Supermarket giants asked to financially back community crusade

Library campaigners are asking a supermarket giant which is soon to open its third store on their doorstep, to back their campaign with cash.

About 40 members of the Friends of Kensal Rise (FOKR) have signed a letter calling on Tesco to back their campaign.

FOKR is trying to run a community library in the former library, owned by All Souls College. in Bathurst Gardens. They need �70,000 to take over the space.

The Tesco store, which will be opening in Chamberlayne Road next month, will be the third within a one-mile radius.

Sue Higgs, a member of the campaign group, told the Times: “They [Tesco] obviously like it around here and if they want to serve the community they should get on board with a campaign such as this, which has been at the heart of the community for more than a year.”

Kensal Rise Library, which was opened by American author Mark Twain in 1900, was originally a gift from the Oxford college to Brent Council.

However, it was shut down by the local authority last year alongside five other libraries.

In April this year a reverter was triggered handing ownership back to All Souls, who will now decide on the future use of the building.

A final decision on its future is expected to be made by the middle of next month. FOKR has so far raised about �30,000.

A spokesman for Tesco said they did make charitable donations as a store but added that they had not yet reviewed the letter from the Friends of Kensal Rise so were unable to comment further.