Harrow’s Roxeth Library set for £110k upgrade: what...

Contents

New study zones and flexible library space
£110,000 funding from Arts Council England
Completion expected in spring 2027
What Roxeth Library users can access now

By Beehiveweb.co.uk Newsdesk

Roxeth Library in South Harrow is due for a £110,000 refurbishment that will turn the long-running branch into a more flexible community hub for study, family visits and remote working.

Harrow Council says the work is expected to be completed by spring 2027. The branch, which first opened in 1954, is being upgraded during the National Year of Reading 2026 after funding was secured from Arts Council England.

New study zones and flexible library space

The refurbishment is designed around how residents now use libraries, with more space for quiet work as well as everyday community use.

Planned improvements include:

Flexible open areas for different types of library activity
New furniture, flooring and decoration
Dedicated study zones
Fully integrated power and data points
A layout intended to support remote working, family visits and quiet reading

The changes are aimed at making the branch easier to use for people who rely on libraries for study space, digital access and a calm place to work.

£110,000 funding from Arts Council England

Harrow Council said the £110,000 award has come from Arts Council England. Harrow is one of seven London library authorities receiving money through the programme.

The funding is part of the Government’s wider Arts Everywhere Fund, a £1.5 billion package intended to improve access to arts and culture across England.

Harrow’s Roxeth Library set for £110k upgrade: what residents need to know

Cllr Janet Mote, Harrow Council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Culture, said the investment would help Roxeth Library continue serving modern users. She said the council was “meeting the needs of residents not just today, but for years to come”.

Similar library renewal projects are also under way elsewhere in England, including library restoration work in Northwich linked to a planned 2027 reopening.

Completion expected in spring 2027

The council has not given a more specific reopening or completion date beyond spring 2027. Residents who use the South Harrow branch should watch for further council updates on any temporary service changes while refurbishment work is arranged.

The building has been part of the local library network for more than 70 years. It was the first permanent library built by Middlesex County Libraries after the Second World War.

What Roxeth Library users can access now

Roxeth Library members can borrow up to 25 items at a time from a collection of more than 21,000 books.

The branch also provides access to digital newspapers, magazines, eBooks, eAudiobooks and research tools including Ancestry, Britannica, Driving Theory Test Pro and BFI Replay.

Michelle Walker, London Area Director at Arts Council England, said the funding would help keep cultural venues, museums and libraries “open, sustainable and accessible for years to come”.

Source: London Borough of Harrow