How can council desert the mall?
Published 27 May 2012 17:00
9 Comments
BROAD Street Mall boss Steve Fawke has launched an angry attack on Reading Borough Council's £59.6m plan to move the Civic Centre because it will "devastate" his shopping centre and the surrounding neighbourhood.
On Tuesday the council is set to shun RG2 (the former Yell building) in Queens Walk in favour of a move to Plaza West in Bridge Street. The ruling-Labour group claims that over 25 years it will cost less than the £64.3m bill for moving to RG2 - but Mr Fawke accuses them of ignoring the economic impact on the area they will have left behind.
He said: "It is devastating for this end of town, not just for Broad Street Mall. We've been here 40 years serving the community and in these challenging economic times everyone needs to pull together.
"We will see a 25-30% reduction in footfall once they have moved, at a time when we are trying to entice new businesses and retailers to the town. When they see the decline in footfall, they will not come."
Mr Fawke wants RG2 to be chosen and, pointing out that there is no plan for the Civic Centre site once the building is demolished, he added: "They do not have a clue. It will be a blight on the area for a long time.
"I am flabbergasted. The Civic Centre is an anchor for our shopping centre and they are taking it away. At peak times we have 1,000 people employed here. An awful lot of them will end up on the dole."
Reading East MP Rob Wilson is "extremely concerned" the council has not considered wider concerns about jobs and growth. He said: "It would be a dereliction of duty if Labour councillors voted to desert the area without a developed plan for what happens next. I hope they will brief me on their plans as soon as possible."
The council is considering not taking the Post Office when it leaves the seventies-built Civic Centre - which provides office space for more than 800 people but is reaching the end of its life - and moving it to the Broad Street Mall but Mr Fawkes said nobody has mentioned that to him.
Cllr Lovelock said: "I don't agree with Mr Fawke. We are very mindful of keeping Reading buoyant economically and it does not help to have people talking it down. We also have to consider the cost to the council taxpayers. We will still have interests in that area, with the market and the Hexagon. We are not just going to walk away."
For more on the proposed move see www.readingchronicle.co.uk
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 24 May 12
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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NotJohn
Unregistered User
May 28, 08:40
Report commentRBC have to move from the current building and according to the report, are making the most cost effective move. There are other plans for that end of the town center.
Read the report and decide for yourself.
Recommend?
Yes 7
No 2
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Jeremiah
Unregistered User
May 28, 10:21
Report commentThe Oracle already did enough damage and let's face it public sector workers are hardly renowned for big spending. Well unless you count wasting taxpayer's money that is...
Recommend? Yes 7
No 5
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Brer Rabbit
Unregistered User
May 28, 18:21
Report commentMaybe BROAD Street Mall boss Steve Fawke should concentrate on making a visit to the Broad Street mall a better experience...
Recommend? Yes 14
No 3
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BarbaraC
Unregistered User
May 28, 19:40
Report comment@Brer Rabbit: I agree! All they need to do is get a Home Bargains and B&M Retail in there and then the set of discount stores will be pretty much complete!
Recommend? Yes 9
No 2
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ReadingResident
Unregistered User
May 29, 14:58
Report commentIt's about time someone stood up to RBC and had their say. Have RBC forgotten that they are supposed to be about the Reading Community and supporting local businesses. I agree with you Steve they should take note!!!! on another note what message does this give to those that are living in poor housing conditions - RBC are planning on spending £59.6m on an office move, this should be spent on creating more accommodation and a safer environment for the Reading community.
Recommend? Yes 5
No 2
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Steve Fawke
Unregistered User
May 29, 15:14
Report commentGuys I would add that I am not speaking solely for the Broad Street Mall although that obviously is od concern but for the whole of this end of the town. There are retailers that survive on the spend from the civic centre, not least the restaurants along Queens Walk.
Once the council have vacated the civic centre the Hexagon will be situated right in the middle of derelict buildings which will not do anything for obtaining developers to partner any redevelopment so the whole area could lay dormant for some time which can't be good news for anyone.
There are no plans for this end of the town centre, there is a mention of redevekopment however there is no master plan for the area which beggars belief.
Relocating to Bridge Street will affect this end of town - pure and simple.
Recommend? Yes 4
No 0
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Leanne
Unregistered User
May 29, 17:35
Report comment@Steve Fawke: Hi Steve - is there any chance you could encourage Home Bargains to come to Broad Street Mall?
Recommend? Yes 5
No 0
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Thingy
Unregistered User
May 31, 23:42
Report commentSorry but the Civic Centre and the Hexagon are an eyesore and need knocking down. What we need is a bigger theatre to attract the entertainment which ignores our town and heads to Oxford. The Civic Centre does not exist to keep the local restaurants in business either. Change happens and they need to plan for it.
Recommend? Yes 0
No 0
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Athena
Unregistered User
Jun 1, 13:45
Report commentWhat about passing trade from the Reading market - surely that brings some people into the Butts Centre. I find it hard to believe that the centre relies mainly on custom from the Civic Centre, and if it does then it's doing something wrong. Make the shopping centre a bit more appealing and perhaps more people will want to shop there.
Recommend? Yes 3
No 0
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