A proposal to temporarily relocate Grimsby Central Library into Freshney Place has sparked a row between councillors.
As reported, North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) closed the facility indefinitely following a water leak in March. They soon announced that a temporarily location was being sought, plans for which have now emerged.
The update has been met with concern from the public and councillors alike, many of whom – including Independent councillors Paul Henderson and Steve Holland – fear the move will be permanent.
Discussing the matter, Councillor Holland said, “Leeds council temporarily moved their library. Community groups protested, but the library remained inside a shopping centre.”
Labour councillors Matt Patrick and Sophia Farren, along with Independent councillors Paul Henderson and Paul Bright, have called in the decision – this means that the proposal to move the facility to Freshney Place will be looked at more closely.
Councillors Henderson and Holland have argued that their concern over the future of Grimsby Central Library stems from an alleged “lack of transparency” over the current library and archives consultation, which will draw to a close next week.
The council-led consultation explores the future of library usage, and the possibility of combining services, and locations.
Grimsby resident Sylvia said she is concerned about the long-term future of Grimsby Central Library. She told Gi Grimsby News: “The online consultation is so biased, I can’t fill it in. It does not give space to put down what I want to say, so I attended an in-person consultation.”
Angela Greenfield from the Grimsby and Cleethorpes Civic Society expressed similar concerns. She said she wants a regenerated Central Library, but is concerned that the temporary move is a forgone conclusion.
Her distrust over the move’s temporary nature also stems from the consultation process. Speaking to Gi Grimsby News, she said: “If the council are so committed to consultation, why did none of them attend our public meeting on 24 May at St James Hotel?”
Councillor Henderson also felt the consultation was designed to lead to specific answers, and said he feels the library consultation is eroding public faith in NELC. He said: “this is another example of a breakdown in trust between councillors and the public. If we don’t work hard to fix this trust issue, the public will continue to be at odds with the council and won’t vote in elections.”
However, Conservative Councillor Hayden Dawkins, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and the Visitor Economy, is adamant that the consultation process is fair and transparent and that no secret decisions have been made.
Councillor Dawkins told Gi Grimsby News that the move to Freshney Place is simply temporary. He said: “It’s the only council-owned building big enough to house the books, and it makes financial sense to use Freshney Place as it is free for the council to use.”
Discussing the implications of the consultation, the temporary move, and the future of Grimsby Central Library, he said: “This is not a foregone conclusion. I want to make an objective decision. We need to use libraries better to create better spaces, not just for books. We need them to be community hubs.”
The consultation’s closing date Wednesday 9 July. It can be found here.
Roy Horobin
Joined the Gi Grimsby News team in 2025.