Ulverston Town Council members are disappointed with a decision to move the library service to the Coronation Hall.
Westmorland and Furness Council’s cabinet approved the permanent relocation of service at a meeting on September 10.
The cabinet also approved a recommendation which declared the currently closed Ulverston Library building on King’s Road surplus to existing operational needs with the future options for the asset to be assessed.
Ulverston Town Council leader Mark Wilson said: “We’re disappointed. We had hoped that we could’ve deferred and then discussed some of the further issues that the cabinet really haven’t taken on board we feel.”
He described the Kings Road library as a perfect venue that allowed groups to come together and thrive.
Ulverston Town councillor Christine Howard added: “I’m really disappointed that they didn’t defer the decision because there was such a strong response, we had 3,000 names on a petition.
“People in Ulverston don’t want to lose their library do they, a library in the Coro is not a proper library, it’s too small, too noisy, the access is terrible.”
A consultation document prepared for the meeting said the proposed library service in the Coro would have 100 per cent of stock available compared to 46 per cent at the Kings Road library.
Documents also addressed accessibility concerns and said the Coronation Hall had a regularly maintained lift to assist with access to the first floor.
The proposed option also includes accessible toilet facilities on the ground and first floor and an accessible balcony for improved visitor experience at shows, the consultation document said.
Cabinet member for sustainable communities and localities Councillor Virginia Taylor said the council had taken time to carefully consider all the options and described co-locating the library service into the Coro as the only viable option.
Cllr Taylor said: “In Ulverston we’ve explored how we can most effectively invest to protect the library service in the town and at the same time secure the future sustainability of a key cultural and community building.
“We’re not closing or cutting library or cultural services like many other councils; we’re looking for a creative solution to not only protect the library service, but to breathe new life into a much-loved community building at the same time.”
Following further representations from the community at the cabinet meeting, Cllr Taylor proposed an additional recommendation, which was approved, that agreed the council will work alongside Ulverston organisations and the local community as it develops its programme of activities around the Coro as an arts and cultural hub.
The proposed work will lead to the building having an improved commercial offer, with bar, food and beverage facilities as well as a permanent and enhanced library, a report prepared for the meeting said.
Other benefits outlined by the council include a dedicated children’s library and increased ICT facilities as well as improved community and flexible activity space within the Coro.
The report said: “Having the library within an arts and cultural venue will provide local people, and visitors, with the opportunity to experience multiple activities such as attending a theatre production or library activity in addition to browsing the bookshelves and enjoying refreshments from the café.
“Library customers will have the option to borrow and return their books at the self-check machine outside of normal library open hours, thus providing a much more flexible service offer. The stock will be refreshed, and some collections increased, particularly the popular local collection.”
The library on King’s Road closed in September 2023 after the discovery of electrical faults in the building during routine statutory checks.
According to the council report, it would cost £1.1 million to allow the safe occupation of the Kings Road library with an additional £750,000 required to achieve a similar look and feel to other libraries refurbished by the council.
However, the report added this figure of £1.85 million carried a significant degree of uncertainty.
According to council documents, an independent assessment found the remodelling of the Coronation Hall to create a café, meeting rooms and flexible community use spaces along with an enhanced library service would cost £2.5 million.
The same independent assessment found the cost of refurbishing the King’s Road library to the standard of the Kendal or Barrow libraries would cost £1.9 million. Work would include heating and electrical works, roofing repair, fabric work and refurbishment.
The refurbishment of King’s Road to house a stand-alone library service and to remodel The Coro to create the community café and better community spaces but without the library service would cost £4.2 million, said the council.
