Fairfield Halls

Fairfield Halls in Croydon, London, centres its largest music bills in the 1,802-seat Concert Hall, an auditorium shaped around acoustic listening and tiered seating that runs both in front of and behind the stage. That rear seating gives orchestral performances a concert-hall focus, while the same complex also contains a 750-capacity standing room, The Recreational. It suits a listener choosing between a formal seated show and a closer, adaptable club-scale set.

A hall made for the long programme

Built between 1960 and 1962 by Robert Atkinson and Partners, Fairfield Halls opened on 2 November 1962, when Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother inaugurated the building. Its first Concert Hall performance put the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Sir Malcolm Sargent onstage with violinist Yehudi Menuhin; three days later, Croydon-born actor Dame Peggy Ashcroft opened the theatre that carries her name. Those opening events established the venue’s dual identity as a concert hall and theatre complex. A temporary closure began in July 2016 for a major refurbishment, with the building reopening in September 2019. The restored complex added creative and community spaces alongside its principal halls, and the reopening gala brought London Mozart Players back for a concert marking both its 70th anniversary and three decades as Croydon’s resident orchestra.

Choosing the right room

The programme ranges across concerts, cultural events, classical music, dance, comedy and theatre, with current music offerings spanning classical, country, rock, pop, indie, R&B, folk and Latin bills. The 1,802-seat Concert Hall is the pick for orchestras, vocal showcases and artists whose set benefits from focused acoustics and fixed, tiered sightlines. For standing shows, The Recreational offers a self-contained 700-capacity configuration, direct side-door entry and layouts that can shift between stage-led gigs and theatre-style events. Bars, café and dining options are available across the building.