Reading Roars!

Market Place. London Street. Napier Road. Church Street. Portman Road. Shinfield Road. Southcote Service Station. Hurricane Way. Knowsley Road. Buckingham Drive. That’s ten branches of Tesco within about five miles of the town centre.

Now they’re planning an eleventh, in the old Blockbuster Video unit at the east end of Oxford Road. Do we really need it? Is the level of demand for cut-price loo roll, cheap booze and bagged salad really that high in our town?

There’s not exactly a shortage of coffee shops in Reading, but now we’ve got one that promises something different to the mediocre-coffee-mass-produced-pastry-and-free-wifi crowd. Workhouse Coffee - until now located only on the Oxford Road, away from the town centre - has begun trading from its new branch after a low-key opening on Monday.

Based in the George Hotel, it’s directly opposite Starbucks and slap bang on coffee corner near where King Street meets Broad Street.

We popped along yesterday and can happily report it’s a world away from the homogenised chains that dominate this end of town. Even though the place isn’t yet finished (there are no prices on the wall and the back half of the shop is empty), it’s in a nice old building with a one-off, independent feel. And the coffee is excellent.

That, certainly, is no surprise. Anyone who’s taken the trouble to visit the other Workhouse branch will already be familiar with the company’s range of single-estate coffees. Founder Greg Costello promises “gourmet coffee” and the staff are on a bit of a mission to make really good coffee more accessible to those of us who don’t work in the industry.

That’s important, because buying a drink somewhere like this can be intimidating. You can’t just order a black coffee; you need to choose the beans you want it made from too.

Even the simplest of choices tend to confuse this particular Reading Roars writer, so thankfully when we visited the friendly staff were on hand with lots of advice. The filter coffee we tried (the 1576 variety) was first class and even at £2.70 seemed worth the asking price, especially given the care and attention that went into making it.

Although there was a delicious-looking range of pastries, quiches and cakes on display and more food is planned to tempt the lunchtime crowd, don’t be fooled: this place is all about the coffee. Encouraging people to try different varieties and helping them to appreciate the flavours seems to go to the heart of the Workhouse philosophy.

Life in the town centre isn’t easy for independent businesses, and we really hope Workhouse Coffee manages to emulate fellow independent outlet Picnic and thrive in its new location. It brings another much-needed slice of diversity to Broad Street, and offers a quality of coffee never before available in the town centre.

Ignore this sign

Remember how Reading Festival was granted an increase in capacity last year, up from 78,500 to a total of 85,000 by 2011? No? Well then you’ll definitely have missed the accompanying news: that Reading residents now get first dibs on a batch of 3,500 tickets to the festival.

If you live in an RG1, RG2, RG4, RG6, RG30 or RG31 postcode which falls under Reading Borough Council, or an RG4 postcode within Mapledurham Village which falls under South Oxon Council, you can go online from 26 March at 6.45pm to pick up tickets. The conditions for eligibility are a little confusing, but the ticket site will check your postcode before letting you purchase.

The residents-only tickets will be available till midnight on 28 March (or until they sell out), before the big general sale happens on 29 March. During that window, you should be able to buy tickets from http://www.seetickets.com/readingresidents, though the page isn’t live at the time of writing. For more details, check the festival website.

While this is clearly a good thing for all rock fans in Reading, we do see one problem: the line-up isn’t announced until 29 March, so you’ll have to buy the tickets without knowing who’s going to be up there on stage.

This doesn’t really bother us (we’d hate to miss the biggest event in the town’s calendar), but if you shell out £175 hoping for a killer headliner only to find it’s Kings of Leon yet again then you might be a touch disappointed.

Oh, one other thing. Thinking of buying a couple to sell on at a profit? Don’t bother - they’ll be checking ID on the gate. Besides, ticket touting is evil.

Sunday 14 February is not only a day for lovers, but the first day of the Year of the Tiger on the Chinese Lunar Calendar.

London offers the best Chinese New Year celebrations in the South-East, but if you’re inclined to stay in Reading, here are several ways of getting the Year of the Tiger off to a roaring start locally:

• Feast on Chinese food with friends or family. Popular restaurants in the Reading area include China Palace (Oxford Rd), Furama (Friar St), Peking Palace (Caversham) and Peking Garden (Pangbourne).  In addition, pan-Asian restaurant Glo offers Chinese food in the form of Dim Sum.  Alternatively, shop for ingredients at See Woo and cook for guests at home.

