EXCLUSIVE

"SAVE CENTRAL LIBRARY" CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED

26-10-2006

The Stirrer can reveal plans today for a new “people's campaign” aimed at saving Birmingham's threatened central library in Chamberlain Square.

Small Heath businessman Alan Clawley reckonsthe desireshown bysuccessive administrations to demolish the buildingrelies not on a rational appraisal of what it has to offer, but is inspired by the desire create new office blocks in a prime location.

The library was famously rubbished by Prince Charles, who said it “looked more like a place for burning books than for keeping them”, but not everyone agrees.

The Twentieth Century Society believes this major work by Moseley born architect John Madin, opened in 1974, should be protected.

So does Clawley, and on December 8, he'll be hosting the first “Friends Of the Central Library Meeting” at the Wherehouse café in Digbeth, with the aim of mobilising the city against the council's plans.

He told us: “I think it is a good useful building, and I don't think it deserves to be demolished. The whole motivation for getting rid of it seems to be connected with the city's idea of attracting world class office space which I think is a fantasy. I know a lot of people won't agree with me but there are many who will.”

The council's current plan is to build a new library in the gap next to Baskerville House, with an archive centre at Eastside, although city leader Mike Whitby has been vague about where the money is coming from.

Clawley acknowledges that the current library is “probably a better building inside than the outside” but believes that many of the libraries problems stem from the wilful neglect of successive administrations.

Labour also wanted to replace it when they were in power and Clawley says “that's when I first smelled a rat. They were saying it would be eco friendly and have all these ‘green' gadgets, but it would surely be more sustainable to keep the building and do it up.”

Friends of The Central Library is launched at 11 am on December 8 at the Wherehouse Cafe, Allison Street Digbeth.

An exhibition about the Central Library will be on display at the Wherehouse Cafe from today until 8 December.

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