Reading printworks to become food and music venue

This Spring, a company called Tm Leisure applied to take over the printworks building in Tessa Road and convert it into a food market to rival those in London.

Tm Leisure run the Market Yard pop events in Reading town centre and has had plans to open a long-term venue for some time.

Planning consent for the project has recently been granted, meaning the company can begin conversion work.

Once complete, the venue, which will be called ‘Tessa Studios’ will feature food and drink stalls and event space for live music performances, DJs, live bands, and sporting events.

The venue will also be available for private hire events such as TV filming and brand and product launches.

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The company already has a licence for alcohol sales and hosting entertainment such as DJs and live music from 12pm to 11pm each day.

The licence for the Printworks was granted back in September 2021, and Tm Leisure was hoping to open in November 2021, but the project stalled.

An earlier planning consent for the takeover of the Printworks building lapsed, meaning the company had to submit a fresh planning application, which was validated in April this year.

Stating the benefits of the project, Tm Leisure’s planning consultant Andrew Harrison said it would create 100 jobs.

Tessa Studios will have a maximum guest capacity of 3,430 people, with 2,500 standing capacity and seats for 930 people in the entirety of the venue.

Floorplans show the Printworks being divided into a number of rooms, with a courtyard for food stalls, a photo booth, a graffiti wall and staff rooms.

The floorplans for the events venue called Tessa Studios at the old Print Works at 2-12 Tessa Road, Reading. Credit: Tm Leisure Ltd / Andrew Harrison

The Printworks were previously owned by Trinity Mirror, and was used to publish the Reading Post.

The building was acquired by the Thames Development Group in May 2014.

The last edition of the Reading Post was issued on December 17, 2014 with Trinity Mirror vacating the site in 2015.

While the printworks itself is addressed at Tessa Road, it fronts onto Richfield Avenue, being located directly opposite the Rivermead Leisure Centre.

Tm Leisure has been granted consent to operate in the building for a temporary period of five years in a decision made by Reading Borough Council’s planning department on November 7.

You can view the approved application by typing reference 230537 into the council’s planning portal.

Prior to occupying the site, Tm Leisure will need to support details of a travel plan to the council, as the approved scheme does not provide details for the amount of cycle parking spaces.

The earlier consent for The Printworks conversion, reference 211771 was approved for temporary use for one year in March 2022.