{"id":353138,"date":"2025-08-18T02:46:20","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T02:46:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/353138\/"},"modified":"2025-08-18T02:46:20","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T02:46:20","slug":"library-sold-for-151k-and-due-to-be-transformed-in-4-weeks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/353138\/","title":{"rendered":"Library sold for \u00a3151k and due to be transformed in 4 weeks"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n Parkhall Library was placed for sale by West Dunbartonshire Council earlier this year after the authority cited\u00a0‘significant financial challenges’ behind their decision.\n<\/p>\n

\n At this week’s Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development (IRED) Committee meeting, councillors were asked to approve the \u00a3151,000 sale of the building to Rose Donaghey.\n<\/p>\n

\n We previously reported<\/a> how it is intended that the former public building will become a sit-down cafe and takeaway facility.\n<\/p>\n

\n \"ParkhallFormer Parkhall Library on Hawthorn Street, Clydebank. (Image: Newsquest) \u200bFurthermore, the bidder has noted that they wish to get inside the building as soon as possible and is committed to a completion date of four weeks from the date of committee approval.\n<\/p>\n

\n However, during the meeting, questions were raised about the moral responsibility of selling off the library, which has since moved to Clydebank High, where it’s open for only nine hours a week.\n<\/p>\n

\n READ MORE:\u00a0<\/strong>‘Our forever cheeky chappy’: Sister of Clydebank man missing over 22 years speaks out<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n SNP Councillor Sophie Traynor.\u00a0(Image: Contributed) Councillor Sophie Traynor presented an alternative motion at the meeting, asking the council to agree to a pause of the sale and reevaluate the options for the asset.\n<\/p>\n

\n She said: “The move into Clydebank High School has led to a significant reduction in the range of services and activities available.\n<\/p>\n

\n “The sale for commercial use would eliminate the possibility of it coming back into community use.\n<\/p>\n

\n “As a Parkhall resident and a regular user of West Dunbartonshire\u00a0library services, the conversations I have had with neighbours, local residents and community organisations have continuously raised people\u2019s unhappiness at this situation.\n<\/p>\n

\n “With many having highlighted that they don\u2019t feel particularly comfortable going to the library now that it is in a school, especially as it does not have its own entrance.”\n<\/p>\n

\n READ MORE:<\/strong>\u00a0Clydebank attraction announces temporary closure – here’s why<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n SNP colleague, Cllr Lauren Oxley, added that concerns had been raised over residents feeling “uncomfortable” going into the school to access the services.\n<\/p>\n

\n The library operated on weekdays after the\u00a0school day had ceased.\n<\/p>\n

\n She said: “As we head into the darker weather, many people will not feel safe or comfortable walking to the library or accessing a school after dark.\n<\/p>\n

\n “I am worried that these reduced hours and services will be justification for permanent closure in the future, which would be devastating for the communities.”\n<\/p>\n

\n READ MORE:\u00a0<\/strong>West Dunbartonshire Council delays decision on living wage increase – here’s why<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n Council leader Martin Rooney addressed the motion asking why the SNP group hadn’t questioned the sale at previous budget meetings.\n<\/p>\n

\n He said: “We are in a situation where we have had years and years of underfunding by the Scottish Government, and we are currently facing a \u00a340m funding gap over the next five years.\n<\/p>\n

\n “We know that nobody wants to reduce any of the services in the council, but the reality is the Scottish government have put us in this position.\n<\/p>\n

\n You can\u2019t have your cake and eat it. You can\u2019t want all the services; we want to protect the services and jobs as much as we can.\n<\/p>\n

\n “It’s unfortunate, but we have had to make a lot of\u00a0difficult decisions,\u00a0and this is one of them.\n<\/p>\n

\n “The recommended bid is for the highest amount and will make a community sit-down cafe and takeaway near the school, right in the middle of Parkhall. Hopefully, we will see it become a success.”\n<\/p>\n

\n The motion to agree the sale was carried, and it is understood that\u00a0planning permission to turn the former library into a cafe will be submitted in due course.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Parkhall Library was placed for sale by West Dunbartonshire Council earlier this year after the authority cited\u00a0‘significant financial…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":353139,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7826],"tags":[748,918,4884,712,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-353138","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-glasgow","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-glasgow","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-scotland","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115047483477555473","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353138","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=353138"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353138\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/353139"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=353138"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=353138"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=353138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}