Oliver is VIP guest at re-opening of Fulwood library

Oliver Porter will be part of the ceremony on December 11 marking the return of a service to the Garstang Road building.

His mother Jane, who last year led protests about the library’s closure, said: “Oliver said he was not going to the ‘farewell party’ over a year ago when it shut as it would definitely re-open.”

It is a particular delight for Jane that Oliver’s prediction has come true as she had collected a multi thousand signature petition against the axeing of the service by the council’s previous Labour administration.

Labour leaders said the libraries had to be closed to save the council cash. But when Conservatives won control of county hall in May they promised to re-open the shut libraries and restore lost services.

More than £3m has been earmarked in the council’s budgets to pay for the running of the new service and preparing buildings for re-opening.

Silverdale library was reopened by county council leader Coun Geoff Driver on November 1.

Other libraries set to reopen include Bolton-le-Sands, Freckleton, Lostock Hall, Thornton and Whalley.

Meanwhile options for a future library service in Lytham are being considered. Lytham library was formerly located in Lytham Institute, but the building is now being assessed for its suitability for future use as a library. Other possible library locations include the Assembly Rooms on Dicconson Terrace and existing county council offices on Hastings Place.

The former Bamber Bridge library is being transferred as a community asset to the First Bamber Bridge Scout Group. Community library projects receive a start-up grant of £5,000.