Wallington Library turns 90: history, opening hours and what's inside
Published 29 October 2026
Wallington Library opened on Shotfield on 3 October 1936, and on Saturday 3 October 2026 it celebrated its 90th birthday. The day included talks by author Jacqueline Crooks and TV gardener Charlie Dimmock, a performance by the Sing Out Sutton choir and a heritage exhibition with Sutton's Archives and Museums.
Still one of Sutton's busiest libraries
- More than 121,000 items borrowed in the past year, including over 75,000 children's books and games.
- Nearly 10,000 active members.
- The second most visited library in the borough.
Ninety years of history
During the Second World War, the basement housed telephone workers. In 1957 the building survived a homemade bomb blast. Renovations in the 1980s added a gallery and a conservatory, and in the 2000s the Mallinson Room was restored and the Garden of Memories was created.
Opening hours and facilities
- Open: 8am to 9pm Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm Sunday.
- Staffed hours: 9am to 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday. At other times it runs as a self-access library for members who have had an induction, using a library card and PIN, with the ground floor open.
- Café: Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 3pm.
- Children's library, study spaces, free wifi, printing and scanning, meeting rooms, a lift and accessible toilet, and a public car park next door with disabled spaces.
Address: Shotfield, Wallington SM6 0HY. Phone 020 8770 5000.
A useful space for small businesses too
Free wifi, study spaces and bookable meeting rooms make libraries a handy option for freelancers, sole traders and anyone starting a business without an office. They are also a good place to meet local customers: community notice boards and events are still some of the most trusted ways to get known locally.
Sources and further reading
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