Published: Thursday, 28th May, 2009 8:30am

Work begins to finish mosque

by Maxwell Kusi Obodum

NEIGHBOURS have welcomed plans to finish the half-built mosque which they say has become an eyesore on the west Reading skyline.

Builders are set to resume work on the Abu Bakr Masjid mosque in Oxford Road next week, more than two years after the project first began.

Progress appeared to grind to a halt last June when design consultants Archi-Structure struggled to raise funds from the local community to finish the building.

But company spokesman Al Smarraie said: 'The builders will start work in the first week of June. Everybody is pleased and happy and this will add to the heritage of Reading. It"s a good design and it will add to the street scene of the Oxford Road.'

Currently west Reading"s Muslim population pray at a converted house in Valentia Road and two properties in Waylen Street.

'The new mosque will provide more space for formal worship, community events and separate facilities for women.

There will also be a visitor centre for non-Muslims to learn about the faith. Local resident Shakeela Faruk-Ahmed, 23, of Kensington Road, said: 'I"m relieved. It"s about time, it"s been going on for a couple of years and the major problem has been

getting funding from local people and the recession doesn"t help.

'It will be good for the community in Reading when it gets up and running.'

Chris Wells, 36, from west Reading, said: 'It looks terrible at the moment. If it"s not significantly improved in the next six months they should take authority and knock it down. It"s an eyesore.'

But local businessman Greg Costello said: 'My main concern is there are no parking facilities for something which is going to be extremely popular. It"s questionable that it"s in keeping with the character of the area, but time will tell.'

Reading"s Muslim population currently stands at 10,000. Last week borough councillors agreed a £4m deal for a mosque in Green Road, east Reading.

There are also mosques in South Street and Alexandra Road.

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