Tony Charles has been strolling up and down the west Reading thoroughfare speaking to shop owners and residents about his project, which launched last month.

Starting with a website directory for businesses to advertise themselves on, he hopes the scheme may one day result in a one-stop shop on the road to act as a base for boosting local commerce.

He said: “The area itself is multicultural and very diverse but it seems to have been losing something every year lately. In Dalston, London, they have a market that is renowned and people travel up there for the produce. Within the Oxford Road community you can find all of those things, so why not create something like that here?”

Through grassroots advertising and community events, the print business-owner from Tilehurst hopes to garner more support and turn the street into a well-known destination for shops and services.

At the end of February, Tony launched the website half of his project and he has been speaking to people who live and shop in the area and handing out promotional leaflets ever since.

Tony said: “It has always been left to the media to have the final say or start a campaign before residents can actually make their voices heard. This way, people voice themselves rather than just read about complaints. Oxford Road does have a bit of a downtrodden image, but I think that if the community gets together then we can create something uplifting.”

As well as its own site, those behind the campaign will be encouraging and helping traders with their own websites to help spread the word. For more information, go to www.oxfordroad-reading.co.uk