Croydon Liberal Democrat Elder and candidate in Old Coulsdon, Gill Hickson, has suggested that Croydon should “cut our losses and flatten” Fairfield Halls for flats.
Flatten it.
This is not just another building. Fairfield Halls is one of South London’s most iconic cultural landmarks. Opened in 1962 and inspired by the Royal Festival Hall, it has hosted The Beatles, David Bowie and the London Symphony Orchestra. Generations of Croydon residents have celebrated milestones there, attended school concerts, watched world-class performers and taken part in community events.
To suggest bulldozing it is cultural vandalism.
A Beloved Landmark - Not a Development Opportunity
Fairfield Halls stands on a site that has hosted fairs and public gatherings for centuries. It is woven into Croydon’s identity.
Following its major refurbishment and reopening in 2019, it continues to serve as a premier venue for concerts, theatre, comedy and community use. It is part of Croydon’s regeneration story and a symbol of confidence in the borough’s future.
Reducing it to a line on a balance sheet misses the point entirely.
Croydon does not need more anonymous blocks of investor-led flats. We need the right homes in the right places - proper family houses with gardens, designed for long-term residents who want to put down roots.
The wrong priorities
This proposal exposes a deeper issue. When some political parties look at Croydon, they see assets to liquidate. They see short-term fixes. They see headlines.
We see heritage worth protecting. We see civic pride worth restoring. We see culture as central to a thriving town centre.
Croydon has already endured the consequences of reckless financial decisions under Labour. Bankruptcy, spiralling debt and a loss of public confidence. Under Mayor Jason Perry's leadership we are now steadily restoring stability and rebuilding pride in our borough.
Flattening Fairfield Halls would send precisely the wrong signal.
The real choice in Old Coulsdon
In Old Coulsdon, the electoral reality is clear. A vote for the Liberal Democrats risks splitting the vote and letting bankrupting Labour back in.
As fair or unfair as it may seem, the Liberal Democrats cannot stop Labour in Croydon. Only the Conservatives can.
If you care about protecting Croydon’s heritage, safeguarding our finances and keeping the borough moving forward, there is one serious choice at this election.
A vote for Mayor Jason Perry and the Old Coulsdon Conservatives is a vote to protect what makes Croydon special - not to bulldoze it.
