Changes made to project for busy corner of Reading

For years, assets owner Thackeray Estates has wanted to make changes to the buildings it owns at the corner of Friar Street and Queen Victoria Street.

The changes will see the buildings along the streets converted into apartment-hotel rooms for short stays, with shops and eateries on the ground floor and a unique courtyard created for the area for the first time.

Now adaptations have been made to the project that was approved by Reading Borough councillors in December 2022.

For the ground floor units in Queen Victoria Street, although the amount of commercial retail space will remain the same, the number of units could be reduced from four to three.

READ MORE: Reading plans that change Friar Street forever explained

The commercial units provided along Friar Street would increase in size as well, with additional changes to a lobby for the apartment-hotel rooms, with all public access being provided from Queen Victoria Street.

Justifying the adaptations, a planning agent from Falconer Chester Hall said: "The applicant currently have two offers from national retailers that
will anchor the scheme.

"However, the interest they have secured will fall away if we do
not get permission to vary the use class."

Thackeray Estates is therefore applying for more flexible use of the ground floor units.

For the upper floors, internal changes would allow the amount of apartment-hotel rooms to be increased by three rooms - from 103 to 107.

Explaining these modifications, the planning agent said: "Thackeray Estate is currently in legal discussions with the preferred partner as there is a significant interest for the apart-hotel .

"One crucial point is the hotelier is seeking more bed spaces as they consider
the site a prime location."

Thackeray Estates vision involves the apartment-hotel and courtyard area for the corner of  Queen Victoria Street, which it calls QVS1+, and a fully-fledged hotel with 163 rooms along Friar Street itself.

A CGI of the proposed new 163 bed Leonardo hotel, codenamed QVS2, planned to replace Eyesite opticians and Revolucion de Cuba in Friar Street. Credit: Falconer Chester Hal

As approval was officially given by the council's planning department in May last year, both projects could have been completed by the end of 2024.

Initially, the company said QVS1+ would have taken 14-15 months to build, with QVS2 -the hotel- would be constructed in about 18 months.

But the changes mean the project will be delivered later than expected.

Thackeray Estates is now hoping to begin work in November and complete both projects by January 2026.

The changes require approval from the council.

You can view the adaptations by typing references 240422 and 240404 into the council's planning portal.

The QVS2 project will see the Revolucion De Cuba building demolished and replaced with a Leonardo Hotel.

Eye Site, which occupied one of the units set for demolition, relocated to Broad Street earlier this month.

Meanwhile, The Bugle pub will be incorporated into the hotel.