Cities Outlook 2010

Respected independent think-tank Centre for Cities has named five ‘cities’ to watch in 2010: Brighton, Milton Keynes, Reading, Cambridge and Edinburgh; all have the right ingredients to succeed after the recession has passed.  Read more on Reading UK CIC’s web site at:

http://www.livingreading.co.uk/index.php?cID=69&cType=news

Inward/investment

North West College (Reading) Ltd has taken a lease from Friarose Properties Ltd for the whole of the first, second and third floors of 145 Friar Street, totalling approximately 4,773 sq ft. The length of term is 10 years with an option to break at the end of the fifth year, which started in November 2009. The rent achieved was a stepped rent over the first five years, averaging £62,990 per annum with an initial rent free period.

Three floors (20,000 sq ft) of Zenith House have been let to Action 4 Employment (A4E). Relocating from Thames Tower, A4E is an international business working with government and the private and third sectors to design, develop and deliver social inclusion programmes that benefit individuals, organisations and communities.

Deep-Secure, the Reading-based IT security company, has undergone a GBP 3.5m management buy-in backed by venture capital firm YFM. www.deep-secure.com

Choice Care Group has secured GBP 31m from Royal Bank of Scotland to fund the expansion of its Reading-based chain of 39 care homes. Choice Care Group, Kirtons Farm Road, Pingewood, Reading, RG30 3ZR

Primark is to acquire ten clothing stores from Bhs, with the transfer of 350 staff. Primark's UK HQ is at 41 West St, Reading, RG1 1TZ http://www.primark.co.uk

2010 office market off to a flying start

Care UK, a leading independent provider of health and social care services working in close partnership with Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts, will be moving from Abbey Gate to Plaza West in Bridge Street. Care will occupy 9,100 sq ft on the ground floor, until recently occupied by Bank of Ireland, joining Yell and SAB Miller who are already tenants of this 80,000 sq ft headquarters building. The financial terms remain confidential.

Thames Water has announced plans to create nearly 200 jobs at its new operation in Reading. The firm has signed a 25-year lease for its new management centre in Green Park, which is due to open next month. The company wants to hire 196 people to fill a range of posts, from call centre agents to management roles in water and wastewater services. Staff will begin moving in over the next few months but it will be two more years until the site is fully occupied.

Planning

The application by Jon Hallett Letting Agents to change the use of the ground floor premises at Blagrave House, 17 Blagrave Street – to A2 - has been permitted and Jon Hallett is now trading from Blagrave House.

The application for 1- 5 King Street (ex-Barclays Bank) to change the use from Class A2 (Financial and Professional Services) to Class A3 (Restaurants and Cafes) on ground floor; ancillary storage at basement and Class B1 (Business) use on 3 upper floors; together with external and internal alterations with respect to the strip out and de-branding of the Barclays Bank premises, has been permitted.

Transport update

Please click on the link below for Reading Borough Council’s latest transport e-newsletter: 

http://www.reading-travelinfo.co.uk/documents/update-newsletter/December-2009.pdf

and here for the latest fact sheet on Junction 11: http://www.reading.gov.uk/junction11

Opportunities to secure additional support for your business

If your business is innovative and has the potential for high growth, you are in an excellent position to benefit from comprehensive business support from the Thames Valley Innovation and Growth Team (IGT).

A range of targeted support is available to companies that are innovative in the way they deliver services, improve processes or develop technology and which can demonstrate the ability to grow rapidly. This support is delivered by a staff of experienced business professionals, coaches and mentors, operating locally and regionally and is at no cost to eligible businesses because it is funded by government.

The IGT works with businesses of all sizes. If you are starting a high growth business, support may include business modelling, investment strategy, mentoring, protection of intellectual property and help with raising finance and investment. For more established companies, expert knowledge and specialist input can promote innovation and improve performance. Central to this is the Open Innovation project, which actively links medium and large businesses with the innovative and small businesses in the IGT network.  In addition, structured coaching programmes are available to help teams recognize their abilities and use these to work to their strengths to maximise growth.

