MORE than 70 people turned out for a ‘read-in’ protest objecting to the proposed closure of Bentham Library by North Yorkshire County Council.

The council has announced plans to cut its budget for libraries by £2 million.

It wants to keep 18 libraries open but run smaller ones like those in Bentham and Ingleton through volunteers.

However, representatives for the two towns argue they have already been saddled with a string of community projects and do not have enough people to manage what should be a service provided by the council.

Irena Pritchard, who organised the ‘read-in’ protest at Bentham, said: “It is unfair of the council to expect rural communities to run their libraries when there are more people to volunteer in the bigger cities where they are keeping the service.”

She said the four-hour protest, which saw people reading their favourite passages from books, was ‘a lot of fun’ and demonstrated a ‘great community spirit’.

She added: “We were thinking of doing it more often.”

Neighbouring Ingleton also staged a protest on Saturday where author and playwright Alan Bennett turned up in support.

North Craven county councillor David Ireton said the council had a legal duty under the 1964 Public Library and Museum Act to provide accessible libraries.

Coun Ireton said: “Settle is not accessible to people in Bentham as it could be up to a six-hour round trip on the bus.

“The council will have to make sure they fulfil their duty and do provide an accessible service.

“The council has said they would delay the closure date for libraries if local people express an interest in running the service.

"But it’s always the same faces looked upon to volunteer and there just aren’t enough people.”

County councillors will be in Bentham Town Hall on Monday to discuss the consultation and at Ingleton Community Centre on Friday, February 18.

The consultation ends on February 28.