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Outraged Croydon locals have aired their dismay and disbelief that a Reform UK rally is due to take place at the town's Fairfield Halls later this month.
Reform's events page promises both "thousands" and "HUNDREDS" of attendees (clearly they're hedging their bets) for an event at the renowned arts venue, which has prompted a coalition of community groups to pen an impassioned letter to BH Live, the leisure and event operator/social enterprise that runs the venue.
Part of the letter says: "Reform UK have pledged to deport 600,000 black and brown people if they get elected. How many of these people do you think currently live in Croydon? Croydon is a community that celebrates its diversity and the contributions made by people from all parts of the world.
"As a town, it is the very opposite of what Farage and Reform want Britain to look like."
Many others in Croydon have reacted with similar surprise and anger. Said radio station Croydon FM: "Still hard to make sense of how this is being allowed in a borough that prides itself on diversity." "This is so wrong," said one commenter, while another warned that booking the right-wing party will be an "absolute kiss of death" for the Fairfield Halls.
Adding insult to injury is the fact the venue — which first opened in 1962, and has hosted everyone from The Beatles to Big Mama Thornton — is council-owned, much of its recent (and highly controversial) renovation funded by Croydon taxpayers.
Why are Reform — a party with a track record for divisive, often bigoted politics — sniffing around Croydon anyway? According to local blog Inside Croydon, they "could win eight or nine council seats in May's local elections in Croydon, mostly from the Tories". The event, reckons Inside Croydon, will also be used to announce the Reform candidate for Mayor of Croydon, decided on 7 May.
BH Live seems to be keeping altogether shtum about the right-wing rally, which doesn't appear on its website or Instagram account. Indeed, some people's comments on the venue's Instagram account flagging Reform's scheduled appearance seem to have disappeared.
An outfit called Croydon Stands up to Racism is planning a protest on Saturday night.
Londonist has contacted BH Live for comment.
