Caroline Pidgeon has been in Haringey to meet with local Liberal Democrat councillors who have uncovered a report that reveals the Labour-run council are considering moving Muswell Hill Library to a new location with library space taken up by customer services.
The Lib Dems are campaigning to keep Muswell Hill Library in the current historic, listed building in the heart of Muswell Hill.
The future of the library is in doubt after the Labour-run council commissioned a feasibility report for Muswell Hill Library that recommends ‘extending the study to look at an alternative site within the Muswell Hill’ area ‘to facilitate the Library and Customer Service provision’.
The opposition councillors are calling on the local community to support the Lib Dem campaign to keep the library on Queens Avenue open. Lynne Featherstone and the Liberal Democrats have previously fought to save Muswell Hill Library from closure by Labour in the 1990’s and make the building more accessible, they are determined to fight to save it again.
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London, comments:
“Libraries provide an important service and should be protected. I am shocked that Labour-run Haringey are considering moving Muswell Hill Library when the building and services it provides are clearly well-loved by the local community.
“I am backing Haringey Lib Dems' campaign to keep Muswell Hill Library and I hope local people will back it too.”
Gail Engert, Lib Dem councillor for Muswell Hill, comments:
“The Liberal Democrats are concerned that Labour has forgotten that moving Muswell Hill Library means that the public will lose access to a wonderful grade 2 listed gem. A building which sits on land that was donated for public use by James Edmondson, a man who was in many ways the architect of the Muswell Hill we know and love today.
“The closure of the Muswell Hill Library building would be a great loss to the local community. We will be fighting hard to keep the library open on its current site.”