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Transgressive Late-night Takeover Added to Reading Festival 2017

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Returning to conquer after-hours on the Alternative Stage at Reading and Leeds for its eleventh consecutive year, heavyweight independent heroes Transgressive Records will be bringing their most exciting line-up yet to ensure the party continues long after the headliners have finished.

Hijacking Reading on Friday, and Leeds on Saturday/Sunday night, the stage runs from 9.30pm until late, bringing a wealth of boundary-pushing, brilliant acts to put the cap on what’s already been announced, in a series of unmissable exclusive appearances.

This year at Leeds Festival, South London’s twice MOBO-winning and recent Brixton Academy headlining rap act Section Boyz make a special late night party appearance. Through their chart-busting mixtapes, they have accrued a huge audience up and down the country and this exclusive festival appearance will be an undeniable weekend highlight. Warming them up will be Transgressive’s latest signing – the massively tipped, young MC Benny Mails, whose debut cut ‘I Blocked My Dealer’ dropped earlier this year to wide acclaim; an early appearance from someone that has an extremely bright future. First on will be HMLTD, arguably the most innovative new genre-defying band in the country, whose sensational live shows, incredible sense of style and potent videos have marked them out as the forefathers of the new wave of UK guitar acts.

Also on the bill is XL Recordings’ hugely acclaimed New Gen collective, which features the freshest array of young rappers, singers and dancehall gurus currently making new music in the UK. With a cast of special guest performers revealed on the day, this is set to be a truly unique and exclusive moment to close Leeds Festival on the Sunday, which already has sold out of day tickets. The New Gen compilation dropped towards the end of 2016 on XL and has since received rapturous praise worldwide – this very special performance will feature some of the best new voices in the country, all sharing the same stage.

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After headlining Reading & Leeds in 2016, Foals return for a very special DJ set on the Saturday night at Leeds. The band’s Edwin Congreave will be present this year to provide a memorable set of classics and deep cuts.

Reading on Friday night will once again see a special 2 DJ ‘battle’ set-up, hosted by BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens, and featuring a number of talented artists and the team’s resident DJs pitted against each other in who can get the biggest sing-alongs. A packed stage each year, this year sees the likes of Circa Waves, The Big Moon, Marika Hackman, Jen Long and Bless DJs. Specially commissioned live visuals will be provided throughout the night, as well as more surprise appearances no doubt.

Toby L, co-founder of Transgressive, comments:

“Even after ten years of highlights, last year’s Transgressive Takeover at Reading and Leeds was easily our best yet, with revelatory and packed sets from Loyle Carner, Fat White Family, Metronomy and, somewhat surreally, Super Hans of Peep Show fame.

“It’s an honour to be invited back again in 2017, and we couldn’t be more thrilled about who’s joining us. On Saturday and Sunday in Leeds, it’s all about the best new voices in hip-hop and grime, from Section Boyz to Benny Mails to New Gen, as well as the incredible HMLTD: a band so good I’m still reeling that we didn’t sign them to Transgressive.

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“In Reading, we’ll continue our now-legendary silent disco party on Friday night. If scenes from last year are anything to go by, it’ll be once again gigantic. Radio 1’s Huw Stephens will be closing it out once again before an epic battle with our resident Bless DJs and Jen Long – it’s always huge, and a little bit hilarious.

“So, once the headliners hit the last note of their final song, you know where to be… come find us.”

Previous artists to appear live on the Transgressive Takeover include the ever-diverse likes of London Grammar, Disclosure, Kelis, Two Door Cinema Club, SBTRKT, Mike Skinner, Laura Marling, Warpaint, often making their debut appearances at Reading & Leeds, as well as guest DJs including Alt-J, and many more.

Other acts joining the line up across other stages are Yung Fume and Lotto Boyzz. South London rapper Yung Fume’s crossover rap-pop banger ‘Watch Me Flex’ has been raved about and remixed by Tinie Tempah and Wizkid, while Birmingham duo Lotto Boyzz are globalising the new sub genre of Afro Bashment with their summer staples ‘No Don’ and ‘Bad Gyal’. Adding a touch of delirious punk rock to the Transgressive bill are Swedish four piece Royal Republic, while Welsh newcomers Dream State are set to tear things up with their alt-rock riffs.

With headline sets lined up from the likes of Eminem, Muse and Kasabian, Reading & Leeds is primed to be the defining festival weekend of the summer including an unmissable selection of musical delights across genres and styles over the Bank Holiday Weekend.

