Everton Library

The 125-year-old Grade II listed building dubbed the ‘jewel on the hill’, closed in 1999 and has fallen into disrepair.

Ambitions to save and reopen Everton Library have taken a positive step forward as essential remedial works have begun in a bid to secure the structure. Previous schemes to reopen Everton Library as an arts centre and events space have not come to fruition meaning the building has significantly deteriorated as result of rain damage and neglect over consecutive winters.

A new campaign, titled ‘Open’, has gained momentum and support from local stakeholders and has the aims of reopening Everton Library and converting it into a technical institute, community heritage centre and café. The campaign has since been supported by Liverpool City Council, which owns the building, as £92,000 was signed off by Cabinet in order to carry out essential repairs on the library.

The remedial works, carried out by heritage specialists Quadriga, will focus on weather proofing the windows and roof to ensure the building doesn’t further deteriorate before extensive redevelopment can take place.

Research by Pollyport, a community interest company part of the ‘Open’ campaign, commissioned a heritage survey which found that a total of £900,000 would be needed for a broader detailed repair of the building and to protect it from further degradation.

The campaign group admit there is a “mountain of fundraising to climb” and are therefore calling for support from a “focused group of volunteers, friends and ambassadors.”