A 'Library of Things' to rent out items like drills, carpet cleaners, sound systems and sewing machines has opened in Islington.

It is hoped the store in the Bright Sparks Reuse and Repair second hand furniture store in Seven Sisters Road, Finsbury Park, will help people save money and reduce waste.

The council has joined forces with Library of Things and the shop to open the environmentally-friendly store, which encourages sustainable re-use by allowing residents and small businesses to rent out items on a daily basis for a few pounds.

Library of Things is a social enterprise on a mission to make borrowing better than buying, and works with suppliers like Bosch, Kärcher and STIHL to provide products on hire.

The Bright Sparks Reuse and Repair shop, run by social enterprise DigiBridge, brings small electric items back to life, repairing then selling them, along with furniture and bric-a-brac.

The store, which is grant funded through Islington’s Carbon Offset Fund, opened today (November 2).

Islington's eco chief, Cllr Rowena Champion, Islington said: “We’re determined to create a cleaner, greener, healthier Islington that can tackle the climate emergency, and supporting residents and businesses to make better use of resources and reduce waste is key to achieving this.

“There are plenty of household items that we only need to use once or twice – instead of buying them, and allowing them to gather dust or end up in landfill, why not borrow them from our Library of Things store?

"Doing so is considerably cheaper than buying, and protects the environment by cutting down on waste.

“Recycling and re-using is crucial in combating climate change, and the Library of Things store is a really positive example of how sharing items can be cheaper and more convenient than buying, as well as supporting the environment.”

Emma Shaw, co-founder of Library of Things, said: “This is an important step for Library of Things, as we expand our work to create a community-led circular economy in neighbourhoods across London.”