Stockroom, the new library and 'discovery centre' in the Merseyway shopping centre, is set to open in Autumn.

From then on, this new building in the Merseyway will be the main source of library provision for the town centre.

Central Library will operate in a lesser capacity than it currently does, however it will remain open to the public to provide adults' education services, WiFi and computers, as well as a selection of fiction and non-fiction books. 

Plans for the Stockroom project were first approved in 2021. According to a council webpage from the time, its aim is to "transform Stockport town centre to help the town overcome the economic devastation felt by high streets across Britain by the impact of Covid-19". 

Promotional material for the Stockroom project, as seen in the town centre (Image - Alasdair Perry)

Citing the 42% decrease in central library visitors from April 2012 to March 2020, the website adds: "Evidence from around the UK shows that creating a new 21st century library, cafe and learning space in Merseyway will breathe new life into vacant retail units and bring thousands of visitors back to Stockport town centre as other, similar developments up and down the country have done."

In a new year announcement, Stockport Council said: "This will be a fantastic, accessible, family-friendly learning and discovery space in the middle of the town in Merseyway.

"Stockroom will be a multi-use community space, designed to be welcoming for everyone and there will be further opportunities for the public to have their say on Stockroom during the year."

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