Here are the top five stories published in Reading this week.

1. All the places in Berkshire with a zero hygiene rating

Reading Chronicle:

When visiting your favorite restaurant for a bite to eat or catching up with friends in that popular coffee spot, do you ever know how clean the premises are?

From the safety and quality of the food handling to the cleanliness of facilities everything counts when ordering or buying food and drink from a retail or hospitality premises.

This is why the Reading Borough Council and the Food Standards Agency has a guide when inspecting businesses in their regular inspections.

Read full story here 

2. Meet the Miss England 2024 beauty pageant finalist from Reading

Reading Chronicle:

A Reading woman has been named as one of the finalists for Miss England 2024.

Social media star Elvira Styles, 22, has been selected to compete in this year's pageant. 

Having moved to Reading in 2017, Ms Styles said that people who knew her at school would never think she would have gone on to achieve what she has due to her shy nature.

Read full story here 

3. Plea as family faces eviction due to council decision

Reading Chronicle:

A couple with four daughters have pleaded to Reading council to reverse course over an upcoming decision to evict them and 100 other families. 

The Perry-Lee family have lived in Kingsway, Caversham since 2018 after moving to the area for work.

They live there with their four daughters aged 9, 8, 6 and 3, and currently rent their semi-detached home from the council’s market housing company Home for Reading.

Read full story here 

4. The Halfway Inn Newbury new pub opening today March 7

Reading Chronicle:

A much-loved pub will be reopening today near Reading under new management. 

The Halfway Inn, located on the A4 in Halfway near Newbury, is a gastro pub serving hearty pub classics along with beers, wines, and spirits.

After a period of closure, the new staff at the Halfway Inn in Newbury are excited to announce that the beloved pub will be opening its doors again today Thursday March 7. 

Read full story here 

5. Flats replace care home at 325 home Theale project

Reading Chronicle:

New flats and homes are on the way for a development of hundreds of new homes in Theale.

Development company Ridgepoint Homes is making progress on its project to build 325 homes at the Lakeside site, which is bound by The Green and Bath Road.

The latest news is that a majority affordable element of the development has been given approval by West Berkshire Council's planning department.

Read full story here