The library is a hub of the community, providing free access to literature of all kinds along with free internet access and a range of other useful and educational public services. Many libraries have been established for decades, meaning that the buildings they are housed in often require structural repairs: one such facility is Blackburn Central Library, which required extensive scaffolding to complete a project entitled 'Back to the Future'.
For four decades, the building that now houses Blackburn Central Library was a department store. The library itself was established in 1970, at which time the facade of the building was clad in concrete, a common structural 'improvement' at the time. Over the years, the ugly concrete cladding eroded, with damage becoming so bad that there was a risk of masonry lumps falling into the street below.
Council bosses authorised a project to remove the cladding and Mitchell's Scaffolding Ltd were contracted to design and deliver a bespoke scaffolding solution. This enabled workers to gain unobstructed access to the facade of the building and safely remove the concrete, restoring the magnificent structure to its former glory.
Damian Talbot, who is in charge of leisure for Blackburn with Darwen council, said that he was 'delighted' with the removal of the concrete cladding. He said, “The scaffolding that has been on the central library for around 12 months is almost completely removed, and the majority of the stonework has been restored. This was a vital piece of investment, and what it did was give us an opportunity to restore the building to its original glory. The library is very important in the town, very well used and one of the busiest libraries in the north west, and it is a landmark building in Blackburn centre.”
The expert operatives from Mitchell's Scaffolding Ltd were proud to be involved with this crucial project, which was timed to coincide with a revamp of the library's facilities. Find out more about previous projects that Mitchell's have provided scaffolding to by checking out our online portfolio.
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