Tunstall Library investment

THE future of a landmark library will be secured thanks to a £20,000 refit.

Tunstall Library will shut its doors for two weeks as Stoke-on-Trent City Council carries out the refurbishment.

The facelift, due to start at the end of the month, will be the first improvement work carried out on the Victorian building since the mid-1980s.

It is designed to enhance the building's appearance and enable users to access more IT facilities on the site.

The library, in the former Queen Victoria Jubilee Buildings, in The Boulevard, was built in 1889 and has Grade-II listed status.

Its impressive facade will remain unchanged following the improvement work.

But council officials are concerned the shabby condition of the interior may be putting residents off using the building.

Councillor Hazel Lyth, the city council's cabinet member for economic development and culture, said: "The improvement of Tunstall Library is essential as there have been no renovations on the building for at least 25 years.

"We will be improving IT facilities, redecorating and carpeting throughout the whole library, and installing redesigned bookshelves and display cases."

She added: "The estimated cost is over £20,000 but this money will secure the foreseeable future of the building, and make it a better, more pleasant place for the people using it."

The decision to shut and redecorate the library comes as the council is considering a review of all of its town centre assets.

The study would examine whether council-owned buildings are being used to their full potential, and how to boost their appeal to local communities.

Tunstall councillor Lee Wanger, who called for the review, said: "A lot of people love Tunstall Library. It's a very important building in the centre of the town and is very well used.

"The building has a nice heritage and, like Longton Town Hall, it is very dear to the people in the area."

In Burslem, the Grade II-listed library building, at the Wedgwood Institute on Queen Street, was forced to shut 12 months ago due to concerns over structural problems.

The library was moved across the street to the Burslem School of Art building last November.

But 11 months on, the library is still using this temporary accommodation.

Mr Wanger said: "There are a lot of things in Burslem that I think should be included in any review, particularly the Queen's Theatre and the indoor market, as well as Burslem Library.

"The town has so many lovely buildings and we really need to know what their long-term future is."

Joanne Underwood, aged 33, from Chesterton, said: "It can't be a bad thing spending £20,000 on a library if people are going to use it."

Deryl Vaughan, from Goldenhill, said: "I can't see the library getting many more people in unless it's brighter. There's nowhere to park as it's always packed outside because of the swimming baths and the main road."

Tunstall library will close at 4pm on Saturday, October 31 and re-open at 9am on Monday, November 16.

Customers will be allowed to borrow extra items before the closure and or are advised to use Burslem and Haywood libraries instead.

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