by Felicity Collier

CAMPAIGNERS in Bristol are occupying a disused library to protest against the housing crisis and cuts to public services.

Cheltenham Road Library, which was closed down three weeks ago, has been occupied by Bristol Sisters Uncut since Tuesday.

The women’s rights group warned that the north Bristol library is set to be demolished and turned into luxury accommodation, which they say “will only benefit greedy developers and the privileged few who can afford to buy the flats.”

The library is currently listed on the Property Link website as being under offer, and standing to “benefit from full planning consent for 36 apartments with no affordable housing requirement.”

Its estimated value is listed as £9 million.

Protesters said in an online video statement: “We’re here in occupation to provide a safe space for women and nonbinary women, because we feel that Bristol City Council isn’t providing enough safe spaces, so we’re being forced to create this safe space.”

Currently the council only offers 63 beds in refuges across the city and survivors are often stuck there waiting months on end for new homes, according to Sisters Uncut.

The occupation is ongoing in a bid to block developers, and the group hopes to turn it into a community centre.

Yesterday afternoon, police and developers of the building visited the campaigners who have called for more people to join them to resist eviction.

The group added: “Empty buildings must be transferred into the hands of the community so we can create the homes, refuges and community spaces we need, and while we are all forced to pay taxes they must be used to benefit the people, not corporations and the rich.”