To achieve budget savings the Council has consulted on the Borough’s library service. The Council’s recommendations for Beckenham are quoted below, the full report can be found at: BROMLEY LIBRARY SERVICE – OUTCOME OF CONSULTATION
Beckenham Library:
Council’s Proposal: Closing on Friday at 6pm instead of 8pm, leaving one 8pm closing per
week on Wednesday
- Alternative Option A: Close on Wednesday at 6pm instead of 8pm, leaving one 8pm closing per week on Friday
- Alternative Option B: Close on Tuesday at 4pm instead of 6pm
- Alternative Option C: Open at 10am Monday to Friday instead of 9.30am (a saving of 2.5 hours but needed for consistency)
Survey Findings for Beckenham Library:
- Of those interviewed at Beckenham Library, 71%, said ‘no’ the Council’s Proposal would not inconvenience them in any way
- Some 15% said the Council’s Proposal was ‘very inconvenient’ and 9% said it was ‘fairly inconvenient’. The remaining 5% said that whilst it was inconvenient, it was ‘not very inconvenient’
- Respondents interviewed at Beckenham Library were most likely to say they preferred ‘Alternative Option C’ for reducing the opening hours at the library as indicated by 34% of them (Note: the focus of the interviewing was on the latter part of the day rather than first thing in the morning)
Copers Cope Area Residents' Association (CCARA) & West Beckenham Residents' Association (WBRA) 
Not that I want to sound cynical old fart, but I find it hard to care about a reduction in opening hours. I’ve tried in vain to work in Beckenham’s library, but there seems to have been a dramatic shift away from maintaining libraries as a quiet area for study. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not demanding silence, but people routinely hold loud conversations, take lengthy and mundane phone calls, and don’t even attempt to calm their screaming children. And can they seriously not install a single toilet in the place!? To summarise, I think they’ve got far more basic issues to sort before worrying about this!
Reduction in library hours unacceptable as discriminates against commuters. Council should cut back on Councillor and Officer pay and Civic Centre expenses such as recent new furniture- Beckenhgam target of cuts once again. Lobby your representatives!