40 protesters occupy Carnegie library for fourth day in protest over gym redevelopment

Amy Ashenden5 April 2016

Dozens of people including baby twins are occupying a south London library for the fourth straight day in protest at Lambeth council’s decision to redevelop it as a gym.

Carnegie library closed its doors at 6pm on Thursday for the final time before a planned reopening in 2017 as a ‘healthy living centre with a self-service neighbourhood library’.

However, around 40 protesters inside the building at the time refused to leave.

Chair of The Library Campaign, Laura Swaffield, who is one of the occupants, said they intend to remain inside the library for “at least another week”.

She said: “I’m just staggered by the public’s support.

“People are tweeting and donating items – we have all the food you could possible want, toothpaste, soap, and somebody even brought bells so we could make noise at the door.”

Grandmother Gilly Nash, seen in the above video holding 11-month-old twins Olivia and Millie, said: “We want the library for these babies and for everybody else’s babies because my children had it, my grandson has had it, it’s a fabulous resource and we want it to keep going.

“A wonderful person gave us a double mat for the babies and the children are being brilliant – the teenagers are doing revision for their A Levels.”

A spokesperson for Lambeth council said: “These protesters are misleading residents and the public – Carnegie Library is not closing for good and we are one of the few areas of the country that has found a way to maintain a library service in all our current locations.

“The building will re-open to the public, for longer hours, in early 2017 and will have a neighbourhood library service, health and fitness facilities and space for community groups to use.

“It is unfortunate that a small number of people have decided to be obstructive, especially as Lambeth council has worked incredibly hard to minimise the impact of the cuts on Lambeth libraries.”

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