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Is Reading West the dirtiest area in town- and should residents do more to keep it clean?

Published

9 years ago

May 30, 2016

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Street cleaning at Reading West is not up to standard

Our humble opinion is YES! Reading West is fantastic; a cool and super friendly area full of eclectic mixes like the Mosque next to the sex shop and the dancing figures on the roof tops opposite.

There can be no denying that the streets around here are a mess – it’s a depressing reflection on some peoples’ complete disregard for their environment and for other people. Note: we have a Reading-wide problem, plenty of people enjoy our late night take outs. It’s all of our responsibility to tidy it up, or more to the point, to not make the mess in the first place. Certainly the Council can help and here we discuss how to take steps together.

Years ago a shop owner would take as much pride on the pavement outside their shop as they would their home…because many times it was their homes. Big businesses and franchises may bring money to the area but also brings litter and un-owned rubbish. The worst offenders are then as follows; takeaway boxes, cans, glass, paper & bags left blowing in the wind. Let’s think solutions: Definitely charge people like Tescos for clearing up and a Reading tax on cigarettes too. Or try the carrot approach: Make cleaning a certain square foot of area around your shop a condition of slightly lower rents? Small businesses in West Reading would leap at the chance to lower their rents for some normal sweeping and tidying I’d guess. Make sweeping and tidying easier for all- many more bins on side streets and on the school walk home?

A bit of a stick would be notices that state how much litter fines are could also encourage the lazier residents among us (that said, most of us are great, community orientated people). We’d probably need a short film of someone actually being fined to make this believable, available on line and on blogs like ours.

Let’s make a clean start of it. Jet wash the filthy streets and clear chewing gum and cans from strewn pavements. Let’s all go for it, let’s make this look like the cool place to live that it actually is.

Related Topics:Is Reading West the dirtiest area in town- and should residents do more to keep it clean?

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OLLY MURS plays READING – Palmer Park on Friday 13th June 2025!

Published

3 weeks ago

April 11, 2025

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Olly Murs fans, buckle up! The Palmer Park Summer Series is delighted to announce Olly Murs Live in Palmer Park, Reading on Friday 13th June 2025.

It’s 15 years since Olly exploded onto our screens, yet he is still more determined than ever about what’s next. With 7 successful albums, 5 of them reaching no.1, in excess of 2 million tour tickets sold, 7.6M monthly Spotify listeners & a combined following of over 27M across social media, Olly has so far had an incredible career as a singer, songwriter & TV personality.

2024 was also a busy year with Olly working 44 dates touring with Take That & finishing off the summer with a run of his own headliner gigs. Having just announced a summer tour in 2025,
Olly has another action-packed year ahead of him & will be celebrating his 15-year anniversary gigging all the hits as he travels down the road to Reading, Palmer Park with Legacy Live on Friday 13th June.

Don’t miss the chance to celebrate 15 fantastic years of Olly Murs in Reading! Book your tickets now at www.legacylive.co Limited Tickets Available!

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Host a Street Party This Summer – Apply Now for Free Road Closures in Reading

Published

4 weeks ago

April 4, 2025

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People are being encouraged to bring communities together this summer by holding their own street parties as part of The Big Lunch 2025.

This year’s celebrations are particularly significant, as they coincide with the 80th anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day – a special opportunity to come together with neighbours in both celebration and commemoration.

Free Road Closures for Summer 2025 Street Parties

Reading Borough Council is once again supporting local events by covering the cost of road closure fees for street parties on any of the following weekends:

Saturday 8 & Sunday 9 June – The Big Lunch Weekend
Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 June – Armed Forces Day
Saturday 5 & Sunday 6 July
Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 July

How to Apply

To host a street party, residents must apply by Monday 21 April 2025. Applications must ensure the proposed road closure does not affect a main through-route or public transport route. Organisers are also asked to consult with neighbours, address any concerns, and ensure access for emergency services is maintained throughout the event.

You’ll need to provide:

Your name and contact details
The name(s) of the road(s) to be closed
The date and times of the closure
A list of the properties that will be affected
Details of how you will notify residents of the closure
Confirmation that neighbours are on board with the plans

So, roll out your bunting, get the trestle tables down from the loft, and start planning your perfect summer street party!

For more information and to submit your application, visit the Reading Borough Council website.

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MP for Earley and Woodley Yuan Yang shortlisted for women’s prize

Published

1 month ago

March 28, 2025

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MP for Earley and Woodley Yuan Yang among shortlisted women for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction in 2025.

Yuan Yang, the MP for Woodley and Earley, wrote Private Revolutions: Coming of Age in a New China, while Oxford-based Dr Rachel Clarke wrote The Story of a Heart.

Ms Puri said the non-fiction works were “united by an unforgettable voice, rigour, and unique insight”.

The shortlist is rounded out by Dr Rachel Clarke’s The Story of a Heart, The Buffalo Stance singer’s A Thousand Threads, Chloe Dalton’s Raising Hare, Clare Mulley’s Agent Zo: The Untold Stories of Courageous WW2 Resistance Fighter Elzbieta Zawacka, and Helen Scales’ What the Wild Sea Can Be: The Future of the World’s Ocean.