Reading could be getting a bowling alley and mini golf course to replace a major town centre department store.
Plans have been submitted to convert The Oracle’s three-floor House of Fraser into a new space with bowling, mini golf and a food hall.
The application, submitted to Reading Borough Council (RBC) by The Oracle, also includes plans for a third leisure unit.
READ MORE: Travellers set up in town centre car park
A bowling alley is long-awaited by many in Reading, with there being no place to hit a strike in Reading since Calcot’s Megabowl closed in 2014.
The Oracle is already discussions with a bowling alley operator to take on the space.
A poll of our readers suggests there is a strong appetite for a bowling alley in the town centre.
The food hall would include small specialist food vendors arranged around a communal seating area as well as a bar, while a large amount of the top floor space would be kept for retail.
A cafe on Bridge Street, opposite the council’s offices, is also included in the plans, with a suggested name of ‘Art Cafe’.
The plans also includes an extra 16 car parking spaces on the roof of Holy Brook car park.
The developer has held pre-application discussions with the council to get feedback on what would be accepted.
READ MORE: Reading nursing home 'requires improvements'
RBC will make a decision on the application at a future Planning Application committee meeting.
House of Fraser has been at The Oracle since the shopping centre opened in 1999.
Many of the troubled department store’s sites across the UK have closed in the last few years.
House of Fraser was rescued by Mike Ashley in a £90 million deal last year but has continued to struggle, with reported losses of £54 million last year.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel