Southampton City Council (SCC) has confirmed the appointment of a community radio station to run the Cobbett Road library, and new ‘pilot’ opening hours will start from Wednesday (January 31).

 

As reported, council meeting documents revealed in December that a lease had been offered to city station Awaaz FM to take over the building and services, but at that stage it was understood that legal papers were yet to be signed and sealed.

Apart from being used to host a small number of regular activities in the building, the public library at Cobbett Road has been shut as such since the end of January 2021 after previous operator Social Care in Action pulled out.

Now the council, which ceased funding the library itself in 2016, has confirmed that Awaaz, supported by sister community station Fiesta FM, will run what’s now being referred to as ‘Cobbett Road Hub’ in Bitterne Park.

The adult library as it once was

SCC says it’s been working with Awaaz and Fiesta to “review the library offer”, and will continue to provide books, computers, printing and Wi-Fi, and help to train volunteers to support the reopening of the library service this month.

It’s thought that the library itself however will now be confined to what was the children’s library – and before that the meeting room.

The new, ‘re-hubbified’ offer — under SCA it was known as ‘Cobbett Hub and Library’ — will initially be open to the public for what’s described as a “pilot” period between 1pm and 5pm on Wednesdays until February 28.

The council says the radio stations will also “consult with the community to agree on future opening arrangements” following the pilot.

People can call in to meet the new operators, see what’s on offer and find out about becoming library volunteers.

Awaaz and Fiesta also have plans to install a “podcasting studio” with opportunities to broadcast on the radio, and to volunteer with the two stations.

They will also offer access to a counselling service, offer various spaces for hire, and offer a space for community events and a meeting place for the Friends of Cobbett Road Library.

Leader of the council, Cllr Lorna Fielker (Lab) said: “Libraries are so much more than books and bricks, so I’m really pleased that Awaaz FM and Fiesta FM are working with the Friends of Cobbett Road Library to deliver a fantastic community offer and make a success of this exciting new venture. On behalf of the council, I would like to extend our thanks to the Friends for all their hard work and support through this process.”

Ali Beg from Awaaz FM said that the opportunity to reopen and run Cobbett Road Hub was an “exciting moment” for them.

He said: “We hope to work together with local community groups to run activities and create a learning hub as well as having a podcasting room to help upskill people with their technological skills. We see a great future ahead for the use of the site and look forward to meeting with local community groups to share ideas and projects during the pilot opening times.”

Cllr Phil Webb (Lab, Bitterne Park), told bitternepark.info in November: “I think that the work that the Friends have been doing to keep things ticking over, and keep pressing the agenda for this as a community space and as a library has been really important.”

Talking about the protracted process to find a partner to run the library, he said there had perhaps been various interested partners, but some offers might have turned out less viable than they seemed. He said due diligence had to be carried out to open the library "properly and in a sustainable manner”.

The Friends of Cobbett Road Library volunteer group, which has consistently campaigned to get the library reinstated, said: “[We] are pleased that after many months of uncertainty, the library, although much reduced, will be reopened. We are also pleased that the rest of the building will be reopened and used for the benefit of our local community.”

Awaaz Radio broadcasts in Southampton in nine languages, including English, on 99.8 FM, and Fiesta Radio is the UK’s only Latino, Spanish and Hispanic community radio station, on 95 FM. Both are also expected to be carried on a new Southampton small-scale DAB multiplex coming soon.

Top photo: Bitterne Park ward councillors Amanda Barnes-Andrews and Phil Webb with Ali Beg from Awaaz FM and Greg Dickson and Felix Pastor from Fiesta FM at Cobbett Road library