Reading Roars!

You are browsing the archives of 2008 May.

I keep thinking that, on the talent front, Reading should be more like bohemian Brighton.  Or Oxford. 
Brighton has formidable digital talent (must be something in the sea air) and is quite rightly regarded as a creative hotspot.  Reading has its fair share of geeks, yet does not share the same creative accolade as the seaside [...]

The Evening Post reports that plans to build a new luxury hotel and leisure complex (yawn) in Friar Street have been given the green light.
I’ve not seen these plans but I’m hoping that the hotel will blend in a whole lot better than the Novotel monstrosity that looks like something designed for Ceausescu.  Fingers crossed.

Following on from “speciality beers”, we don’t appear to have that many “speciality bars” in Reading (we have mostly yawn-inducing clone bars, as found in most UK cities).  One of the noble few is new Polish bar Gospoda (meaning “restaurant” in Polish) in the heart of Oxford Road’s Polish community.
Gospoda’s interior impressed me.  Its sweet, wooden decor felt rural and [...]

I was checking out the large Abbey Mill House construction project next to the library (it should look pretty spectacular, ok, relatively spectacular, when finished), when I spotted a new bar I hadn’t seen before: Copa.  The “Continental Biers” emblazoned across its front drew me excitedly across the road.  My mind conjured up thoughts of Chimay [...]

I’ve been experiencing all sorts of technical issues in recent weeks. 
This blog was infected with spam links, my wireless network is on/off/on/off (mostly off) and my home computer is wheezing.  All very irritating, on a par with midges, outdoor advertising and public transport, and the reason why there have been few updates lately. 
Technology can be [...]

A long dark shadow has been cast across Reading, clouding the tremendous, and most unseasonal, Spring sunshine. 
After a glorious spell in the top flight of English football, Reading players saw their fairy tale end this afternoon, despite hammering four past Derby (surely the most atrocious team in Premier League history).
It’s now confirmed: the Royals are indeed [...]

I’m not feeling so perky this afternoon, thanks to the wonderful institution that is the Reading Beer and Cider Festival. My, how it’s grown! I’d been on 3 previous occasions and remember it being a fairly intimate event. Now there are 2 big tents - and a longer queue to get in.
Damn that queue. I [...]

Following criticism by Transport secretary Ruth Kelly in February, First Great Western agreed to provide a £29 million package of benefits to customers/passengers (a significant pledge that I should have blogged about at the time).
A letter sent by First Great Western’s Chief Operating Officer at the end of last month provided an insight into what [...]