Richmond Library moving date confirmed

Richmond Library will move into a new premises in November, North Yorkshire Council has said.

The library is being relocated from its current home in Queens Road to the council-owned Mercury House in Station Road.

It was approved despite concerns from some users about accessibility for older people and those with mobility issues.

A council spokesperson said the move to Mercury House would provide a more modern space and better value for money.

The existing library in Queens Road will close at 13:00 on 31 October, with the new facility scheduled to open at 10:00 on 23 November.

Executive member for culture and arts, Simon Myers said: "The new space is fit-for-purpose and reflects the evolving needs of the community, bringing the library under the same roof as other important council services."

The council said the library attracts more than 1,700 visitors a month, but, in recent years, the building on Queens Road, which is partly leased from an external landlord, has suffered from maintenance issues and has resulted in parts of the building being closed off.

Ahead of the move a number of people had raised concerns that Mercury House's location, on one of the town's steep hills, could make access difficult for some users.

The new library will include an improved children's section, with the aim of welcoming more school groups, and a dedicated IT area and ground floor space for the local studies collection.

There is also disabled parking and bus stops outside of the building, as well as an accessible entrance.

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