‘The building is fit for purpose’ - Community group urges Kirklees Council to keep historic Batley Carnegie Library open

The council announced proposals last year to modernise and relocate Batley Carnegie Library service to Batley Town Hall.

However, after a period of consultation ended on January 15, the Friends of Batley Library group believe the iconic structure, whose foundations were laid in 1905, in Market Place, needs to remain open.

A spokesperson for the group said: “It is a huge cultural building of national and global significance because there isn’t another one like it. If we were in America, people would be saying we have got to save this building.

“It didn’t seem a very well-rounded consultation. It only asked what kind of services you would like. It didn’t ask you if you were bothered about the building. Nobody cares about the town hall in Batley. But people love the library.

“It is used on a daily basis. It is just a safe space where people go and feel welcomed. We are not sure they would have the same feeling at the town hall.

“The building that we have got now is fit for purpose. It is built as a library and everything is still there. It just seems like a poor choice to move everything. On paper it sounds like a sensible plan to move from the library to the town hall - in terms of the shortfall, they have to do it somehow.

“But moving it that way round doesn’t make a lot of sense to most people. Most people would be happy moving the other way.”

In its current form, the library building accommodates a range of groups, including Andy’s Man Club, Rugby League Memories, Knit and Natter, an NHS support group, a LEGO activity session and a free tots group.

“It’s not just a lending library, it is a community hub,” confirmed the spokesperson. “We also offer free soup and a roll and a hot drink for people who can’t afford or who are lonely.

“We are also the only place with public toilets in Batley now as the Market Place ones are locked. We offer all sorts that are maybe not obvious straight off.”

Asked if the group believed the council would keep the Carnegie building open, the spokesperson responded:

“It felt like we had a glimmer of hope with Batley Sports Centre a few weeks ago. For the Library, we don’t feel like they are going to save it.

“And once it closes, within a week, it will be vandalised. The building will disintegrate. Once it closes as a library there won’t be much chance of doing anything with it. As soon as that building closes we lose it for good and we won’t get it back.

“It is the only thing we have got in Batley. It is on a Victorian square where there is not another town square like it in the country. Bit by bit it has become more empty, derelict and not used.

“We don’t know anymore than we did back in December when we had a public meeting. We don’t know anything. We just want Kirklees to keep it open.”

A Kirklees Council spokesperson said: “We ran a consultation on what people who use the library service would like to see at Batley and Dewsbury Libraries if they are to be relocated to alternative premises.

“The consultation has now ended and we would like to thank everyone who took part in the process. The feedback from the consultation is now being analysed and a final report will be available in the coming weeks.”

The campaign group has launched a petition to keep the Library open. For more information visit: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-batley-library-in-its-much-loved-carnegie-building