Today the Chronicle is calling on the Ministry of Justice to hand over the keys to Reading Gaol and make a decision over the site’s future.
This newspaper has been campaigning for years to save this under-threat piece of our town’s history.
Our petition to protect the building, described as a ‘Mecca for the LGBT+ community’ because of Oscar Wilde’s infamous incarceration, was signed by more than 10,000 people.
Regular readers may recall our front page in December 2019, where we wrote to Boris Johnson and his new government to ask them to save Reading Gaol from development.
When celebrated artist Banksy stepped in and offered a Disney-like end to the saga earlier this month by offering to pay £10million to take over the abandoned site and turn it into an arts centre, the town thought their prayers had been answered.
But disappointingly, despite his generous offer and his efforts combined with campaigners and Reading Borough Council, we are no further forward.
Don't be a Grinch: Chronicle calls out MoJ for silence on £10million Banksy offer
The Ministry of Justice has stubbornly refused to comment, has dodged our journalist’s questions while Banksy’s spokespeople say they haven’t even acknowledged his letters.
Well, this week we say no more.
Today The Chronicle is relaunching our efforts to Save the Gaol and is demanding that the MoJ finally makes a decision by selling this much-loved building to a community group or organisation that will safeguard its future.
The iconic Grade II listed site has been left abandoned and disused since the MoJ made the decision to close it in late 2013 - eight years ago.
We cannot let another eight years pass and waste this golden opportunity presented to us through Banksy’s intervention.
Read more: How a cancelled train led to Banksy's Reading prison stunt - and a £10m pledge to buy it
Decision makers at the Ministry have had nearly a decade to do something with the site and so far, they have failed.
It is time that they commit to selling the prison once and for all so that new life can be breathed into it.
It is unfathomable why the Ministry would prefer the site to lay abandoned and out-of-use when there are willing buyers of the calibre of Banksy and Reading Borough Council willing to transform it into something the whole town can enjoy.
Other cities and boroughs would be green with envy to have an offer from a world-renowned artist and as a local newspaper, we can’t stand by and watch this moment be wasted by ineptitude.
Read more: 'What a coup': Readers react to Banksy’s shock £10m bid for Reading Gaol
For the past fortnight, The Chronicle has faced great difficulty in getting straight answers to our questions from the Ministry.
Readers might rightly wonder whether decision makers have clocked off early for Christmas instead of responding in full to legitimate questions from the local press.
This week, we asked:
- Will new bids be considered?
- Who set the deadline for the bidding process?
- Could it be extended?
- Who is in charge of the final sale?
- What is the time frame of the sale?
In a one-line response, a Ministry of Justice spokesperson said, ‘the deadline for bids has passed and we are currently considering the ones received’, ignoring the rest of the questions and our desire for a timeframe.
As your local paper, it is our job to ask questions on your behalf. But unfortunately, it’s not always easy getting answers.
Our frustration has been shared by Banksy’s spokespeople, who say they haven’t even received acknowledgement of their letters.
They told us: “Like everyone else, we’re awaiting a response from the MoJ. Even an acknowledgement they received our letters would be nice.”
Read more: Banksy’s £10m prison offer will ‘boost Reading’s city status bid’
To the Ministry, we say this:
Both Reading Borough Council and Banksy have been clear that their intention is to create a brilliant cultural destination which has the potential to be enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people, not just from the town, but from beyond.
The prison holds great importance to the people of Reading both for its history and for its potential future.
To the Ministry of Justice, we say this: please don’t rob our community of a chance to save this iconic building and create an artistic legacy for the community and beyond.
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