The Curve is Slough's main cultural centre housing a theatre, library and entertainment space - but is it under threat?

Questions have been raised in recent weeks about its future.

A petition submitted to Slough Borough Council earlier this month called on it to ‘reverse the decision to close the curve’. But council leaders say they haven’t made this decision – and that The Curve will stay open.

Here’s what we know about what’s happening with The Curve so far.

Fears about the future of The Curve seem to have been prompted by council spending proposals first published in December last year.

A draft of the council’s ‘medium term financial strategy’ was presented to leading councillors on the cabinet committee at a meeting on December 18. This is a plan for saving and spending measures over the coming years.

A page of proposed saving measures said that the council should ‘explore the closure or find alternative use of The Curve’. It said this could save £730,000 in the financial year running April 2025-April 2026.

The medium term financial strategy was agreed at a full council meeting in March this year. But this did not mean the council had committed to closing The Curve – only to reviewing its future.

Slough Borough Council leader Dexter Smith has since insisted The Curve won’t close. But he does argue that the cost of running the building – which he says is £1 million a year – means the council can’t afford to keep running it the way it does now.

Councillor Smith has told the Observer he would like a university to run some of its services such as its library and performance space. And he’s admitted that this might mean public opening hours would change or be reduced.

Councillor Smith also says some other services in The Curve, such as its registrars office, might be run from other council buildings, such as nearby Observatory House.

He says that there would be no changes until residents had been informed and consulted on any plans. Any plan would also likely need to be voted on by councillors.

Preston Brooker, the former Labour councillor who launched the petition, has said he is sceptical of councillor Smith’s plans.

He’s said he hopes to present his petition to Slough Borough Council’s next full meeting in September, where he’ll demand answers about the future of Slough’s libraries.

Mr Brooker believes at least 1,500 people have signed his petition, which is the amount needed to have it debated by councillors.

Slough Borough Council has until Thursday, September 5 to inform Mr Brooker whether his petition will be debated.