THE former library at Bandon Shopping Centre is to get a new lease of life following confirmation that Access Credit Union are to move across the street to take up residence in the vacant building later this year.

The move by Access Credit Union to the library will also mark a new chapter for the organisation.

Speaking to The Southern Star, Tony Hughes, ceo of Access Credit Union said that the town and community of Bandon are an integral part of their strategic plan.

‘Access Credit Union has been looking at upgrading our existing premises in Bandon and/or looking at alternative locations for a number of years with a view to providing our members with the best service in the environment,’ he said.

Tony said their current premises would require a big makeover to modernise it to the level they want which could entail a period of temporary closure.

‘The premises is also too big for our business needs with a high volume of transactions and services now completed online and unused office space is not the best use of the resource.’

He said they identified the old library as an option as in maintains their strong location at the heart of South Main Street and would not cause any transport changes for their members, who are key in this decision.

‘The blank canvas of the library will allow us to construct a modern, membership-friendly office that will serve the community for many years to come.’

The part exchange of buildings was confirmed by Council officials at last week’s meeting of Bandon Kinsale Municipal District. It is understood that Cork County Council will move its office staff from its current location at Station Road into the Access Credit Union building on South Main Street.

The former library, which has been vacant following the move of the library to a state-of-the-art building nearby, was temporarily used as a collection point for clothes and items during the initial months of the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.