A historic building was just rescued at the 11th hour from being turned into a Nando's, thanks to the unrelenting efforts of the GMB and local community.

Canning Town Library will no longer be turned into a restaurant, after chicken piri-piri giant Nando’s dropped its plans to acquire the building.

The news sent trade unionists sighing in relief, as the Grade II-listed library has a significant place in the history of the labour movement.

That’s because Canning Town Library is also the birth place of the National Union of Gasworkers and General Labourers – now known as the GMB. It was also the home of several famous speeches by campaigners and social reformers of the turn of the century, including the socialist politician Keir Hardie, philosopher Bertrand Russell and leading suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst.

The London Borough of Newham, which currently manages the building, was said to be strongly considering Nando’s bid given the library’s reported £2,000 a week cost. It eventually deferred the proposal until further consultation with local community and the unions.

GMB regional secretary Warren Kenny said:

“We’re delighted Nando’s have listened to the strength of local feeling, seen sense and shelved this proposal before it hatched. There is a time and a place for chicken, but a historic library that forms part of the fabric of Newham’s community was never it.”

The GMB was founded in 1889, following a public address by the trade unionist Will Thorne inside the Canning Town Library. Serendipitously, the library’s saving bell rang on what would have been Thorne’s 161st birthday.

Nando’s original plan was to take the ground floor of the building, inject £1.3 million into its restoration, expanding it into an outside dining area and add an illuminated sign at the front. Its spokesperson added last week that the rest of the building could be turned into “artist or music studios”, since other of the chain’s restaurants have followed similar plans.

But after much pressure from the GMB, which hopes to take take over the building and turn it into its offices and teaching spaces, Nando’s dropped their bid.

It is still uncertain what the Labour-led Newham council will do next, but Kenny added that:

“GMB looks forward to working with the council and local community to develop a plan for Canning Town Library that ensures the historic legacy of the building lives on as a community asset for generations to come.”

According to the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy a staggering 478 libraries have closed in England, Wales and Scotland since 2010

Joana Ramiro is a reporter for Left Foot Forward. You can follow her on Twitter for all sorts of rants here.

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