Approval Granted for £2.2 Million Repair Project at Curve Theatre

Repair work, estimated to cost £2.2 million, is scheduled for Leicester’s Curve Theatre. City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby approved this decision, acting on a recommendation from a city council report, with the commencement of work anticipated for later this year. This action follows an incident in May, when a panel from the venue’s exterior sunbreakers detached and fell into Orton Square, prompting the council to establish a cordon around the affected area. The completion of these repair works is projected for autumn 2025. Funding for the project will be sourced from two channels: £1.47 million from an existing capital maintenance programme budget, and an additional £732,000 generated from the sale of assets. Initially, a cordon was established around the building to facilitate investigations. Subsequently, fencing was erected, which will remain in place until the repairs are concluded. The council report indicates that specialist investigations determined the “original fixing strategy had failed in certain areas” at the time the brise soleil blade detached. The Curve Theatre incorporates approximately 700 of these blades, with each unit weighing around 330lbs (150kg). The report further stated that work is now necessary to guarantee the secure attachment of the remaining blades. The original contractor responsible for installing these blades entered administration in 2023, thereby making it the city council’s responsibility to address the issue in its capacity as landlord.