• Sink a Tiger (or several) with friends.  The marketing whizzes behind Singaporean brand Tiger want consumers to associate the Year of the Tiger with their beer.  Fair enough, I say.  You can drink Tiger in a number of venues across town.  If Tiger isn’t your thing, how about a swig of Lucky , brewed and bottled in China?  Lucky is available from JD Wetherspoon pubs (there are several in Reading, including The Back of Beyond, The Monk’s Retreat and The Hope Tap).

• Learn how to write your name in Chinese characters at Reading Central Library (for children aged 4-12 only), between 10.30am and 12pm on Friday 19 February.  No booking is required.  This might be a good first step to learning Mandarin.

• Attend a martial arts class and kick off the New Year in style.  In Reading, it’s possible to learn various styles of Kung Fu (Wing Chun , Fujian White Crane and Jade Dragon are just three examples).

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

What will you be doing to mark CNY in Reading?

Anyone wandering around Reading may have noticed this curious spectacle of PEEPSHOW in the window of the now-derelict Long Tall Sally shop, opposite the Town Hall.

Step closer and you will find tiny worlds and surprises tucked behind each of the peeping holes. Some of the things appear connected, some seem more random, some make you laugh, some surprise you, but whatever you think about what you see as you peek in, you have to admit that this is not what you expected to see on your way to work or to the train station.

PEEPSHOW is an exhibition by arjeea21; a group of mostly Reading-based artists who meet every month at the Jelly Legg’d Chicken workshop in the Town Hall to plan shows in and around Reading. I remember a striking exhibition organised by this same organisation in December 2008, in the now empty Gallery 10 on Gun Street. My favourite work at the arjeea21 show was called Curation Play, and involved a miniature gallery with moveable elements that could be reorganised freely into whatever you liked.

The Jelly Legg’d Chicken negotiated the use of Gallery 10 for many groups of artists during 2008 - 2009. I went to a few shows there and showed work myself around this time last year, and it was really exciting to have a gallery in town that unknown or emerging artists could afford to show work in.

But Gallery 10 and the Long Tall Sally shop are just a couple of examples in a long series of empty buildings in Reading that Jelly has negotiated for use by artists. The history of Jelly is long and rich, and wherever Jelly have been, exciting stuff has happened in Reading. Stuff which - like PEEPSHOW or Gallery 10 - was fresh and new and rootsy, coming straight out of the vibrant creative community that lives in this town.

The Jelly Legg’d Chicken was founded by Suzanne Stallard in 1993 and first lived on Gun Street in the building that now houses Lakeland plastics. Exhibitions were shown there every 2 weeks and artists were charged a small amount to show their work there, but the space made no commission on sales which meant that young or emerging artists could afford to show their work there.

In 1997, Jelly moved to Broad Street, to what is now the building with Coffee Republic in it. The Jelly Legg’d Chicken was also formally incorporated as a not-for-profit organisation. At Broad Street there were 12 studios in the building. Artists paid either in kind or with money for the use of these spaces, while money was also raised for the rent by art classes and the proceeds from the cafe in the building.

In 1999 when The Oracle was being built, Jelly managed to negotiate a deal with the builders and planners, for a lease that let them rent the enormous space that is now STRADA for £30,000 per year. By running the space in a more commercial way and putting on yet more classes and exhibitions, and by working 10am - 8pm most days, the rent just about got paid. But when the lease terms were renegotiated with much higher, commercial rates, Jelly was forced to relocate.

In 2004, The Jelly Legg’d Chicken moved to the Town Hall, where it has remained up until today, continuing to support local artists and negotiate the use of spaces for exhibition and studio purposes. Artist groups who use the Jelly workshop include the outcast knitting group, the hang on artists and arjeea21. As well as this, Jelly still offers a range of creative classes and acts as a bookable space that artists who want to put on workshops or study days can afford to rent.

But perhaps as important as these tangible services, is the hub-like quality of the Jelly Legg’d Chicken. At the moment, artists who need to talk to each other pass through the same space and get chatting to each other, or are put in contact with one another by arch-networker, Suzanne Stallard. Without a central space used by all these artists’ groups, such groups will recede back into people’s living rooms and random bars around town, invisible to one another, and isolated. Having a central place that is used by all these artists groups puts them in touch with one another, and this sense of community and network is absolutely vital if we are to have a vibrant, colourful, thriving creative scene in Reading.

