Library set to reopen after five-year closure

A date has been set for the reopening of a community library after five years.

Kingsthorpe Library in Northampton was closed in 2020 following council budget cuts.

It was initially expected to be taken over by Northgate School Arts College but the school withdrew in 2022 and a local community group later stepped in.

Volunteers and staff have been working to restock shelves and prepare the building to welcome visitors again on 29 March.

Library manager Andrew Naylor said: "It's not the books that make the library on their own, it's the people that come in… and the things that we can do here."

Plans are already in place for the library to host a "knit and natter" group, support sessions for children with special educational needs and Zumba classes, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Volunteer Barbara Wheatley said the library's closure had been a huge loss to the community.

"I thought it was terrible when it was closed. I was absolutely devastated because the community missed it so much," she said.

She also shared how the library had helped her through severe depression, providing her with a reason to leave the house.

"It was an absolute lifeline for me," she added.

Parish council chair Rachael Ball said: "There's been so many hurdles that we never could've envisaged when we first started this that have almost put a stop to the whole project.

"The fact we've actually got to the point where we can see the end is in sight is so exciting for us all."

The library is set to reopen on 29 March with a special event to mark the occasion.