Children protesting outside Kensal Rise Library

Decision by highest court in the land means branches in Barham Park, Cricklewood, Kensal Rise, Neasden, Preston, and Tokyngton closed for good

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Campaigners fighting to save half of Brent’s libraries have been refused permission to take the case to the highest court in the land – the Supreme Court.

The news comes as the borough prepares to celebrate National Libraries Day which takes place tomorrow.

Brent Council announced plans to close six out of Brent’s 12 libraries to save £1 million in 2010.

Despite a consultation into the proposals showing that 82 per cent of respondents were against the closures, the council announced in April last year that Barham Park, Cricklewood, Kensal Rise, Neasden, Preston and Tokyngton libraries would shut.

Residents united by their anger formed Brent SOS Libraries to stop the closures and took their fight to the High Court and Appeal Court but lost.

The council began stripping bare the libraries before Christmas but undeterred the campaigners formed pop-up libraries outside the closed reading rooms including Victorian built Kensal Rise Library, in Bathurst Gardens which was opened 111 years ago by American author Mark Twain.