However, the work of all the groups mentioned above will be compromised after 1st March, which is the date that the Jelly Legg’d Chicken has been ordered to vacate the Town Hall by. Reading Council apparently want to use the space instead as a gallery, because they believe that in this way they can reach more people. But I want to know more about this plan. I would like to know, for instance, what provisions will be made for emerging artists, what kind of prices artists will be expected to pay in order to use the space, and who will curate the shows and decide what kind of Art to show in Reading.

So with Jelly looking like a basically homeless organisation, and the Council hatching plans for some kind of future gallery space, I wonder if curious, strange, exciting shows like PEEPSHOW will continue to be a part of our urban scenery, or whether they will be replaced by something blander, more ubiquitous, less distinctive, less difficult and less exciting. Something perhaps, like STRADA, or Lakeland Plastics, or Coffee Republic?

If you want to support Art in Reading, there are a number of things you can do;

• Click the links from the Jelly blog, browse through the hang on artists blog, check out the arjeea21 website and find out what people are making - all the time - in this town!
• Leave comments on posts about Art - interact with it and say what you think
• Go to the Sunday Art Market at the Oakford Social Club and buy work directly from artists there
• Buy a cup of coffee in Moondogs cafe before it closes down
• Watch this video that was made by Reading artist, Peter Montford, in Moondogs Cafe
• Go to the Arts Forum meeting this coming Tuesday (9th February 2010) at 7pm at The Kennet Room, Civic Offices, all welcome

And remember to look in those peepholes next time you walk by Long Tall Sally.

Do you “heart” Valentine’s Day, now only one week away at the time of writing?  Here are 7 things to do in Reading and the Reading area to make it a romantic day to remember:

1. Go for a romantic walk in the gorgeous countryside surrounding Reading and combine this with an intimate Sunday pub lunch.  Country pubs offering top food, beer and rural views (for popping that important question) in the Reading area include The Pot Kiln near Yattendon and The Five Horseshoes near Henley.

2. Feed the swans by Caversham Bridge (Holiday Inn side).  Giving is better than receiving, after all.  Once the bread has run out, hop across the river to the charming Griffin pub for yummy food, wine and beer.

3. Similar to the above, consider a candlelit dinner at cellar restaurant Chronicles (Valpy St.), where you can try oysters on ice, or Art of Siam (King’s Walk), for a taste of the East.

4. Watch London Irish take on Bath at the Madejski Stadium.  Sport brings people together (especially on a cold day).  Hug him or her close as Irish’s brawny lads tear up the pitch, then enjoy a Guinness or two in a cosy pub afterwards.

5. Spend the weekend away.  The elegant-looking 5* Forbury Hotel in the heart of Reading is offering a bottle of Laurent Perrier Champagne, a single red rose and a showing of “The Proposal” in their private cinema to customers purchasing their Valentine’s Package.  Alternatively, stylish Malmaison, located opposite Reading Station, is offering a complimentary glass of Prosecco.  A little further afield is Tylney Country House Hotel, offering a bottle of champagne, a rose and canapés to couples.

6. Cook for your nearest and dearest.  Go to County Deli for local cheeses and beer (they also do pasta, olives and a range of meat products - perfect for that Italian meal).  Cook that something special, then watch a romantic movie starring Reading’s Kate Winslet (there is more than one!) together.  And after?

7. If you are single and available, join a Red Hat Salsa salsa class at Bar Risa (Friar St.) from 7.30pm until 9.30pm.   Forget where to place your left foot; look deep into your partner’s eyes and bring him or her close… and closer still.

What are your tips for a top day of romance in Reading?

If you’re looking for something not at all lovey-dovey to do on Valentine’s Day, you could do worse than head down to The Hexagon to see Dave Gorman perform as part of his Sit down, pedal, pedal, stop and stand up tour. The slightly weird name stems from the fact that he toured the same act last year, travelling between venues by bike. There’s no cycling involved this time though.

We managed to catch a preview show in Windsor this week and, being the first time Gorman had performed the routine in months, it was a little rough around the edges. We’d expect a more polished, slicker, snappier act in Reading - though going by our experience, you’ll certainly get your money’s worth. With no support, the geekish comic’s slot lasted well over two hours. Don’t worry, there is an interval.

