Royal concert postponed as Fairfield Halls suffer more delays

Posted on October 5, 2018 by insidecroydon

Whoops: grand plans for Croydon’s ‘cultural quarter’ have stalled because of delays with the £30m Fairfield Halls project

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 news from highly placed sources within BHLive, the Bournemouth-based firm which has been hired by Croydon Council to manage the Fairfield’s large concert hall, along with the Ashcroft Theatre, Arnhem Gallery and associated bars and restaurants.

The planned opening date has slipped almost from the very first day of the refurbishment works, following the Halls’ “temporary” closure in June 2016. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Fairfield Halls, London Mozart Players, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Croydon MP warns of mounting crisis in Calais refugee camps

Posted on October 5, 2018 by insidecroydon

Sarah Jones, the MP for Croydon Central, today branded the Tory government “a disgrace” for failing to fulfil its undertakings under the Dubs scheme to accept unaccompanied child refugees from camps in northern France.

MP Sarah Jones, left, visited the Calais camp this week, with aid donations from Croydon

Jones has been on a visit to the camps in Calais and Dunkirk.

The Dubs scheme – named after Labour peer Alf Dubs, who had come to Britain in the 1930s, escaping Nazi Germany on the Kindertransport – is supposed to allow for 480 unaccompanied child refugees to be granted sanctuary in Britain. So far, the Home Office has allowed entry to only 280.

And a judge in the Appeal Court ruled this week that the Government had broken the law in its treatment of child refugees in Calais, saying that some were refused entry to Britain under the Dubs Amendment were given “patently inadequate” reasons for the rejection of their applications. 

Having visited the camps this week, delivering some aid that had been donated by Croydon residents, MP Jones was shocked, and concerned by the conditions she encountered.

“The situation is reaching crisis point,” Jones told Inside Croydon. Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Central, Sarah Jones MP | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Unexploded WWII bomb disrupts Croydon business awards

Posted on October 5, 2018 by insidecroydon

The annual festival of back-slapping, the Croydon Business Awards, came close to being cancelled last night.

Police cordons went up on Imperial Way around 5pm. Shut out of their cars in Costco, members of the public sat down and had a cup of tea… Photo: R Jackson

With the awards due to be held in the Grand Sapphire Hotel, off the Purley Way, organisers and guests were evacuated just two hours before the function was due to begin, as the police and specialist officers moved in to deal with an unexploded World War II bomb discovered off Imperial Way.

Roads were closed, and traffic on the A23 Purley Way was worse than usual.

Eye-witnesses who contacted Inside Croydon relate to having their car cordoned off in the car park at Costco for two hours.

The emergency evacuation was prompted when someone arrived at the scrapyard next to Costco with the object, which they were looking to sell for scrap.

Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon BID, History, Purley Way | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Cinema offers rocket-fuelled movies that reach for the stars

Posted on October 4, 2018 by insidecroydon

OWEN HETHERSAY previews November’s films at the David Lean

Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga’s A Star Is Born is the best yet

It’s no secret that the BBC’s Graham Norton Show long ago abandoned any pretence to being an old-school chat show, where the guests might offer anecdotes and talk about themselves, and instead morphed into a weekly parade of glitzy Hollywood stars eager just to plug their latest release.

But for David Lean Cinema-goers, this does at least have the advantage of offering some sort of preview of next month’s movies, as last week Norton was able to invite on to his sofa Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper and Ryan Gosling, the headliners in two of the Clocktower’s arthouse cinema’s offerings for November, A Star Is Born and First Man.

Questions such as “Can Cooper direct?”, “Can Cooper sing?” and “Can Lady Gaga act?” were all addressed, in the usual, slightly deferential style of the BBC show, and all were answered in an enthusiastic affirmative for those Croydon film-lovers who might have wondered whether there really is a need for a fourth version of A Star Is Born.

