As the Bromley Central Library building closes to prepare for its new home on the High Street, the library service is on tour around the town centre over summer to provide temporary provision.
A summer programme of library activities will be available across the town centre to ensure residents have a convenient library service access this summer, which follows the Central Library building next to Churchill Theatre closing on Tuesday 30 June. This is to prepare for Bromley Central Library reopening at its prime high street location later this year, with Central Library users being informed at the library of the closure date since May 2026.
Children’s activities will be available through the school holidays at the Pavilion Leisure Centre from 20 July, with book browsing, borrowing and returns available, including for those taking part in the Summer Reading Challenge. In the Glades Shopping Centre, adult activities like coffee mornings and device support sessions will be available from 2 July at Greener and Cleaner’s Hub, while Central Library reading groups are also being relocated to various locations during this time. Details about the temporary provision.
From 15 September, a pop-up library for all ages will then open on the restaurant terrace in The Glades near the Pavilion, which will include book borrowing, and browsing, computer use and printing, and a range of library activities. Provision also remains available from the rest of the borough’s much-loved library network during this time, including eight libraries that have recently been refurbished, as well as from the Home Library service. Central Library book loans are also being automatically renewed until 28 September to give residents greater leeway during this period of alternative provision.
Meanwhile, works are continuing to progress behind the informative hoarding on the new Bromley Central Library site at 145 High Street. Internal fit out work is now underway, alongside the completion of the new front façade, with works to the roof such as the new roof light having now been completed.
The new Bromley Central Library will include an expanded children's library, modern study areas, new toilets including accessible and Changing Places toilets, and display space for Bromley Historic Collections to celebrate the borough’s heritage. It will have a central atrium to provide flexible seating, varied study areas on the first floor and more interactive library space for children on the ground floor.
Councillor Yvonne Bear, Executive Councillor for Renewal Recreation and Housing said: “We know how important Bromley Central Library is to many residents, so we have made sure provision is available during the necessary closure, which we have minimised, including by ensuring it takes place after school exams. Soon residents will be able to enjoy a brand-new library conveniently based on our high street, which we are delivering at pace to minimise disruption for residents.”
The library works are being delivered by partner contractor Fado Construction and once completed, the new library will be run by Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL), the charitable social enterprise who operate all Bromley’s libraries.
Rebecca Gediking, Library Services Director at GLL said: “We’re excited to welcome our library users to the new Central Library, and it’s great to see the progress being made. I hope our regular users will make use of the temporary library provision in the town centre during this stage of the library move, with thanks for their continued patience and understanding during this time.”
Find out more about the Bromley Central Library move.
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For media enquiries, please contact James George, Senior Public Affairs Officer, on 020 8313 4565 or email james.george@bromley.gov.uk