Spellow Library Reopens in Time for Christmas

A community hub library set on fire during the Summer riots in Liverpool, England has reopened in time for Christmas. The arson attack happened during a weekend of street violence in August 2024. Rioters targeted other properties nearby and attacked a fire engine that turned up to deal with the blaze at the Spellow Lane Library Hub in Walton. The ground floor of the library was severely damaged.

The local community pulled together and raised more than £250,000 to help get their library repaired and reopened. Several celebrities and well-known authors supported the campaign and Queen Camilla, who donated a box of books to the library following the fire, sent a special message read out at the reopening ceremony on Thursday December 12th following a lantern parade to the library the previous evening.

The parade ended with Spellow Library’s light being switched back on. More than 130 libraries across the country, including the British Library in London, simultaneously lit up to show their support.

The Queen, who was not well enough to attend the reopening in person, said: "I wanted to express my heartfelt admiration to your whole community for the way in which you have all - residents, businesses, charities, local heroes and lovers of books - pulled together to create the next chapter of this very special place."

“In doing so you have demonstrated to our entire country the power of resilience, solidarity and kindness in the face of adversity. You are an inspiration and I do hope that you are enormously proud of yourselves.”

Children’s Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza visited the library a few weeks after the fire, when work to rectify the damage was well underway. She said: “Spellow Library is undoubtedly going to be the symbol that brings everyone together - it’s the phoenix rising from the ashes. It was fantastic to see all the work that has gone into the recovery of the site. There’s an incredible sense of community, and everyone should be so proud of what’s been achieved.”

Spellow Library is running a programme of events, including free Family Christmas Fun Days, to celebrate reopening.