ticket to see a seasonal pantomime probably felt a bit short-changed … Continue reading
MP Reed claims those who left borough broke ‘have now gone’
WALTER CRONXITE, political editor, checks the ‘facts’ where other local news outlets dare not look Steve Reed OBE, the MP who was Labour’s front bench spokesperson on local government at the time that the council for the area he is … Continue reading
Councillor complains over legal failings: ‘It feels morally wrong’
CROYDON IN CRISIS: No one will face legal action for their part in the council’s financial collapse, despite Town Hall bosses spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on special reports and advice from high-powered barristers. Yet one of Mayor Perry’s … Continue reading
Negrini doctored specialist reports and withheld finance details
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Investigators from Kroll never had investigatory powers to check people’s bank accounts in the search for possible fraud over the £73m refurbishment of the Fairfield Halls. But there was evidence in the public domain of ‘direct personal … Continue reading
Broderick’s Minster visit revives memories of master musician
SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT: Leading opera singer and Croydon resident discusses her love for the music of Felix Mendelssohn in the same historic church where the composer once performed. By DAVID MORGAN “I can’t remember a time in my life when I … Continue reading
Pressure mounts on Sutton finance chief over Fairfield fiasco
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The Kroll Report, which this week had its release delayed because of legal threats on behalf of a former council director, might be seen as a waste of another £310,000 of public money. But for former director … Continue reading
Kroll Report provides no answers to £73m Fairfield fiasco
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Jo Negrini refused to be interviewed, all Colm Lacey’s emails got wiped and former cabinet members Newman, Scott, Butler and Hall were never spoken to in person as part of the £310,000 investigation. By STEVEN DOWNES Late … Continue reading
Fairfield Halls to close down borough’s biggest music school
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The council-owned arts centre, refurbished at a cost of £70m, is closing its doors to 200 fee-paying pupils in what one councillor describes as ‘a loss to the community’. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Croydon, London’s “Borough of … Continue reading
Surprise visit by the Wicked Queen gets kids excited for panto
While political dwarfs might be in charge at Croydon Town Hall, seven dwarfs took over Croydon Central Library last week, accompanied by a pantomime dame and a wicked queen, as dozens of children were given a special reading session with … Continue reading
Kendo Nagasaki’s return bout could be knock-out for Fairfield
Our arts correspondent, BELLA BARTOCK, on how a geriatric grappler is the latest sign of a declining reputation at the council-owned arts venue The “jewel in the crown” of Croydon Council’s arts offering, the Fairfield Halls, will be used to … Continue reading
A monster of a puppet show is on its way to the Fairfield Halls
There’s monsters coming to central Croydon next week – and not just at the Town Hall! There’s A Monster In Your Show is playing at the Fairfield Halls from October 22 to 23. Tom Fletcher’s interactive adventures for big imaginations, … Continue reading
Lights! Cameras! Amazon project has Addiscombe centre stage
Parts of Lower Addiscombe Road are to have traffic and parking restrictions today and tomorrow, as Croydon once again is providing the backdrop for the shooting of a movie. London-based production company The Imaginarium are using a property on Lower … Continue reading
Mia Overfield to star as Snow White in Fairfield Halls’ panto
Mia Overfield, most recently seen on stage as Rosa in Cable Street at Southwark Playhouse, will play Snow White in this year’s Croydon panto in the Ashcroft Theatre at the Fairfield Halls from December 13 to January 5. With a … Continue reading
Cinema strides out with its All Of Us Strangers guided walk
The good people at the David Lean have devised a two-hour amble around Sanderstead and Riddlesdown to show off the locations that play a key part of one of the best recent British-made movies PLUS: PODCAST: Listen to director Andrew … Continue reading
