Bootle Library in Merseyside opened a new community kitchen and an equipment lending service in January 2026. The project lets local residents borrow high-quality kitchen tools — ranging from stand mixers to dehydrators — using their standard Sefton library cards. The initiative forms part of a broader plan by Sefton Council and the artist-led collective At The Library to establish the library as a Learning and Community Hub within the redeveloped Bootle Strand area.
The lending service is managed by the artist-led collective At The Library in partnership with Sefton Council’s Library Service. It aims to help people who need expensive tools for one-off tasks, like baking a birthday cake or trying a new recipe, without having to buy them. The inventory includes donated items and council-funded professional gear; At The Library reported an initial set of over thirty pieces of kitchen equipment made available in 2025.
The service is tied to the ongoing Bootle Strand redevelopment project. By providing tools for free or at low cost, the library aims to help families cope with the rising cost of living and to encourage reuse rather than purchase. The community kitchen grew out of the long-running local “Chopping Club,” which has met to cook and share meals since 2021.
To borrow equipment, residents use their normal Sefton library card at Bootle Library, 220 Stanley Road. The scheme is designed to make the library a place for creating and cooking as well as reading, and organisers say access to the right tools should not depend on how much money someone has.
