Acomb Explore in Front Street has been temporarily closed for a major £350,000 refurbishment since September 30, to upgrade facilities, expand the children’s area, and refresh the café.
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And the newly refurbished Acomb Explore Centre is now set to reopen on Monday, January 5.
The refurbishments were made in response to direct feedback from local residents to create an Explore Centre shaped by local needs.
Fiona Reilly, Acomb Explore manager said: “We’ve knocked down walls and built others. We’ve created a bigger, more colourful children’s area and we’ll also have a study pod, and a teenage area. We also have lots of gorgeous new comfy chairs so that you can really relax and enjoy your new library.
“We’ve even upgraded the toilets, and added an extra one.
“And of course, honorary librarian Betty the cat, is keen to see all her friends again too!”
Library cat Betty shows off the new shelving (Image: Supplied)
Fiona says she and her team are excited to welcome everyone back to Acomb Explore with its reading cafe, beautiful garden, meeting rooms and well-stocked library.
The cafe has had a refresh with new seating and décor and a huge new servery to make food prep and service even better. Visitors can enjoy a great cup of tea or coffee, freshly-prepared sandwiches, wraps, cakes and home-cooked hot dishes throughout the colder months. Menus change seasonally, with monthly specials, and aim to cater for all, with child-friendly, and vegetarian, vegan and free-from options
The government’s Libraries’ Investment Fund, funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and administered by Arts Council England put in £250,000, while the council’s Future Libraries Fund contributed £100,000.
The new seating in the cafe at Acomb Explore (Image: Supplied)
Jenny Layfield, Chief Executive, Explore York Libraries and Archives said: “”Acomb was our first Explore centre and a blueprint for Explore’s vision for 21st century libraries truly shaped by and for their communities, so it is great news that, with this investment we have been able to make the improvements to Acomb Explore in line with the priorities identified by local people.”
Find out more about Acomb Explore by visiting our website https://exploreyork.org.uk/libraries/acomb-explore/
Follow Acomb Explore on Facebook /AcombExplore and Instagram /acombexplorelibrary/
To hire a meeting room please visit https://roombookings.exploreyork.org.uk/
Acomb Explore in Front Street is set to reopen after a £400,000 refurbishment (Image: Supplied)