A 116-year-old library building is set to go under the hammer.
Atherton Library has not been used by the public since 2018 and is now going up for sale later this month.
The 11,000 sqft building was heralded as a super-modern, state-of-the-art public space when it was first built in 1905, lit by electricity and featuring a combined central heating and ventilation system.
The library was designed by Bolton’s oldest architectural practice, Bradshaw Gass & Hope, which went on to create Manchester’s Royal Exchange and UMIST.
The red-brick building on Elizabeth Street has been vacant since the library service was relocated to Atherton Town Hall.
It is described by auction firm Pugh as requiring complete refurbishment and being “in a dilapidated condition, having been vacant for a number of years and suffered from water ingress”.
The company has put a guide price on the library of £100,000.
Paul Thompson, Pugh’s managing director said that, despite its condition, the former library had potential for alternative uses in the hands of an imaginative buyer.
He said: “The library is a landmark building in Atherton and part of the town’s history. Its size and handsome design mean there are all sorts of possibilities for a positive new future for it.
“It’s also in a great location, close to Atherton station and town centre and, of course close, well located for Bolton and Manchester.”
The auction featuring Atherton library as well as land and properties across the UK will be held online on January 20. To view the full catalogue, go to www.pugh-auctions.com.
