Nearly 1,000 people have thrown their support behind a campaign to save a vital community centre in Slough.
The Curve in Slough opened in 2016, and is home to a library, museum and a music venue – but is at risk of closure by Slough Borough Council as a ‘cost saving measure’.
Slough Borough Council leader Dexter Smith has said he wants to keep The Curve open to the public but invite a university to run it. While this would ensure the library and theatre should stay open, Cllr Smith admitted that opening hours would be cut.
A petition to ‘Save the Curve’ has been created and received 979 signatures since May. The petition closed on 21 August.
Campaigner Preston Brooker, who created the petition, plans to present it to Slough Borough Council at the next full council meeting. The petition argues that The Curve is the ‘only fully accessible community space for town centre residents.’
The petition adds that signatories ‘demand there should be no break I service regardless of which organisation may become the new operator’. They have further demanded that the council conducts an equality impact assessment of any closure plans or change in core services.
Budgeting proposals were put to Slough Borough Council in December 2023, showing that closing The Curve or finding an alternative use for it could save £730,000 between April 2025 and April 2026.
The Observer recently spoke with people in Slough about the impact of the possible closure. Young parent Aisha said she takes her son to story time at the library twice a week.
“It’s a really good place for kids to come and interact with other children,” she said. “He’s really into books now and I think it’s because I started taking him to story time.”
Another person regularly using The Curve is Rahul Kumar. The 52-year-old, currently studying a master’s in international relations, said it was a good place to work.
Mo, who works for an investment impact fund, said she also found it a good place to work. She told the Observer: “Coming here and seeing other people is better for my mental health.”
