Council services – re-opening information

Many Council services will be opening in July – here is all you need to know.

Services getting ready to open up include Blackburn Town Hall, Blackburn and Darwen Libraries, registrar service and Blackburn Museum.

Many new systems have been put in place to help protect visitors and staff including new booking systems, limiting the number of people at any one time and social distancing measures.

Services will be required to ask people for their details on their visits with signing in sheets to support the infection control efforts.

The main information is:

• The front desk at Blackburn Town Hall will be opening on a restricted basis during the week commencing July 13^th.

Changes will include Perspex screens to protect visitors and staff, a queuing system, and limited numbers of visitors at any one time. The public telephones will not be available due to health and safety concerns.

• Darwen Town Hall and 10 Duke Street will also re-open on w/c July 13^th with new systems.

Visitors should only visit the town hall if absolutely necessary. The majority of services are available online and people should continue to contact the Council this way if possible.

• Blackburn Library will be re-opening on Monday, July 6^th, and Darwen Library will be open from Monday, July 13^th.

Blackburn library from Monday 6^th July – Monday to Friday: 10am to 4pm, Saturday: 10am to 1pm

Darwen library from Monday 13^th July – Monday: 10am to 1pm, Wednesday: 1pm to 4pm, Thursday: 1pm to 4pm, Friday: 10am to 1pm, Saturday: 10am to 1pm.

Alternative services:

• Customers who are unable to visit the library may be eligible for the Home Delivery Service.
• Or why not try our eReading services… with over 30,000 eBooks, 11,000 eAudio titles and 170 eMagazines to choose from there is something to suit everyone. They are free to enjoy any time, any place using your personal device.  All you need to do it download the FREE BorrowBox app for eBooks and eAudio, or RB Digital app for eMagazines.  These services are also available via our website.

For more information: Telephone: (01254) 661221 or email:  library@blackburn.gov.uk

• Blackburn Museum will be opening from Wednesday, July 15^th, with the usual opening hours of Wednesday to Saturday from 12pm to 4.45pm.

A booking system will be in place, with hourly entrances for visitors. Hand sanitiser will be available in the museum. The booking system will be made available shortly.

• Witton Park Arena, Darwen Leisure Centre and Blackburn Sports and Leisure Centre are not currently open. When they are able to open, Witton Park Arena will have a greater focus on targeted health session delivery allowing Darwen Leisure Centre and Blackburn Sports and Leisure Centre to maximise capacity for pre-paid, pre-booked gym, swim and group exercise sessions.

More information is available at: www.bwdleisure.com

• Registrar services, including birth registrations and weddings, will also be returning after being suspended in March.

The registrar service is currently preparing the offices to be Covid-19 secure and are aiming to re-open by the end of July.

Weddings could also resume at the end of July, and will take place in the Northgate Suite of King George’s Hall as this is the most suitable venue in terms of social distancing and hygiene measures.

Outside venues such as hotels will be visited by registrars and Environmental Health to make sure they comply with the new guidelines before any further weddings can go ahead.

• Children’s Centres have remained open during the pandemic for key nursery places, and this will continue. They are also available for advice, support and guidance.
• Leisure centres and gyms, including Blackburn Sports and Leisure Centre and Darwen Leisure Centre, will remain closed pending further guidance from the Government.
• Witton Park Arena will be focused on targeted health session delivery rather than use by the general public for the time being. More information is available at: www.bwdleisure.com
• King George’s Hall and Darwen Library Theatre will also remain closed due to restrictions on live performances.

Denise Park, Chief Executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:

The re-opening of these services is in many ways good news but staff and customers must be incredibly careful as we get used to very new ways of doing things.

This includes paying attention to signage and directions in buildings, making sure hygiene rules are followed and to keep the correct distance from people.

We are working incredibly hard to re-open all these services as safely as possible, working with both businesses and communities to make sure that everyone is protected as much as possible.”

The coronavirus pandemic is perhaps the greatest challenge we have faced in generations, as a country and a community, and we must do our bit to keep each other safe.”

Guidance on social distancing, hygiene and safety.