About the borough
Small geographically but big for business, ambition and potential and with the most diverse population in the country; since the 1930s people from across the country and across the world have made Slough their home.
Drawn by the town’s industry, entrepreneurial spirit, big business and location, the people of Slough are many and varied – but cohesion is strong with people getting along well together.
Slough now boasts the youngest population in the UK with the education system producing results in the top ten nationally.
And if those young people are looking for work in the town, Slough has more corporate headquarters than Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland put together, a strong manufacturing base, as well as one of the highest business start-up rates in the country – with productivity now top in the UK.
Slough tops the list for the best place to work in the UK – by international recruitment company Glassdoor – for the third year in a row, and has been named the best small European city by fDi Intelligence.
Slough is better connected – by rail, by road and by air. London Paddington is just 15 minutes away by mainline rail, the M4, M25 and M40 are all within easy reach and Heathrow is on the doorstep.
But despite the urban nature of the borough, Slough has more than 2.54 sq km of parks and open spaces including several Green Flag awarded parks, and restored Victorian gardens.
Culture in Slough is strong with a thriving arts, film and dance scene as well as religious pursuits and major town events including the bonfire and firework spectacular, canal festival and Christmas lights switch on.
There remain pockets of deprivation and inequality – financial, health and housing – in the town, in particular when compared to the neighbouring areas; a challenge the borough is facing head on.
Throughout Slough’s existence it has been a place of change and the pace of change has never been faster.
The council’s joint venture partnership with Morgan Sindall Investments – called Slough Urban Renewal (SUR) – has delivered new leisure facilities, homes – private and social – a new cultural centre and amazing new school buildings to the town.
The Town Centre Development plans to transform the Slough ‘square mile’ into a beautiful, vibrant new urban centre with striking economic opportunity born out of its strong industrial past and entrepreneurial spirit. New transport infrastructure, including the Elizabeth line and a new Mass Rapid Transit, will improve access to the centre, attracting businesses and reducing the reliance on cars, paving the way for a more pedestrianised beating heart of the town.
The Slough of the present is exciting, the Slough of the future even more so.