Church Stretton residents say "keep our library where it is”
Around fifty Church Stretton residents held a rally outside the town's library this morning in a protest over plans to relocate it.
The rally was to let Shropshire councillors and BBC camera crew, which included reporter and presenter Satnam Rada, know that plans to move the library to an out-of-town site would not be accepted.
The Church Stretton Library support group has repeatedly made the point that the relocation will disadvantage our older library users and reduce use as a result of poorer quality access and reduced facilities. In addition the group says it is an attack on the strong links between many community facilities and local shops and cafes which contribute so much to the distinctive character of Church Stretton.
Commenting on a very well attended rally Felicity Thomas, spokesperson for the Church Stretton Library Support Group said:
“Church Stretton residents are up in arms about the Shropshire Council proposal to rip the library out of the heart of Church Stretton and relocate it out on the Shrewsbury Road. The turn-out at this rally was huge and as always in Church Stretton it was a very civilised and polite mass expression of a strong community will to protect our community library. It would be a very serious error indeed if those councillors supporting this move underestimated the anger it has triggered and the growing scale of resistance.”