Besides, how could Gaga, in her movie debut, ever match la Streisand? Or, for that matter, Judy Garland? Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, David Lean Cinema Campaign | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

BINMAGEDDON!: Merging of borough services causing chaos

Posted on October 4, 2018 by insidecroydon

Our Sutton correspondent, BELLE MONT, has obtained a confidential council document which confirms that much of the #CroydonBinChaos over the past two months was all done in an effort by Veolia to avoid a repeat of… #SuttonBinShame

Inside Croydon has obtained a confidential council document which confirms that the past eight weeks of #CroydonBinChaos – the changed collection days, missed collections, and added maggots, flies and vermin across Croydon’s dirty streets – has all been done as the service from rubbish contractors Veolia is merged across borough boundaries to cut costs.

Half of Sutton’s Monday bin rounds are now shared with Croydon routes

Since the implementation at the start of September of the change to collection schedules in Croydon, thousands of households have endured missed bin collections, some going without having their bins emptied for six weeks.

The spin coming from Croydon Town Hall has shifted in the past fortnight, away from the cost savings – supposed to be £5million per year (though this year that is reduced to £2.7million because the council has splashed the cash on buying unwanted and often unnecessary new wheelie bins).

More recently, the council has gone the Full Attenborough, now emphasising that this service disruption will save the planet by improving recycling rates.

The reality is that the new service is simply cheaper, costing less for Veolia to provide  their service, reflected in the lower charges made to Croydon and the three other councils in the South London Waste Partnership – Merton, Kingston and Sutton. Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, Refuse collection, Sutton Council, Veolia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Meeting to discuss mounting threat to Crystal Palace centre

Posted on October 3, 2018 by insidecroydon

The stadium at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre has been badly neglected for the past decade, and its state of disrepair is now being used as an excuse to demolish it. The 25m teaching pool and indoor athletics area are also under threat

The Crystal Palace Community Association is holding an open meeting next week to discuss the future of the National Sports Centre.

As details of plans for the Centre have emerged during the recent consultation process, organised on behalf of the Greater London Authority, it seems that the London Mayor wants to demolish the indoor athletics training area and 25-metre teaching pool.

The main stadium’s spectator stands and even the track, the home of British athletics for half a century, are also under threat of being bulldozed. Continue reading →

Posted in Athletics, Community associations, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Crystal Palace Community Association, Football, Hockey, Sport, Swimming | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

MP calls on Corbyn to ‘come out fighting’ over Wadsworth

Posted on October 3, 2018 by insidecroydon

High-profile Labour MP Clive Lewis has called on Jeremy Corbyn, “to come out fighting” over the controversial expulsion from the party of Marc Wadsworth, the anti-racism campaigner from Thornton Heath.

Clive Lewis MP: has given backing to Croydon anti-racism campaigner Marc Wadsworth

Wadsworth was expelled as a Labour member in April, after a two-year suspension over comments he had made at the launch of the Chakrabarti report into anti-semitism and racism.

Wadsworth accused centrist MP Ruth Smeeth of working “hand-in-hand” with a Daily Torygraph hack at the event, at which point Smeeth decided to storm out of the meeting.

While much focus during his suspension suggested Wadsworth had in some way directed anti-semitic abuse towards Smeeth, when he eventually was given an opportunity to be heard at a Labour disciplinary meeting, Wadsworth discovered his “offence” was to “bring the party into disrepute”. Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon North, Steve Reed MP, Thornton Heath | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Downlands and TCV volunteering day, Addington Hills, Oct 13

Posted on October 3, 2018 by insidecroydon

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Posted in Activities, Community associations, Croydon parks, Environment, The Conservation Volunteers | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Up to 30% off at student night at Centrale and Whitgift

Posted on October 3, 2018 by insidecroydon

Students are invited to visit Croydon town centre’s Centrale and Whitgift shopping malls tomorrow evening to take advantage of a range of special offers and up to 30 per cent off in-store at a host of participating shops and restaurants, including All Saints, Topshop and New Look.

From 5pm until 8pm on October 4, the Student Sessions event promises “an exclusive evening of discounts, live music and competitions”.

Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Centrale, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Spectacular – CODA’S 75th anniversary cabaret, Nov 7-10

Posted on October 2, 2018 by insidecroydon

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Posted in Art, Braithwaite Hall, CODA, Comedy, Music, Theatre | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Purley Way store gets beauty makeover as part of retail battle

Posted on October 2, 2018 by insidecroydon

One of the Purley Way’s biggest stores, Sainsbury’s, is being used by the company to test a new product range in the latest battle between retail giants.

