PM petitioned over town hall
Published 28 Mar 2009 12:00
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A PETITION to save Slough's historic Town Hall from being demolished has been sent to the Prime Minister after hundreds of furious residents signed up to the on-line campaign.
Members of the Campaign to Save Slough's Heritage have vowed to rescue the popular building from the bulldozers after Slough Borough Council last year announced plans to pull down it's current headquarters on the Bath Road before moving to a new site in the town.
A response from Gordon Brown's office is now expected to arrive in the coming weeks after the on-line petition demanding that the Town Hall should become a Grade II listed building was signed by more than 200 people.
Campaign leader Martin Gibbons, said: "We are touched that so many local people have added their names to the on-line petition in such a short space of time. It just shows how much the building is loved."
The decision to launch the on-line petition follows a report that was carried out by Government watchdog English Heritage last November in which it said that the building is of national importance.
Tristan Miles, who has been working alongside Mr Gibbons on the campaign, said: "English Heritage has declared that the building should be listed and saved, sadly this is not yet the case.
"The town hall was built in 1937 and remains in a similar condition to when it was first opened the clock tower was designed by the internationally renowned sculpture Reg Butler and is his only surviving architectual work.
"We are optimistic that the decision to keep the building will be made sometime this year although we are not counting our chicken because Slough Borough Council are doing all they can to ensure the destruction goes ahead."
The future use of the town hall is now being brought into question and campaigners are eager to transform the building into a place which will continue to benefit the community.
Campaign supporter Pamela Crutch said: "When this battle is won the historic town hall will continue to serve the public, perhaps a permanent home for Slough Museum, other community uses and for civil weddings. It was built to last hundreds of years."
To sign the online petition visit www.savesloughtownhall.co.uk.
This article appeared in Slough Observer 27 Mar 09
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