Local demonstration outside Charminster Library over indefinite closure
It was closed for six months last December
A community group is holding a demonstration outside a library that has been closed for more than six months.
Charminster Library was closed in December 2025 after a partial ceiling collapse.
The group is inviting people to take park in a demonstration on the grass at the front of Charminster Library on Friday, June 12 from 3pm to 4:30pm.
Louise Norman, Secretary of the Friends of Charminster Library group said:
“We didn’t really know what to expect as the group is relatively new, set up at the end of 2025, just before the library was closed, so we were really heartened by the public response.
“There was great concern from everyone present that BCP would be reluctant or unable to find the necessary funding to allow the library to be re-opened.
“It became apparent through our discussions and the updates from Councillors thatBCP were giving the impression that the cost of the repair work was too much for the Council to raise, leaving the library in danger of being left vacant or sold off to a developer. The loss of Charminster Library, which is designated as an Asset of Community Value, would be a tragic loss to our local area."
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council have said they are taking initial steps to resolve the major issues found in the Charminster library building.
Following detailed assessments, the council estimated that making the building safe to use for customers could cost over £680,000.
They have also confirmed work is due to start at the end of this month on essential works that could form the first part of a plan to potentially reopen, by prioritizing the removal of the significant levels of asbestos revealed in the roof.
Cllr Andy Martin, BCP Council Cabinet member with responsibility for libraries, said:
“We really hope we can open the library at some point, and we are working hard to achieve that ambition. We know how much the library means to residents and that’s exactly why we are investing in this first essential step.
“Before being able to plan for further work, asbestos specialists will start to remove the material from the library and inspect the condition of the timbers in the roof.
“We are taking these steps now to understand what further repairs might be possible and how we might be able to find a way to get the library open again at some point in the future.
“The project may be vast, and the amount estimated to fix everything is significant, but we haven’t given up on this important community asset, and we’ll continue to keep our residents updated throughout the summer.”
You can read the full council update here.