Hereford library move aims to draw more people to city

Moving Hereford's library into a shopping centre will bring more people into the city, a councillor says.

Further details have been revealed for the plan which is set to use £8m from the government to realise the scheme.

The old library's space would be used to transform the city's museum and art gallery, according to the county council.

"It is the bravest decision to put money into culture," councillor Gemma Davies said.

"You can redesign things so that they bring the community in, they give a reason for people to want to stay in the city centre."

Herefordshire Council secured £22.4m from the government's Towns Fund in 2021 for a range of projects under the banner Stronger Hereford.

A business case for moving the library into Maylord Orchard shopping centre and then transforming the space left behind will be submitted to ministers before the end of June, the authority says.

Planning applications will follow, with building work set to start in February.

The shopping centre was built in 1990 and bought outright by the council for £4m in June 2020.

The proposals would see the library occupy both floors of the centre alongside its existing shops, with study areas spread across the new facility.

The existing library building on Broad Street also houses the city's museum but parts of the listed site are falling into disrepair, the council says.

Its aim is to renovate the building and make the exhibition space four times larger, with room for the Herefordshire Hoard.

Mrs Davies said people might call for the money to be spent on roads but "visitors will spend more when they come here".

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