The site was torched by vandals in dramatic rioting in the summer on County Road
A community has come together in a celebration of its unbeatable spirit to make the rebirth of a hub targeted and torched by vandals during the height of the summer riots. Following the tragic killing of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, at a Taylor Swift themed dance club in Southport in July, violence erupted across Merseyside and throughout the country, with hundreds of people taking to the streets at a mosque then onto County Road where the Liverpool Council-run Spellow Hub was damaged significantly.
The library, which had only reopened in March last year, was targeted as bins were set alight and shops were looted. It left a vital community asset in one of the country’s most deprived communities out of action.
After a remarkable public fundraising campaign, which generated £250,000 for the renovation of the site, a show of solidarity lit up Walton to mark the reopening of the library. A 300-strong lantern parade swept from Goodison Road before a symbolic light switch on outside Spellow Hub.
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The rise of Spellow was also marked nationwide with the British Library in London among one of 135 sites across the country shining a light to mark the occasion. Scores of libraries – from Lancashire and Newcastle to Southampton, Cornwall and even the Isle of Wight took part.
Ahead of this evening’s procession, which featured children from neighbouring Arnot St Mary School, infinity symbol lights were shone in the sky above the library on Tuesday evening. The theme of light has been used to symbolise libraries as places of sanctuary, knowledge and community.
Addressing cabinet members ahead of the event, Cllr Liam Robinson, leader of Liverpool Council, said: “It hurt us as a city when we saw the terrible rioting fueled by racism and Islamophobia that afflicted the city back in the summer. The target of some of that was the Spellow Hub on County Road.
“We always pledged to the people of County Road and the wider Walton community and the wider city that we would bring that library back into use not just as it was but even better. I’m really pleased that we’re making good on that pledge.
“That shows exactly how Liverpool rallies round and we’re going to deliver what is right and what we can for people in this city.” A second ceremony will be held on Thursday to officially open the library, with contributions from poet Levi Tafari and Waterstones Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce before it welcomes members of the public once again.
