Bolton Library's Family Fun Day a success after refurbishment

It held its Family Fun Day yesterday, Saturday, with plenty of activities on for parents and children, as well as giving them a chance to see its new look. 

Activities included a visit from Wanderers mascot Lofty the Lion, a disco, Octagon storytelling sessions, printing workshops, computer sessions and more. 

The day marked the first major event since the library's reopening, with it having officially opened on Friday. 

Clockwise from left: Uruashi and Vinai Patel took their children, Tanushri and Prashanti, to the family fun day (Image: Newsquest)

Uruashi and Vinai Patel took their daughters, Tanushri and Prashanti, to the library for the activities. 

Uruashi said: "It is really good. My daughter has loved the printing, the activities are free and there are computer sessions. 

"I like the way it is split into different sections. It is definitely much better, the children's area is improved, and we now have this upstairs area as well." 

Vinai added: "I am really impressed with the building actually, I have been looking at the building more than the books! 

Gaynor Brookes and her daughter, Isabella (Image: Newsquest)

"I have been coming here since I was a child. It is nice to see they have kept some of the heritage of the building. 

"They (the children) have loved it. Just been a bit of a wait to see what it is like." 

Tanushri said she liked using Scratch on the computers and got some books she was looking for, while Prashanti liked the printing and the computers. 

The praise comes after the 16-month, £4m refurbishment of the library. 

Gaynor Brookes went to the event with her daughter, Isabella. 

Bolton Library (Image: Newsquest)

Gaynor said: "It is amazing, it's busy but amazing. I wasn't expecting this, we were just bringing books back to the Crompton Place one and realised that this one had opened. 

"She is loving it! I'm from Bolton and remember this place from my childhood. 

"A lot of it is a bit run down, but this is nice to see, it is vibrant in here today."

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Jenny Iozzi said: "I haven't seen it since the refurbishment, and they have had the activities on. It is really nice, they have done a really good job." 

Ceiling in the library (Image: Newsquest)

Sam Elliott, head of service for libraries and museums at the council, said: "It's been exceptionally busy, the cafe has been really busy, we have had lots of different activities people responded to really well. 

"We are trying to show the range of activities we have at the library, books are really important, but we have all of this on too. 

"We were at Crompton Place and people liked that, but this is our home and it is really good to be back. We've designed it exactly how we think customers would like it. 

"I think it is a mixture of young and old, been able to bring back heritage features like the floor, but it has also been great to get the cafe in there."