Sign Kensal Rise Library petition and read latest news

 Dear Supporters,

All Souls College, Oxford, has decided to sell Kensal Rise Library to developers who are going to strip the buildings and convert to flats. The developers are offering us a very small section (for a library) in exchange for helping them with planning, but we will have to pay commercial rates in perpetuity. Not a very good offer.

We are greatly saddened that this venerable college has chosen profit over people. The destruction of our only local cultural asset is shocking and demoralizing for all of us who have been working to support a service that benefits the most vulnerable amongst us. That All Souls chose this path in the face of our shared history, accelerating the gentrification of our community, is a direct rebuke to the original residents of Kensal Rise that the Fellows gifted the land to so many years ago.

Luckily there is another developer with a much more generous proposal for Kensal Rise Library re: space & terms. They have been in touch with the campaign and will submit a Bid to All Souls College, Oxford, by Monday for urgent review. We sincerely hope that All Souls gives this proposal serious consideration.

There will be a lot of activity over the next few days and your support is vital. Please help spread the news and share our petition as widely as you can. If you would like to get involved further, or have any ideas or suggestions for the campaign I'd love to hear from you email me via: about.me/jodi.gramigni or twitter: @jodigramigni

Many thanks again for all your support.

Kind regards,
Jodi

PETITION HERE

Northwick Park A&E won't cope after reorganisation

If reorganisation proposals go ahead and Central Middlesex Hospital A&E closes, Northwick Park will be the nearest A&E for most Brent residents. It is clear that the hospital is not coping now, let alone after the closure of Central Middlesex A&E.

From the Harrow Times this week:

All Souls claim space earmarked for libraries in redevelopment proposals

All Souls College has now told the Brent and Kilburn Times LINK that their proposals put to developers of the Kensal Rise and Cricklewood library sites includes an allocated space for a library as well as flats.
 
Margaret Bailey, of Friends of Kensal Rise Library is quoted by the BKT as saying: :

Disappointingly and surprisingly the college has gone for a developer who wants to develop the building by putting in flats and would be willing to offer a small space to us.

We will meet with this developer next week to see if there is any room for negotiation. Once we know what is on offer we will be having a public meeting to share these details and find out how to proceed

All Souls College sells out to developers

The Brent and Kilburn Times reports that All Souls College are to sell the Cricklewood and Kensal Rise libraries to developers, despite the pleas of local library campaigners that they be handed over to the community. LINK

Friends of Kensal Rise Library had raised more than £70,000 to fund their proposal.

The land is now likely to be used to build flats.

All Souls College is a registered charity with assets of £264,000,000. Clearly in this case money talks.

My admiration and sympathy goes out to the campaigners who fought so hard for what in any worthwhile society should be a given: an accessible, free public library and public space.