Queen sees how Liverpool rebuilt its riot-hit library

Queen Camilla sat down for a game of chess with young people at Spellow Community Hub and Library on Friday 4 September, during a visit shaped by events far beyond the board.

The Walton library was extensively damaged by fire and water during the riots of August 2024. Two years later, the royal visit brought together pupils, library workers and first responders with people who helped return the building to community use.

Queen Camilla meets pupils and first responders

During her visit, Queen Camilla joined staff and children from St Francis De Sales Catholic Infant and Nursery School and Arnot St Mary Church of England Primary School.

She also met staff members and first responders involved in the immediate aftermath of the riots. Author Frank Cottrell-Boyce, the BookTrust Reading Rights Ambassador, shared a poem he had written about Spellow Hub, while the chess game offered young visitors a direct role in the occasion.

The Queen had already contributed to the library’s recovery by donating books after the attack. Cottrell-Boyce and food writer Nigella Lawson were among the other donors whose books helped replenish its shelves.

Fire and water damage followed a recent refurbishment

The vandalism in August 2024 caused extensive damage and provoked a widespread public response. The attack came only a year after the building had been refurbished with support from Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram’s Town Centre Fund.

Spellow therefore faced another recovery almost immediately after that investment. The library remained closed while the damage was addressed, reopening in December 2024.

Liverpool City Council leader Liam Robinson said the reopening gave the building a fresh start and reinforced its place in Walton. He described it as a gathering point where residents can meet, read, learn and train.

A £250,000 fundraiser backed the recovery

Community support extended well beyond book donations. A GoFundMe campaign established by Alex McCormick raised £250,000 for the library, turning public anger over the damage into practical financial backing.

McCormick said it had been a privilege to take part in the recovery and to see the hub grow again. Steve Rotheram, who previously served as MP for Liverpool Walton, said support came from across the Liverpool City Region and farther afield.

For Rotheram, the restored building now demonstrates what the Walton community stands for after briefly becoming associated with the destruction. Cottrell-Boyce described libraries such as Spellow as community anchors where books, imagination and a sense of belonging become part of children’s everyday lives.

What residents can use at Spellow today

Since reopening, Spellow Community Hub and Library has resumed its role as more than a place to borrow books. Residents can use smart classrooms and flexible learning areas without charge, attend parent-and-toddler groups and access Liverpool City Council services in the building.

The donated books have joined a collection supporting about 22,000 loans each year, according to councillor Harry Doyle, Liverpool’s cabinet member for health, wellbeing and culture.

Those services show the practical result of the recovery: a riot-damaged public building has returned as a place where Walton families can study, receive support and spend time together. The account is based on information published by Culture Liverpool News for Liverpool City Council.

Source: Culture Liverpool News