We don’t want to spoil the evening for you, so suffice it to say that it’s not quite traditional stand-up. Gorman’s a storyteller at heart, so the emphasis is more on interesting, humorous anecdotes than set-’em-up-and-knock-’em-down laugh out loud moments.

The best bit? The Reading leg of the tour sold out weeks back (that’s why we booked Windsor instead), but extra tickets have since been released. There are only a few left, so head on over to Reading Arts or Ticketmaster to grab them while you can.

Reading Festival, last year

We’re a little late with this one, so you might already have realised that Reading Borough Council has decided to chuck the town’s hat into the ring and bid to be granted city status in 2010.

Reading has tried this twice before; on previous occasions we were beaten by economic powerhouses like Wolverhampton and Newport. Third time lucky, perhaps?

Backers of the idea talk of vague economic benefits and the notion of “putting the town on the map”. Seems a bit hopeful - none of the cities created in the last ten years have grown much in the national consciousness since they received their charters from the Queen. So why would Reading be any different?

Reading as a rock town

If you want something that already raises Reading’s profile more than becoming a city ever will, something people get excited about, and something that’s actually, well, cool, look no further than our world-famous rock festival.

Read the rest of this entry »

I like to consider myself as pretty knowledgeable about music, pretty clued up, but the truth is – although I am generally more so than most of my friends – current music is always something that I take a while to catch up with. Now, I appreciate that makes me sound a tad old before my time (something I’m constantly trying to avoid doing, usually in vain), but I’m afraid it’s just the way it is.

And you know what? I don’t care. I’ll give you an example: last year I heard all sorts of good things about a band called The Low Anthem and how they’d released a great album called ‘Oh My God Charlie Darwin’. This instantly intrigued me as obviously it’s a fantastic name for an album but also because it was described as dark, dirty Americana with Neil Young undertones, which is the kind of music that I listen to most of the time these days. But I didn’t buy it. I couldn’t be bothered. I waited.

There seems to be some sort of snobbery surrounding new music which says that you can only enjoy a band or an album for the first two or three weeks following its release (often before it’s released), that somehow once this time limit has passed it is no longer valid, irrelevant and pointless. That if you were to be seen listening to it after this date that you would be out of touch and cast aside by the trendy set and sent to live in a dungeon marked “Radio Two Night Time Schedule”. 

I don’t see why a record cannot be enjoyed regardless of whether it has been out two minutes or twenty two years. Obviously there are exceptions – there is no doubt that Anarchy in the UK has less impact today than when it was released into a mainstream of sap in 1976 – but surely a valid mark of ‘great’ music is that it is relevant and exciting no matter what the context. 

So what, then, does this have to do with Reading? Well, I bought The Low Anthem’s album last week from Sound Machine in Harris Arcade. I often shop in there, as well as CDs on the cheap, you can pick up albums on vinyl for £3 in there that would normally be £12 in HMV on CD. Another great place to find some bargains is Music Man on Oxford Road. They have a fantastic collection of Beatles vinyl in there, I even picked up a White Album for £20 before Christmas.

These places are absolute churches for me – I can spend hours rummaging around looking at old Bruce Springsteen albums or Elvis Costello seven-inches. My girlfriend has a similar fetish. Sometimes we won’t emerge for an entire afternoon. 

These places need to be supported and cherished if they are not to disappear from Reading’s streets and arcades. The stuff in there may not all completely be up to date and current and painfully edgy, but surely the fact that it’s not is, well, EDGY in itself?

You probably got bored of hearing the phrase “adverse weather conditions” about two weeks ago, but the snow’s effect is still being felt. Market Place in central Reading is closed to all traffic this morning as a couple of impressively-sized potholes have opened up. It’s the freezing and thawing of water that does it, y’know.

Lots of buses are running on diversion. This is likely to continue for the rest of the day - more information is available from Reading Buses. We walked past this morning and several people were hard at work repairing the damage (that’s not a sarcastic comment - they really seemed to be cracking on with it).

The relative piece and quiet without traffic got us thinking though. With Market Place closed, it’d be the ideal place for a, er, market. We’ve seen a temporary one spring up there a couple of times, but why not follow Oxford Street’s lead, close it to traffic once or twice a year and let pedestrians take over. Christmas market, anyone? (Image: Market Place, this morning.)