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Families form human shields to stop libraries being shut down
Benedict Moore-Bridger and Miranda Bryant14 Oct 2011
Campaigners today vowed to fight on after losing a legal battle to stop a London council closing half of its libraries.
A High Court ruling allowing Brent to close six libraries was met with angry scenes as hundreds of protesters - mainly mothers and children - formed human shields to stop workmen boarding up the buildings.
Today campaign group Save Our Six Libraries, backed by celebrities including playwright Alan Bennett, singer Nick Cave and bands Depeche Mode, the Pet Shop Boys and Goldfrapp, said the decision would be challenged. After successfully forcing the workers to abandon plans to board up the library in Kensal Rise last night, organiser Margaret Bailey, 60, said the legal battle would continue.
"People are very angry, very disappointed, but at the same time there's a sense of buoyancy about it because we will appeal," she said.
"They came to start measuring the windows for boards but there were around 150 people here and they went away.
"We're a bit surprised that Brent moved so quickly, we thought the QC said Brent wouldn't do anything until Tuesday. It's very quick."
A spokeswoman for Brent council said: "It was always our intention to close them as soon as possible."
The six libraries are in Kensal Rise, Barham Park, Preston Road, Neasden, Cricklewood and Tokyngton. The council says the closures will help to fund improvements to the remaining library service, with a "mega-library" in Wembley, and contribute towards the £104 million savings it needs to make.
But author Maggie Gee, protesting outside Kensal Rise library, said the plans were disastrous. She said: "This library was opened by Mark Twain in the 1900s.
Parents need it, children after school, old people, people looking for work - more than 80 per cent of the borough don't want them to close.
"They don't want to have to get on a bus and travel to Wembley. People need their local library."
Campaigner Philip Bromberg, 52, said: "The first thing is that the fight will carry on. We've been told by our solicitors we will probably be able to appeal and we will do that."
Reader views (5)
"Welcome to the real world London. To suggest it's wrong to get on a bus to go to a library is an insult to the millions living in rural arear that have to get on a bus to buy a stamp."
What about the elderly and disabled who might not be able to get on a bus, especially as hardly anyone seems to make space or stand up for the elderly and disabled these days? Are perceived insults to people who have chosen to live in the country where services are restricted is more important?
- Richard, Oxfordshire, 16/10/2011 12:11
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Welcome to the real world London. To suggest it's wrong to get on a bus to go to a library is an insult to the millions living in rural arear that have to get on a bus to buy a stamp. Just a sign of the laziness that pervades society with the me me me culture refusing to get real.There will still be a more than adequate service left it's just that some people might have to travel a bit further to utilise it.
- Madjock2, Leeds, West Yorks, 14/10/2011 15:14
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What a shame -l lived on Bathurst Gardens for over 20 years and spent a great deal of time at the library.I think it was a meeting place for many people , and l'm sure it contributed to my education.Shame on you Brent
- jan crowley, wokingham berks, 14/10/2011 12:29
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That imo is the crooked dealings between councils and civil engineering firms for backhanders. We are in a massive recession so we are told, yet our council has civil construction firms out making cobbled pavement areas everywhere in the borough. No money for libraries etc, but tons of money to pay for nice cobbled pavement areas, new traffic islands, new kerbstones & street furniture etc.
- wit, london, 14/10/2011 11:28
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It is interesting to note that Brent is closing the libraries to contribute towards the £104 m savings it needs to make and yet it has plans to build a new Council Hall for an estmiated cost of £100m. Glad the councillors are putting their own interests ahead of their residents...Well done to the campaigners, keep it up. The council will have to realise soon they are in a job to serve the interests of the people not themselves.
- Jimmy Ferguson, Queen's Park, 14/10/2011 11:06
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