Curve theatre's 'prison' scaffolding to stay in place until autumn 2025

The narrow walkways, fences and scaffolding around the Curve theatre in Leicester's Cultural Quarter will stay in place for another year, the building's owner has told LeicestershireLive. The safety precautions were put in place in response to a huge metal "louvre" falling off the building in early May.

Since then, there have been narrow, covered tunnels for pedestrians around the theatre, and parts of Orton Square are fenced off for safety reasons. Curve's owner - Leicester City Council - said each of the many aluminium louvres on the building would now have to be securely fitted in place - and that the work had to happen one panel at a time.

The scaffolding and fencing has caused headaches for local residents. Dylan Mathias, from the St Georges Mill Residents Group, representing people living in the area, told LeicestershireLive: "It's a real inconvenience for pedestrians - specially with all the delivery bikes trying to get by - and it's just the general depreciation of the whole area, which was all new just a few years ago.

READ MORE: Big metal chunk falls from top of Curve theatre in Leicester onto pavement below

"I'm a regular theatregoer, and I think Curve is losing business. I thought it was going to be until November 2024 but now it's for another year.

"It's all a bit of a mess - the whole area. It's going to have to be made better - specially with the cyclists."

Another local resident, who did not want to be named, said: "Walking down Rutland Street is a pain because it's very narrow and you get stuck behind slower people. It looks like something in a prison.

"I feel really sorry for The Exchange [bar, opposite Curve] and other businesses, as well as people who would go to all the events they used to have in Orton Square in the summer every year. But it's been two summers of Covid followed by two normal years and now another two summers lost because of this."

A city council spokesman said: “At the beginning of May, one of the louvres that makes up the brise soleil – or sun breaker – fitted to the exterior of Curve fell off the building onto Orton Square. A cordon was immediately put around the building while investigations took place.

“We have found that the original fixings need replacing in certain areas, and work will now take place to ensure the secure fixing of all of the remaining louvres. We’ve employed a specialist contractor to carry out this work, which will be done one panel at a time so as not to require the erection of scaffolding in front of the whole building. Work is due to begin later this year, and we estimate it will be complete by autumn 2025.

“Obviously the safety of everyone visiting Curve and Orton Square is paramount, and the cordon will need to stay in place throughout this period. We are working with Curve to improve the look of this area while this important work is carried out.”

Curve has previously said that all activities at the theatre are continuing as normal despite the outside work.