THE first of Wirral’s swathe of library closures will take place in less than three weeks’ time, Wirral Council has confirmed.

The doors to the last batch of condemned institutions will shut on July 4, as the authority structures the closures over a period of four months.

At the head of the queue for the axe are Higher Bebington, New Ferry, Ridgeway and Wallasey Village Libraries, all of which have been given an official notice of closure, effective from April 4.

Less than a month later, on May 2, Irby, Prenton and Seacombe Libraries will cease to operate.

But, intriguingly, a gap of two months has then been left until Beechwood, Woodchurch and the highly contested closures of Hoylake and Eastham Libraries take place, on July 4.

Campaigners, active since the council’s Strategic Asset Review (SAR) placed a final total of 11 libraries under threat in the autumn, expressed their shock.

Barbara Kirby used to work at Hoylake Library and protested when attempts were made to close it 30 years ago.

She said: “I’m shocked to hear things have actually started but also trying to work out why Hoylake has been left to the end.

“We are still extremely determined that these libraries will not close.”

President of Merseyside TUC, Alec McFadden has been holding regular meetings to develop a strategy to combat the closures, and vowed to take direct action on each of the days concerned.

He said: “We will use peaceful methods, in the same way as Gandhi, to prevent the cultural terrorists from carrying out their wishes.

“It’s completely legitimate to use your body to try and prevent the closure of community and cultural facilities.”