Bodmin's historic Old Library books a £640K makeover

Fin Irwin, centre and the team celebrate the start of the Old Library refurbishment

Bodmin's historic Old Library has been bought and is being refurbished by a local arts and community organisation.

IntoBodmin won £640,000 of grants to upgrade the Grade II listed building where it has a café, co-working spaces, rooms for hire, and a licensed venue.

However, the building in Lower Bore Street was in poor condition and costly to maintain.

It will close for up to six months for the work to take place and IntoBodmin is moving to Shop 14 on Fore Street.

Funding came from various sources, including the Arts Council England, Cornwall Council, and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The facilities will be improved, and energy efficient lighting and heating systems will be installed.

Fin Irwin, director of IntoBodmin, said: "From the very beginning, our ambition has always been to purchase The Old Library to secure it as a community space.

"Owning the building means we've been able to win this vital funding to invest in the library and give it a more secure future."

The building was opened in 1897 by Cornish philanthropist John Passmore Edwards as a free library for the people of Bodmin.

"We are proud to be able to build on the legacy of The Old Library building, and excited to share this space with all the wonderful people who use it and those who will discover it in the future," said Mr Irwin.

Nema Hart, director of place, economy and partnerships at Arts Council England, South West, said: "It's fantastic to be supporting the development of The Old Library, a building with a rich legacy, for the creative community and residents of Bodmin."

The works began in July and the building is due to be reopened in January 2024.

Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].