THE internationally acclaimed playwriting festival run by the Warehouse Theatre is going ahead.
There were fears the closure of the theatre, in Dingwall Road, could spell the end of the festival, which has been one of the cornerstones of the Warehouse's artistic programme since 1986.
But the reins have now been taken over by a new company, Warehouse Phoenix.
And while the dilapidated state of the theatre premises means the festival cannot be put on there, negotiations with the management at nearby Fairfield will see the plays staged in the Arnhem Gallery.
Ted Craig, director of Warehouse Phoenix, said: "We are very excited.
"There were a number of theatres around London who were interested in putting on the festival but this means we can keep it in Croydon, which is where we have always wanted it to be."
The playwriting festival has become renowned over the years as a vehicle for new writers, with Peter Moffatt, writer of the hit TV series The Village, and Guy Jenkin, whose hit series' include Drop the Dead Donkey, among those to benefit.
This year's festival has attracted between 250 and 300 entries, with selected plays being performed in four programmes over two days on June 29 and 30.
Tickets are available from the Fairfield box office on 020 8688 9291 or online at www.fairfield.co.uk
