Young parents, students and home-workers have spoken out about how important The Curve is to them after questions were raised about the future of the building.

A petition to ‘save The Curve’ is set to be handed to Slough Borough Council next week. It comes after the council said it would ‘explore’ ways to save money on running the building – which houses Slough’s central library, council services, and a theatre.

Council leader Dexter Smith has since said he wants to keep The Curve open to the public but invite a university to run it. The Observer has spoken to people who use The Curve about why it’s so important to them.

Aisha, a young parent, said it was an important place to keep her toddler entertained and encourage him to read. She said: “I take my son to story time every Wednesday and Saturday morning. It’s a really good place for kids to come and interact with other children and it’s really good for their development.

“He’s really into books now and I think it’s because I started taking him to story time.”

Aisha added: “When you look after young children you have to find ways to get out of the house. In the winter on cold or rainy days it’s a good place to come.”

Mo, who works for an investment impact fund, said she also found it a good place to work from instead of being stuck at home. She said: “Before I thought about coming here I used to work from home and I could go for weeks without seeing anyone except my husband. Coming here and seeing other people is better for my mental health.”

International relations student Rahul Kumar says he uses The Curve as a place to study (Image: LDRS)

And Rahul Kumar, a 52-year-old masters student studying international relations, also said it was an important place to work. He said: “It’s a better place to work than at home because of the quiet ambience.

“At home you can feel like maybe you want to take a nap or have a rest. But at the library you can’t do those things – you’re there to work.”

The deadline to sign the ‘save The Curve’ petition on Slough Borough Council’s website is Wednesday August 21. Campaigner Preston Brooker says he hopes to present it to the next full meeting of Slough Borough Council.

Cost saving proposals first raised the possibility of closing The Curve when they were published in December last year.

The proposals say the council should ‘explore the closure or find alternative use of The Curve’. They suggest this could save £730,000 between April 2025 and April 2026.

Council leader Dexter Smith has since told the Observer he wants a university to run The Curve. He says he would insist that the library and theatre stay open to the public – but admitted that opening hours could be cut.