Crossgates Library: Campaigners launch £350k fundraising bid to save old Leeds library building from sale

The old Crossgates Library, located on Farm Road, shut in 2022 as the library service moved to the nearby shopping centre and is now set to be auctioned off by Leeds City Council at the end of February.

The move was originally intended to be temporary, to allow for refurbishment of the old location but plans to refurbish the building into a Community Hub and new NHS GP surgery were later abandoned.

After seeing attempts to stop the sale blocked, the Crossgates Community Coalition has now launched a fundraising effort to raise £350,000 to buy the building back off the council.

Campaigner Helen Lucy said: "The council have refused to stop the auction in which the old Crossgates library building is to be sold, at the end of February. It has been a bitter blow for the community, and all who have worked so hard on our campaign, but it’s not yet the end of the story.

"Today we are launching an urgent Crowd Funding page to appeal for enough money to buy the building and land, in order to keep it as a community asset."

Several community organisations, including a boxing club and a children's group, have expressed an interest in sharing the space if the building can be retained.

The group are seeking help from "local philanthropists" who would be willing to contribute to the fund or loan the group the money.

Explaining its decision to sell off the building earlier this year, Leeds City Council said that given their current financial state it was necessary for them "to review our entire estate in order to reduce our costs."

A council spokesperson said: "Since the library building was closed it has become the target for anti-social behaviour and has been subject to extensive damage.

“Buildings which are vacant must be prioritised given the impact that such properties have on local communities and the costs involved in holding buildings vacant."