Croydon Fairfield Halls Sale Rumor Dismissed as Political Attack

Fairfield Halls in Croydon is not for sale. A council member said any sale suggestions are “rubbish.” Jason Cummings strongly denied plans to sell the iconic venue. Councillor Ria Patel said the council was urged to sell it during a panel meeting.

Cummings spoke before a council meeting, stating there are no plans to sell Fairfield Halls and they aren’t even considering it now. Patel claimed the panel discussed the sale of Fairfield Halls, seeing it as an asset to sell. This panel oversees the council’s finances and can direct actions if needed.

Cummings refuted Patel’s claims, calling them “rubbish.” After attending a briefing and speaking on a podcast, Patel stated that the panel told them to sell it, but Cummings said this is completely untrue. The panel never told them to sell Fairfield Halls.

Cummings asked the panel to clarify things. The panel said they never said that at the meeting. Cummings blames one councillor for lying about it. While the panel can instruct the council, they never used this power here.

Cummings called Fairfield Halls a really important venue, something in Croydon people can be proud of. Patel still insists her version is correct, telling the news that the panel encouraged asset sales and Fairfield Halls was named as a possible asset.

Fairfield Halls is a famous music venue where David Bowie and Stevie Wonder performed. It also appeared in the “Terry and June” TV show. Cummings believes these claims caused confusion, with people now questioning Fairfield Halls’ future.

Cummings reassured the public about their plan, stating they need a long-term plan that does not involve selling Fairfield Halls. However, he won’t say it will never be sold. He said they would listen to offers if it would create a top venue that would benefit the community, but they are not selling it for money.

The events company BH Live manages the venue, meaning it does not cost the council money. After the article last week, the council responded, which Cummings said was due to the venue’s history and its importance to Croydon residents. The past refurbishment wasted money, costing much more than expected.

Cummings thinks Patel made noise on purpose, seeing it as a political attack. A formal complaint was filed against Patel as well.