Sainsbury’s is taking on Boots and Superdrug with a makeover of its beauty range

The store has been given a makeover of its own in the past month, and now part of it looks more like a department store than an out-of-town supermarket, as it has been given specialist beauty product aisles and a unique perfume concessions.

Sainsbury’s is taking on Boots and Superdrug by laying the foundations for a major makeover of its beauty range, designed to bring its customers the best beauty offering of the high street in a convenient supermarket setting. Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Purley Way, Waddon | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Bingham Road church Autumn Fayre, Addiscombe, Oct 7

Posted on October 2, 2018 by insidecroydon

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Coulsdon residents’ associations Christmas dance, Nov 30

Posted on October 2, 2018 by insidecroydon

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Posted in Community associations, Coulsdon, Coulsdon West Residents' Association, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, Old Coulsdon Residents' Association | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Apple Day at Croydon Ecology Centre, Heathfield House, Oct 7

Posted on October 2, 2018 by insidecroydon

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Coombe Wood blames ‘selfish’ parents for parking chaos

Posted on October 2, 2018 by insidecroydon

GENE BRODIE, our education correspondent, on the predictable outcomes for residents in neighbouring streets after the opening Croydon’s first selective school for 40 years

Coombe Wood School is being built on playing fields alongside the busy Coombe Lane

Coombe Wood School has not been open for a month yet, but shortcomings in its planning, as predicted by residents living on the roads near the selective school, are already causing anger and anxiety.

An estimated 2,000-plus prospective parents descended on the residential streets off Coombe Road, opposite Lloyd Park, last Wednesday for the school’s open evening, causing traffic gridlock for hours.

Complaints to the school have received what residents have described as “unapologetic” responses, with one executive claiming that there was nothing more the school could have done and blaming the situation on “selfish” prospective parents for not travelling by tram.

Coombe Wood School is operated by the Folio Trust, an academy chain based at Wallington Grammar School for Boys. The large secondary is to have £30million spent on new buildings, to be sited on what was until last year publicly owned playing fields, designated as Green Belt.

Continue reading →

Posted in Coombe Wood School, Croydon Council, Paul Scott, Planning, Schools, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

60 Seconds with… Andre Gibbs, founder of Studentraiders

Posted on October 1, 2018 by insidecroydon

As the new university term begins, EBONY GORDON interviews the developer of an app which allows students to trade between themselves

A student from Croydon has developed an app to help students save themselves money

“It’s not bad to fail,” says Andre Gibbs.

“Failure allows you to succeed more later on.”

Gibbs is the co-founder of Studentraiders, a smartphone app designed for students to connect, buy, sell and trade items, from old text books that they don’t need any more, to a bedside table for their room in halls.

Gibbs describes the app as “a Gumtree for students.”

The idea for the app came about when Gibbs, who studied Information and Communication at Manchester University, realised that there was a void in terms of students wanting to sell to other students. Continue reading →

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International Older People’s Day, Thornton Heath, Oct 8

Posted on September 30, 2018 by insidecroydon

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Edenbridge Apple Fest, Rickards Hall, Oct 6

Posted on September 30, 2018 by insidecroydon

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Posted in Activities, Environment, Outside Croydon | Tagged | Leave a comment

BINMAGEDDON!: Council acts quickly after Sawalha’s attack

Posted on September 29, 2018 by insidecroydon

Result: Nadia Sawalha’s intervention got quick action

Getting your bins emptied in Croydon appears to depend on whether you have a TV star’s backing, rather than reliable organisation from the council’s contractors, reports KEN LEE. Or is it just coincidence that the council acted immediately after Veolia’s many shortcomings were widely reported?

After a month of uncollected bins, with streets strewn with rubbish attracting flies, maggots and rats, and despite numerous complaints to the council’s overwhelmed contact centre from a number of residents, all it took in the end to get Veolia to actually do their job  was a 25-second video posted by a television celebrity.

Loose Women panelist Nadia Sawalha’s social media challenge, posted on Thursday night, quickly had the desired effect. Within a few hours of Sawalha’s “Sort it out!” appeal being first reported by Inside Croydon, a truck from rubbish contractors Veolia had shown up at at least one of the areas the former EastEnders star had mentioned in her video tweet.