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Tickets for Reading & Leeds Festivals 2017 are on sale now

Instalment plan available now with an initial payment of £50 (Plus booking fee)

Weekend Camping Tickets – £205 (Plus booking fee)

Day Tickets – £65 – Reading Saturday Sold Out

Early entry Pass – £20

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Campervan Pass – £75

Seat of Luxury – £35 – Reading Sold Out

Lockers – £20

Reading Car Park – £10

Mobile Charging – £20

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Conservative councillor hope to reverse new parking charges (Petition)

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You might remember our recent article discussing the concerns raised by Reading residents about the council’s decision to hike parking fees and scrap the 30-minute free parking offer at some car parks.

Now, Tilehurst’s Conservative representative, Councillor Raj Singh, is leading the charge for a change in direction. He’s launched a digital petition urging the Labour-led Reading Council to reconsider their decision.

Thousands have already signed the petition in protest against the council’s decision to remove the 30-minute free parking option at two of its car parks.

Tilehurst locals have seen firsthand the negative impact of the new parking charges at Dunstall Close and the Recreation car park. Businesses in the Triangle area are feeling the pinch, with fewer customers putting their survival at risk. This situation makes it harder for residents to access the everyday services they rely on.

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The community is calling on Reading Council to think again and bring back the 30-minute free parking scheme. Doing so would ease the burden on local businesses and ensure residents can access essential services without hassle.

If you believe in supporting small businesses to keep our community thriving, please consider signing this petition.

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Reading train station car park named as UK’s fifth most expensive outside London

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The car park near Reading Station has been identified as the UK’s fifth most expensive, according to a recent study conducted by Moneybarn, a car finance company. The study examined parking costs at the busiest train stations across the UK for an eight-hour stay on weekdays to determine the most expensive train station car parks nationwide. Oxford claimed the top spot as the most expensive train station car park in Britain, with a cost of £31.50 for eight hours.

The car park at Reading Station, managed by private operator APCOA Parking, charges £21.00 for an eight-hour stay and is not affiliated with the station itself. This car park next to Reading Station was ranked joint fifth in terms of expense.

Below is a list of the most expensive train station car parks in the UK (excluding London).

Rail stationParking price for 8 hoursTotal annual footfall (Apr 2021-Mar 2022)
1 Oxford£31.505.0M
2 Glasgow Central£24.9515.3M
2 Moorfields£24.954.8M
4 Sheffield£22.007.2M
5 Reading£21.008.8M

Reading Station serves nearly 20 million passengers annually. When Reading West approached APCOA for comment, the company had not yet responded to provide a statement.

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Wren School in Reading West Rated ‘Requires Improvement’ by Ofsted

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The Wren School in Reading has been recently rated as ‘requiring improvement’ after an inspection by Ofsted, highlighting areas within the institution that need enhancement. Previously, it held a grade of Good during the inspection.

Led by Principal John Salberg, the school, situated in Reading west, operates under the governance of the Excalibur Academies Trust, overseen by CEO Nicky Edmondson and a board of trustees chaired by Toby Watson.

According to the Ofsted report, there are several areas identified for improvement.

Overall effectivenessRequires improvement
The quality of educationRequires improvement
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
Sixth-form provisionRequires improvement
Previous inspection gradeGood
  • Firstly, in certain subjects, crucial knowledge and skills essential for student learning have not been adequately identified and organized. This has resulted in challenges for teachers in determining the appropriate content to teach and when to teach it. To address this issue, the school must focus on further developing its curriculum to ensure students acquire key knowledge and skills across all subjects and key stages, including the sixth form.
  • Secondly, some teachers have been found to employ ineffective strategies in aiding student learning, leading to suboptimal learning outcomes. It is imperative for school leaders to ensure that staff are equipped with effective teaching methods to introduce new learning materials and assist students in understanding and retaining the information taught.
  • Furthermore, the school has been criticized for not consistently providing appropriate support for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), hindering their ability to thrive academically. To rectify this, the school must offer additional training and support for staff to ensure that all students, including those with SEND, receive the necessary assistance for success.
  • Lastly, a minority of students were noted to exhibit a lack of focus on their learning, attributed to inconsistent application of the school’s behavior policy by some teachers. It is recommended that the school continues to integrate and enforce the new behavior system, ensuring consistent implementation by all staff members.

In response to these findings, the Wren School is expected to take proactive measures to address the identified areas for improvement, ultimately enhancing the overall learning experience for its students.

For further details, you can access the complete inspection report for Wren School by Ofsted at the following link: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/142121

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