Lewisham library to close until 2026
Lewisham library is set to close next month for around two and a half years until 2026.
It’s a substantial closure and loss of services for the borough’s main library and without much notice.
The library is to be revamped as part of a town centre regeneration project covered here with £19 million of funding from the government’s “Levelling Up” fund announced back in January, supplemented with £5 million from Lewisham Council.
When funding was announced, a range of changes in the library were mentioned including a rooftop café, a culture and business hub, meeting rooms with workspace for local businesses and students alongside renovated a building.
Back in 2019 there was consideration about the library closing completely and potentially moving into the shopping centre when it’s rebuilt. That idea was dropped and funding pursued to improve the building which was formerly home to BT.
Heritage Centre
The council have announced that the borough archives and local history service will be relocated to Catford Library.
Some limited click and collect services will remain in Lewisham and operate from Glass Mill Leisure Centre.
Closure will begin on September 16th, and the lack of any temporary library replacement due to the building’s entire closure will hit many residents hard.
why is such a long closure needed? Two and half years seems a very long time. Of course we also had the temporary closure of the whole Lewisham library last year and this year only the ground floor has been open.
For those who don’t know, the Age Concern Centre in Blackheath Village also serves as a Click and Collect location.