By the end of the 19th century, the largest library in Eastwood resided within the town’s Mechanics Institute, an adult education centre for workers wishing to improve their minds. D H Lawrence used to visit the lending library on a weekly basis. The building, on Mansfield Road in Eastwood, is now home to Phoenix Cue Sports, a snooker and pool hall.
The actual room that a young Lawrence used as a library is now an acoustic lounge bar called, appropriately enough, ‘The Library’.
Before becoming ‘Phoenix’ the venue had fallen into ruin having sat idle for 20 years after being used as a Miners’ Welfare building.