Duchess of Kent reopens Watlington Library after a £700,000 revamp

The royal, who lives in nearby Brightwell Baldwin, was applauded by residents as she unveiled a memorial plaque in the High Street building.

Work started last year and the library is now twice the size and boasts more books, public computers and a dedicated children’s area.

The Friends of Watlington Library raised £50,000 towards the improvements during a 12-year campaign.

Group chairman Philip Pinney said the library looked “fantastic”.

He said: “It has been a long dream and a long battle , but we have finally made it.

“We reopened on September 27 and the unveiling ceremony by the Duchess was the final seal. It was wonderful that the Duchess came along and it was very nice to see such a good turnout.”

The Friends group was formed in 1999 to fight the threatened closure of the library by Oxfordshire County Council.

Mr Pinney is the great- great-nephew of Charlotte Hilgrove Coxe, who gave the building to the town in November 1949, just before she died. A portrait of Mrs Hilgrove Coxe hangs near the library entrance.

New features include touch-screen self-service, ‘quick choice’ sections for people in a hurry, and comfortable seating.

Mr Pinney said: “The library has been extremely busy since it opened, with 825 people in the first week.

“The building looks fantastic and it has been great to see so many children from the town using the facilities.

“We have already seen two or three times as many people visiting the library and the feedback has already been very strong.”

Because the building is listed, the size of the library was doubled by constructing an extension at the back.

Mr Pinney said a well-stocked and modern library was vital to any town.

He said: “The scale of the library is now what you would expect in a town of Watlington’s size.

“I think a good library is so important because it gives people an access to books and learning.

“It has been a long campaign and we are absolutely delighted that Watlington Library is back.”