Bedford among worst areas in the East of England for library access

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Bedford residents are less likely to have a nearby library than almost anywhere in the East of England, new figures show.

A charity for public libraries has called for improved funding for local councils to help provide for their communities.

Analysis from the Office for National Statistics shows just 24% of Bedford residents had a library within a 15-minute walk of their home – the lowest proportion in the East of England.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Despite this, 61% were within half an hour of a library, and 81% of residents could reach one within an hour's walk.

Bedford residents are less likely to have a nearby library than almost anywhere in the East of England, new figures showBedford residents are less likely to have a nearby library than almost anywhere in the East of England, new figures show
Bedford residents are less likely to have a nearby library than almost anywhere in the East of England, new figures show

The ONS' figures show Bedford had five open libraries as of August, or one for every 38,000 people in the area.

Across England and Wales, people in rural areas less often had a library within 15 minutes of them, although those living in some towns are also missing out.

Londoners are far more likely to have a nearby library than other regions – nine out of the top 10 areas were in the capital. By comparison, half of the bottom 10 were in the West Midlands, while four were in the South East.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

James Gray, communications and advocacy manager at Libraries Connected, said everybody should have access to high quality local library services.

"Whether in cities, towns or rural areas, libraries play an essential community role: providing free access to books and information, developing digital skills, supporting business, encouraging healthy lifestyles and much more," he added.

"Library services will naturally vary across the country, but this must reflect the needs of their local communities, not the need to make savings."

Mr Gray urged ministers to fix local government finances so that councils can properly resource and staff libraries in their areas.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Arts Council said access to creativity and culture can improve wellbeing, but warned creative opportunities are "denied to too many in this country".

A recent investigation by the BBC found more than 180 council-run libraries have either closed or been handed to volunteer groups since 2018, and 2,000 jobs lost.

Councillor Liz Green, chair of the Local Government Association's culture, tourism and sport board, said councils are the "biggest public funder of culture", which includes maintaining 3,000 libraries.

"Libraries are multi-use spaces providing educational and leisure resources as well as acting as trusted community hubs and locations for vital community services such as employment and health care support," she added.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Recent LGA research shows that councils in England are facing a £2.3 billion funding gap in 2025-26, rising to £3.9 billion in 2026-27. This means that many councils are facing the difficult decision to close libraries down in order to maintain funding for statutory services."

The LGA is calling on the Government to provide a "significant and sustained" increase in funding to help provide community services.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1845
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice