Fairfield Halls has blamed the council for rising tickets prices at their lunchtime concerts - a move which has angered Croydon's pensioners.

The theatre complex said it was forced to scrap concession tickets for daytime shows after the council cut its funding two years ago.

Senior citizens, students and the unemployed can no longer get their tickets at a reduced £3.90 rate. They must pay the full £4.50 or £4 if they have a show card, though that costs senior citizens £10 a year and others £18.

Carole Hibbert, 60, said: "The majority of people who attend these performances are pensioners and to them a 60p increase can be a lot. I feel the management were very underhand in this because no announcement was made. I understand the need to raise prices, but why do away with concessions altogether?"

Fairfield, which is a registered charity, said it lost its public funding two years ago and that it had been forced into making the move.

John Spring, head of marketing, said: "We are a registered charity and need to break even. Without the funding this is the best way to do it.

"Only the lunchtime concerts are affected and I do not see why others should be. They have been running at a low price for a long time and making a loss that we can no longer afford. It is unfortunate but it is this or nothing."

Despite there being many similar concerts held for free in churches throughout London, albeit with suggested donations, Mr Spring insists the quality of the acts at Fairfield justify the higher price.

He said: "The London venues still receive public funding so can put on free concerts, we can't. We do offer world-class performers though and £4.50, a price we have advertised in brochures for the past two months, is still good value for that.

Councillor Tony Newman, who was leader of the council when Fairfield's funding was cut, said: "They need to start taking responsibility for their own decisions."

The next lunchtime concert is on Tuesday, April 3, and features the Croydon centre young pianists.