Reading residents have expressed their views on the council’s proposal to knock down Vue cinema at The Oracle. The cinema complex, which has been there since 1999, may be replaced with a smaller cinema, a restaurant, and 247 apartments.

Chante Darlow expressed her disdain at the plan stating “It’s meant to be a shopping centre with restaurants and bars! There will be nothing left in Reading soon.”

This same concern was echoed by Emily Davies who said: “I wish local residents had some input in what happens. There is literally going to be no town left.”

If the council’s plan goes ahead, multiple restaurants would also face demolition. These are the Miller & Carter steakhouse, Browns brasserie & bar, TGI Fridays and the Cote Brasserie.

READ MORE: Vue Cinema at The Oracle Reading could be knocked down | Reading Chronicle

Jeanette P Homewood said with regards to the 247 new apartments “Are locals going to be able to afford them, probably not. Will schools and doctors be able to cope, probably not.”

She continued: “Is Reading changing for the better or worse, I've no idea, but a lot has changed since I left my hometown.” 

In agreement with the changing state of Reading’s centre, Lorraine Leach commented “There is nothing left in Reading. We all go Basingstoke or Bracknell.”

If the cinema was to be demolished, 247 apartments would occupy a building of up to 16 storeys, with the ground floor being used for a lobby, cycle spaces, and waste storage.

The council has also confirmed that there will be a new restaurant on the ground floor.

On the other hand, some locals seem to back the council’s proposal, with Andrew Lin commenting “The cinema is run down. People might actually go to it if they made it nicer.”

John Seto, in agreement with the previous comment, said he was “not surprised. The interior looks rather run down and the escalators/lifts are unreliable.”

The planning agents involved with the proposed demolition have expressed the need for a new, more modern cinema.

In a previous statement, they explained how Vue is experiencing increased competition with other local facilities, like the Showcase in Wokingham and Cineworld at the Lexicon.

In the proposed plan, the new Vue would have three screens as opposed to the 11 that the current cinema has.