Closure of Pitshanger Library 'Disaster' For The Lane

Council  proposes a community facility to be resited to St Barnabas Church

Ealing Council is proposing to close Pitshanger Library when the lease comes up for renewal in December.

The shock information was revealed to Cabinet last night (10/07) and whilst the report stated alternative provision will be looked for, Labour Leader  Julian Bell confirmed that it wouldn't be moving to another commercial/bespoke premise, but, instead they were hoping to find a “community location” for the library.
 
He suggested that St. Barnabas Church might be one option but confirmed no contact had been made with the church or any other community location so far.

Ealing Council's own description boasts about the current facilities:

''Pitshanger Library is a popular smaller library. It re-opened December 2014 after a refurbishment and now offers self-service equipment. The library has public network computers as well as wifi, and includes a dedicated area for children, a quick reference and community information area. It holds a good selection of lending materials in a wide range of formats.''

Conservative Group Leader, Cllr Gregory Stafford said:

“This an utter disaster for the local people who use Pitshanger Library and for the future of Pitshanger Lane which last year won the Great British High Street accolade.

''The idea that a comparable service can be provided by volunteers operating out of a site not designed for a library, such as St Barnabas Church is total nonsense.

''More shockingly, with under six months until the lease runs out on the current site, the Council hasn’t even begun to identify alternative sites or put any plans in place. This is going to leave the people of Pitshanger and the surrounding area without a library – one of the focal hubs of community life.

''Labour have repeatedly promised that they weren’t going to close libraries, but as with the planned move and reduction in size and stock of the Ealing Central Library, it now looks like Pitshanger is another library set to be closed by the back door.”

We are awaiting comment from Ealing Council.

July 11th 2018