Bed Bug Infestation Closes Ealing Central Library
Council defends earlier reopening after problem first noticed
Ealing Central Library
November 1, 2023
Visitors to Ealing Central Library were asked to evacuate the building after an infestation of bed bugs was discovered in the furniture earlier this week.
An announcement over the tannoy at 1.30pm on Monday 30 October informed them they needed to leave immediately.
The following day a notice appeared on the main door informing library users of a ‘pest infestation’ and that soft furnishings are to be temporarily removed.
Ealing Council has confirmed that it is an issue with bed bugs and said that it is expected the library will reopen this Thursday (2 November) after chemical treatments have been applied.
The building had also been closed the previous week with cushions being taken away but later reopened. It is claimed that that bed bugs can survive in books and therefore there was a risk of people taking any books out of having the infestation transferred to their home. The council says that, thus far, there have been no bugs detected in the library’s stock.
A council spokesperson said, “The council is actively addressing this issue with professional pest control solutions. These treatments will be administered during the library's closure and the chemicals used are safe for individuals of all ages.
“The technical advice was that it was safe for both the public and staff to re-open the library – both in terms of controlling and preventing the spread of the infestation and in relation to the chemicals used to treat furniture. However, the council recognised that library users and staff had concerns and decided that temporarily closing the library was the right course of action.
“It is anticipated that the library will reopen on Thursday 2 November and normal service will resume. The library is only being reopened after a full course of treatment has been applied by contractors Rentokill. The council will continue to monitor the situation and take preventative measures to ensure that the issue has been fully resolved, and that everything is being done to prevent its recurrence.
“We extend our apologies for any inconvenience this situation may cause and thank residents and library staff for their understanding.”
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