BRENT Council has vowed to help relocate a 20-year-old bookshop that has to move when Willesden Green Library is rebuilt.
The Willesden Bookshop is not being offered a spot in the new Willesden Green Cultural Centre plans, which were approved by the authority on Monday, January 17.
Followinga report in last week’s Observer, the council has issued a statement saying it is planning to support the independent retailer.
CouncillorGeorge Crane, lead member for regeneration and major projects, said: “As part of the project to develop a new Willesden Green Cultural Centre, we will work with the bookshop to explore how we can offer support to help them relocate locally.
“Willesdenhas the second highest shop vacancy rate in the borough and we are expecting this redevelopment to act as a catalyst for the area encouraging the arrival of new businesses and customers.”
The centre, in Willesden High Road, is expected to open in spring 2014, promising a ‘state of the art library and centre’.
LiberalDemocrat MP for Brent Central, Sarah Teather, has criticised the Labour-run council, claiming library users will see a ‘reduced service’ during the 18-month construction period.
Shesaid: “Willesden Green Library is the busiest in the borough providing much needed study space for young people in Brent. While the redevelopment is taking place the council will provide a temporary library at the Grange Road council offices. However, the temporary library will have a significantly reduced collection of stock, only 10 study spaces and only 10 computers available on
the site.
“Thiscompares to the 130 study spaces currently available for local users at Willesden Green library. This reduction of service is a further blow to the hundreds of library users who, following the closures of Cricklewood, Neasden and Kensal Rise libraries, have found that Willesden Green Library is the most convenient alternative.”
MsTeather added that she was ‘saddened’ the bookshop and the The Brent Irish Advisory Service will have ‘nowhere to go’ due to the redevelopment.
Councilleader Ann John responded: “Ms Teather is deliberately misrepresenting the situation as we intend to permanently re-house BIAS and help the bookshop find more appropriate premises.”
