Victory for Croydon library campaigners after years of uncertainty

By Tara O’Connor, Local Democracy Reporter

A library in Croydon previously dubbed “incredibly ugly” will not be demolished, it has been confirmed.

It comes as a brand new building the service was due to move into has gone ‘under offer’ for £60,000 a year.

This means the South Norwood Library will stay in its current brutalist home in Lawrence Road after years of uncertainty and public campaigns to save it, including a petition of more than 1,800 signatures.

More details of investment into the existing building, which is open two-days-a-week, are expected to become clearer in November.

The service was supposed to move to the new site in Station Road, which has stood empty since it was completed two years ago.

It sits on the ground floor of Pump House, a block of flats built by the council’s failed development company Brick by Brick.

It was put up for rent back in June as a “prime retail unit” at £60,000 a year. When the new building was completed it was not up to scratch and couldn’t be used as a library, despite being built as one.

In August 2021, Croydon council promised to spend £800,000 bringing the space up to the required standard.

Now, Mayor of Croydon Jason Perry says that money will be spent on improving South Norwood’s existing brutalist library.

Mr Perry said: “Listening to the views of the local community, and having considered the viability of moving South Norwood Library to the Pump House, we are pleased to begin preparations to keep their library in its current brutalist home.”

Pictured top: South Norwood Library, in Lawrence Road (Picture: Tara O’Connor)