Nick Smart, a local author from Weston-super-Mare, has issued a heartfelt appeal to North Somerset Council to reconsider the planned closure of Worle Library, a place he credits as the “gateway” to his education and success.
As part of a 20% budget cut to library services, the council intends to close Worle Library on September 7. However, Smart, who has benefited immensely from the library’s resources, urged councillors to either keep it open or explore the possibility of a community-run alternative.
Speaking at a council cabinet meeting on February 11, Smart shared his personal journey: “In 1983, I left Priory School with only one O-level. Worle Library was my gateway to education. It helped me through my degree, my PGCE, and my master’s dissertation — which I wrote within the library walls. My book, published in November 2024, reached Amazon’s top 100 and was featured nationally in the press and on BBC radio.”
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Despite the pandemic causing declines in many public spaces, Worle Library uniquely experienced an increase in usage — a testament to its vital role in the community. Yet, the council plans to replace it with an outreach centre.
Local MP Dan Aldridge has also voiced strong opposition to the closure, writing to the council to express his dissent in the “strongest possible terms.” He emphasized that an outreach option would be insufficient for residents’ needs and fail to encompass the diverse services libraries provide.
Initially, North Somerset Council proposed shuttering three libraries to cut £433,000 from its budget. Following public consultation with nearly 5,000 responses, a decision was made to keep Pill Library open, while Winscombe Library’s closure is scheduled for March 2027. Unfortunately, the consultation did not offer an option to save Worle Library, citing the substantial costs of maintaining its aging building as a barrier.
Since 2017, Worle Library has operated out of a former school building over 100 years old, now plagued by severe wet rot and damp conditions. Smart and others have criticized the consultation process for not meeting legal standards due to the absence of a Worle-saving option. The council, however, maintains that the consultation was lawful.
Within the cabinet, there is some support for exploring a community-run library model, which would remove council funding but keep the library connected to the wider network through volunteer efforts and likely reduced opening hours. Councillor Catherine Gibbons, responsible for children’s services and lifelong learning, highlighted the importance of a local library in bridging educational inequality and called for greater effort to enable community management if desired.
Council cabinet member Mike Solomon acknowledged the library building’s £1.4 million repair bill is beyond current council funds. He confirmed the potential for a community-run library remains but would have to operate outside the existing Worle Library premises.
Solomon expressed empathy, stating, “None of us want to see libraries close or reduce hours, but we face a £433,000 cut and strive to minimize the impact.”
The council’s full meeting on February 24 will finalize decisions on these recommendations and set the budget for 2026/27, which may include an 8.99% council tax increase.