Harrow Borough Council says it will not close Harrow Arts Centre while it prepares a business plan to secure the much-loved facility’s future.

The announcement came at last night's full council meeting, after two petitions with a combined 10,000 signatures were presented to members.

In September the council’s Labour administration announced the possibility of closing the centre in Uxbridge Road, Hatch End, to help make cuts of £25million in the council's next budget.

Hatch End Residents Association handed in a petition if almost 6,000 signatures.

Member of the association Clare Goldschmidt said: “We object in the strongest possible terms to the possibility of the closure of Harrow Arts Centre by Harrow Council.

“It is important to the development of the arts, education and sport in the borough, to all the residents of Harrow.”

Members of the Harrow University of the Third Age (U3A) also submitted a petition to the council, which had more than 5,300 signatures.

Cabinet member for culture Councillor Sue Anderson said afterwards: “I was so pleased with the response and strength of support for the arts centre.

“It is something I know is important to my life and to the lives of other people.

“We have asked officers to put together a business plan to keep the arts centre open and it will not close.

“We want to make sure it is financially viable for the future. I can’t promise it will be exactly the same as it is now but we will do the very best we can to keep it open.”

However, after the announcement, leader of the Conservative group Councillor Susan Hall said: “A business plan should have been made in the first place.

“It is an absolute disgrace that you are only doing this plan now after putting these campaigners though the turmoil of thinking the arts centre would be closed.”

Cllr Jean Lammiman called for the council to work with the campaigners to prevent the arts centre from being put under threat again and preserve it for the future.

Councillors unanimously agreed that any business plan would be examined by the council's scrutiny committee.