A £550,000 REFURBISHMENT which will make visiting Fairfield Halls a new experience is due to be completed in a couple of weeks.

The bulk of the money is going on bringing the arts centre's health and safety standards up to modern levels but the opportunity has been taken to also revamp what Fairfield chief executive Simon Thomsett described as an extraordinarily dull foyer area.

The redesign, carried out by Croydon architects Howard Fairbairn MHK, spells the end of the cafe and large unwelcoming open spaces.

They are being replaced by a brasserie, a new performance area and a colourful ceiling which Mr Thomsett thinks people will "love or hate".

He hopes the performance area will be used for informal events such as book readings or music performances which could be held before concerts or during lunchtimes.

The brasserie, together with the newly extended bar, will, Mr Thomsett thinks, offer people the chance to enhance the Fairfield experience by enjoying a meal or a drink before their evening's entertainment. He said: "I think the foyer was dull in a quite extraordinary way. It sucked the enjoyment from people coming in through the doors.

"We want to encourage people to find their way to Fairfield and provide them with a more pleasant and cultural atmosphere.

"I want to see more daytime use of the building and turn the foyer into a place people want to go to rather than just pass through."