Bromley families get library services on tour this summer

Bromley Central Library users will not have to wait for the new High Street building to open before using key library services this summer. While the former Central Library building next to Churchill Theatre is closed, a temporary town-centre programme will run from Thursday 2 July to Monday 28 September 2026.

The temporary provision is free. Times have not been stated in the source information. Families, children, regular library users and adults looking for activities or device support are the main audiences.

Venues include Pavilion Leisure Centre on High Street and The Glades Shopping Centre, including Greener and Cleaner’s Hub and, later in the summer, a pop-up library on the restaurant terrace near the Pavilion.

Library access moves across the town centre

Bromley Central Library closed on Tuesday 30 June 2026 as work continues to prepare its new home at 145 High Street. During the closure, Bromley Council and Greenwich Leisure Limited, which operates Bromley’s libraries, are shifting services around nearby town-centre locations so residents can still browse, borrow and return books.

The arrangement matters most for people who use the Central Library routinely: families visiting during the school holidays, children taking part in the Summer Reading Challenge, adults attending social sessions, and residents who rely on library computers or support with digital devices.

Central Library book loans are being automatically renewed until 28 September, giving borrowers more time while the alternative provision is in place.

What is running and when

Children’s activities begin at Pavilion Leisure Centre from 20 July. The council says book browsing, borrowing and returns will be available there, including for children taking part in the Summer Reading Challenge.

Adult activities start earlier, from 2 July, at Greener and Cleaner’s Hub in The Glades Shopping Centre. These include coffee mornings and device support sessions. Central Library reading groups are also being moved to various locations during the closure period.

From 15 September, the temporary service expands again with a pop-up library for all ages on the restaurant terrace in The Glades near the Pavilion. That pop-up is due to include book borrowing and browsing, computer use, printing and a range of library activities.

The new Central Library is still being fitted out

The temporary programme is tied to the move into the new Bromley Central Library site at 145 High Street. The council says internal fit-out work is now under way, the new front facade is being completed, and roof works including the new roof light have been finished.

The new library is planned to include an expanded children’s library, modern study areas, new toilets including accessible and Changing Places toilets, and display space for Bromley Historic Collections. The building is also expected to have a central atrium, flexible seating, study areas on the first floor and more interactive library space for children on the ground floor.

Councillor Yvonne Bear, Executive Councillor for Renewal, Recreation and Housing, said the closure had been kept as short as possible and scheduled after school exams. Rebecca Gediking, Library Services Director at GLL, said she hoped regular users would make use of the temporary town-centre provision during the move.

Before you go

Cost: free.

Booking: no booking requirement was stated in the source information.

Times: session times were not included in the source information.

Venues: Pavilion Leisure Centre on High Street; Greener and Cleaner’s Hub in The Glades Shopping Centre; and, from 15 September, the restaurant terrace in The Glades near the Pavilion.

Alternative library access remains available through the wider Bromley library network and the Home Library service during the Central Library closure.

Source: Bromley Council