Bradford City Library will close this weekend ahead of a move to Britannia House next month that will save the council £420,000 a year in rent.
The library will close at its current City Park location on Saturday, 14 November, before reopening at Britannia House on Monday, 7 December.
The ground floor of Britannia House is currently vacant after Bradford Council’s customer services team moved to City Hall earlier this year.
The space is now being fitted out ahead of December’s move, which will be followed by a celebration launch event.
The relocation of City Library to council-owned Britannia House was first announced in 2024 by the then Labour administration.
There had been calls to relocate the library for years due to the high rents the council paid for the space in the “banana building” in City Park.
After Saturday’s closure, staff will begin transferring books and furniture to the new location, which is at the heart of Bradford’s newly pedestrianised city centre.
New Bradford City Library to open on 7 December
A statement from Bradford Council said: “The relocation represents a significant investment in the future of Bradford’s library service, providing improved facilities, new furniture, enhanced digital access, comfortable study and reading areas, and a dedicated flexible space for meetings, events, learning activities and community gatherings.
“The new library will create opportunities for cultural events, family activities, exhibitions, workshops and partnership programmes, helping to strengthen its role as a welcoming community hub.
“Its prominent city-centre location will increase visibility and accessibility, encouraging more people to discover the library’s wide range of services and resources.”
A special celebratory launch day will take place on Saturday, 12 December, featuring a programme of activities for all ages.
Cllr Ian Walker, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Neighbourhoods and Communities, said: “We are delighted to be bringing the city library to its new home at Britannia House. This move is a fantastic opportunity to create a more visible, accessible and welcoming library for residents and visitors, right in the heart of the city centre.
“With its prominent location, improved facilities and excellent pedestrian links, the new library will be easier to find and enjoy, while helping to bring even more activity and footfall into this important part of Bradford. We are excited to open the doors on the 7th of December and welcome customers to this fantastic new space.”
The current City Library opened in 2013, relocating from its space in what is now Margaret McMillan Tower.
That move was necessary due to concerns about asbestos in that building.