Coincidence? Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, Refuse collection, Stuart Collins, Tony Newman, Veolia | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Whytleleafe lose their FA appeal and are kicked out of the cup

Posted on September 29, 2018 by insidecroydon

The Football Association has confirmed its decision to kick Whyteleafe out of this year’s FA Cup for fielding a banned player.

The club had an appeal hearing at FA headquarters at Wembley yesterday afternoon over the case of Adekunle Odutolu, who played for Whyteleafe against Saltdean earlier this month.

According to Leafe manager Harry Hudson, “We are being punished for registering a player – Adekunle Odutolu – under his full name, as per his formal identification, which is what is required by FA rules. Adekunle Odutolu does not have any ban outstanding.

“Unfortunately, other clubs had not followed protocol and they registered the player under his nickname, and now we are being punished.”

Yet even today, Odutolu continues to appear on Whyteleafe’s website under his nickname. Continue reading →

Posted in Football, Sport, Whyteleafe FC | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Savvy Panto – Robin Hood MIA, Braithwaite Hall, Dec 14-15

Posted on September 29, 2018 by insidecroydon

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St Giles School Open Morning, South Croydon, Nov 2

Posted on September 29, 2018 by insidecroydon

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Palace agree to Holmesdale ‘wall of noise’ at Selhurst Park

Posted on September 28, 2018 by insidecroydon

Crystal Palace’s loudest fans, the Holmesdale Fanatics, look like they may get their wish to create “a wall of noise” at Selhurst Park from next season, after the club issued a statement which could avoid a boycott of home games by some supporters.

The support from the Holmesdale Fanatics creates Selhurst’s unique atmosphere

The Holmesdale Fanatics are felt by many to make the noise and atmosphere which has characterised Selhurst Park in the past couple of seasons, their enthusiasm, energy and colourful banners setting the ground apart from the more restrained, too-corporate nature of so many Premier League clubs.

It is reckoned that around 100 Palace fans make up the Fanatics. They are usually positioned behind the goal in the Holmesdale Stand, near the corner flag. Continue reading →

Posted in Crystal Palace FC, Football, Holmesdale Fanatics, Sport | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

BINMAGEDDON!: Celeb Sawalha tells council ‘Get it sorted!’

Posted on September 28, 2018 by insidecroydon

Croydon Council and their rubbish contractors at Veolia could be in deep poo now.

Watch out Tony Newman… Nadia Sawalha makes her impassioned, EastEnders-style video appeal

Nadia Sawalha is on their case.

The former EastEnders star posted an impassioned appeal to the council yesterday, claiming that she and her friends have been ill-served by the new recycling regime, which was introduced at the start of the month.

Croydon council leader Tony Newman and chief exec Jo Negrini had better be afraid. Very afraid.

It is the kind of social media activity which can go viral, and Sawalha, popular with daytime TV viewers through her appearances on the panel of Loose Women, certainly has a way of making a strong case.

Delivering her 25-second scene as if from behind the bar of Albert Square’s Queen Vic pub, Sawalha’s message is loud and clear: “Get it sorted!” Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Refuse collection, Shirley North, Tony Newman, Veolia | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

BINMAGEDDON!: Croydon shows its commitment to recycling

Posted on September 28, 2018 by insidecroydon

PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: In the week when the council launched a Blue Planet-style video to get people to take greater care over how they dump plastic waste, in the Clocktower buildings next to the Town Hall, recycling boxes have been taped over. KEN LEE reports

This is a photograph, taken this week in the foyer of the Croydon Clocktower, right next to the Town Hall itself, that demonstrates Croydon Council’s real commitment to recycling.

It is a perfect example of the difference between everyday reality for residents dealing with rubbish contractors Veolia, and the council’s spin.

The taped-off recycling boxes sit there, testament to the hypocrisy of a local authority which is patronising Council Tax-payers over recycling, just as it is sending hundreds of thousands of tons of waste to the Viridor incinerator at Beddington, which has been seen to fire up in earnest this week.

Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Environment, Refuse collection, Stuart Collins, Veolia, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment