Calls for the operator of the ‘jewel in Croydon’s cultural crown’ to be sacked have been made by three Croydon mayoral candidates.

BH Live took over the running of Fairfield Halls when it reopened after a multi-million pound refurbishment in 2019.

But the project went a huge £37.5 million over budget with taxpayers left picking up the bill.

The refurbishment was a council project which it had its own development company Brick by Brick carry out.

The authority appointed BH Live to run the newly refurbished venue.

At a hustings on Thursday night mayoral candidates claimed the halls do not have enough events running and were frustrated at a lack of community events.

They wanted to see the running of the venue taken over by a Croydon group with more events for locals.  

One local woman said while a lot of money has gone into the venue “not much is happening”.

Green candidate Peter Underwood, Conservative candidate Jason Perry and independent candidate Andrew Pelling all said Brighton-based BH Live needs to go.

Jonathan Higgins, BH Live’s general manager for Fairfield Halls said he “recognised” the desire for a larger “community programme” at the venue and said there are “exciting plans” that will be announced in the coming weeks.

Peter Underwood said: “They are the wrong management company for our halls.

"We were always being told it would be a community company, we need people from the Croydon arts community to be involved.

"We need more community events so it’s not standing empty all the time.

"We’ve got to pitch for big things, we’ve got to be ambitious.

"There is no forethought, no ambition and there’s no strategy.”

Jason Perry claimed that despite the £70 million price tag, the centre was still not up to scratch. 

He said: “It has been an absolute disaster, this is the jewel in our cultural crown.

"I think BH Live need to go, they are not local, they don’t understand what the office is locally. 

"We need to get the doors open and get back into Fairfield Halls.”

Andrew Pelling said: “We should take Fairfield Halls back from BH Live, it should be a place of community run by a community trust.

"We need forensic accountants in there, something went badly astray with Fairfield Halls.”

Liberal Democrat Richard Howard said the first thing to do regarding Fairfield Halls is to understand what went wrong.

He added: “We need to find out where the money has gone.”

While Labour candidate Val Shawcross said the refurbishment was “disappointing” and needed more work.

She said: “Croydon used to be a place with exciting, risk-taking theatre, we need operators for Fairfield Halls that will push the boundaries and be innovative.”

Jonathan Higgins, BH Live’s general manager for Fairfield Halls said that after a challenging few years, the arts centre is getting back to business.

He said: “Since reopening our doors post pandemic, we’ve already had sell-out big-name comedy performances, great family entertainment, music acts – both classical and contemporary – and there’s more of the same available in the next few months.

“We have an internationally renowned concert hall, the excellent Ashcroft Theatre and a variety of versatile studio spaces, and they’re all there to be used, and as much as possible.”

He said he wants to include more for local children as well as major names and theatre shows.

Mr Higgins added: “I also encourage local choirs, amateur theatre groups, youth theatres and dance schools to get in touch, they should all feel able to come and be part of our future.

"It’s Croydon’s venue, a community venue and everything else comes after that.

"I am determined to place engagement with Croydon residents at the heart of our planning.”

Five of Croydon’s eight mayoral candidates were invited to speak at the hustings, organised by DEMOC the group that campaigned for a directly elected mayor.

Independent candidates Winston McKenzie and Gavin Palmer as well as Farah London from Taking the Initiative Party are also standing in the election.

Due to the pre-election purdah rules Croydon Council did not comment on the demands.

But previously, council leader Hamida Ali said: “I know that people across Croydon will be rightly angry to hear their money wasn’t safeguarded as it should have been and I want to apologise for that on behalf of the council.

"Fairfield Halls is one of Croydon’s most iconic venues and the council remains committed to supporting the future of this incredible institution.”