The IGT also hosts a regular range of networking events and seminars, which are open to all members of its rapidly growing Community of Innovation. To find out more visit http://www.innovationgrowth.co.uk/thamesvalley

Up to £1,000 Available to Businesses for Smarter Working

Businesses in Reading with between 5-250 employees are being offered a new grant of up to £1,000 to assist them in reducing the cost of their business travel. The match funded grants are being made available from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and are accessible through Business Link.

The project, called 'Sustainable Routes', offers businesses travel efficiency advice and grants, which could be used towards options such as purchasing remote working equipment, developing flexible working policies and fuel conversion etc. The project aims to focus businesses on improved and sustainable travel choices, which should help to reduce travel expenditure and also carbon emissions.

For more information about the project including how to apply, contact Business Link on 0845 600 9006 or see http://www.sustainableroutes.co.uk

Connect Reading Forum

Find out how your business can receive £2,500 by employing a young apprentice through the Government's AGE 16-17 programme and how you can receive £1,000 when taking on a graduate intern for a 13 week placement through the GradSEED programme, at the next Connect Reading Forum. These are time limited offers on a first come first served basis; book your free place now for the ‘Enterprise and Skills – Reading’s Future’ Forum sponsored by Novotel Reading on Monday 8 February from 12noon and 2pm. Email your name, contact details and dietary or access requirements mailto:events@connectreading.co.uk to secure your place. If you know of a business colleague or associate that might like to attend please forward this invitation to them.

Help needed for local fundraising event
 

In partnership with the Alzheimers Research Trust, Eleanor Bennet - singer, songwriter and comedienne - will be attempting a Guinness World Record. It will be taking place on Saturday 27 March at the Broad Street Mall.

The attempt title is 'The World’s Tallest Toilet Roll Tower'! Yes, that's a tower made of toilet rolls! Whilst a fun and family event it has the serious aim of raising funds and awareness for the charity: Alzheimers disease affects communities everywhere and devastates lives. Here are a few facts and figures:

There are 700,000 people living with dementia in the UK today, a number forecast to double within a generation. 
Just 2.5% of the government's medical research budget is spent on dementia research, while a quarter is spent on cancer research.
1 in 3 over 65s will die with some form of dementia.

Follow the link below to find out more information and of course, sponsor lots of toilet rolls! ALL funds go direct to The Alzheimers Research Trust:
http://http://www.eleanorbennet.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=45&Itemid=121

For peace of mind, here is a link to a letter from the Alzheimers Research Trust confirming the purpose of the event:
http://www.eleanorbennet.com/images/stories/downloads/art_support_confirmation.pdf

Reading NHS Walk-in Health Centre, Broad Street Mall

A reminder that NHS Berkshire West has provided a Walk-in Centre service on the first floor of Broad Street Mall. The service is being provided by Assura Reading LLP, a joint venture between Assura Medical and a number of local Reading GP Practices.

The Centre is open to non-registered patients including those who do not currently have a GP and those who are registered elsewhere. It provides bookable and walk-in appointments from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week.

The contact details are: Reading Walk-in Health Centre, 1st Floor, 103-105 Broad Street Mall, Reading RG1 7QA.

t: 0118 902 8300
f: 0118 902 8301
http://www.readingwalkinhealthcentre.nhs.uk/holding.asp

Reading A to Z
John Madejski Art Gallery at Reading Museum, Town Hall

An A to Z of our fascinating town in objects and artworks selected from the Museum’s collection: the exhibition covers a thousand years of Reading’s history, from Abbey to Austen, to Zaandam and Zinzan. Explore the people, places and products that have influenced how Reading is today. What would you include? What have we left out? Come and share your own ideas!
Runs until 10 April 2010

For further information see www.readingmuseum.org.uk

Annual Charity Pancake Race

This year's Annual Charity Pancake Race takes place in Broad Street on Tuesday 16 February at 12.30pm.

Teams of 4 are needed for this fun lunchtime event in aid of Sue Ryder Care. All you need is a frying pan and we'll provide you with the pancakes! Entry is just £20 per team.

The event is organised by Reading Borough Council and Reading Chronicle, and supported by Reading 107fm, John Lewis, The Oracle, Peter Green and the Bina Tandoori. If you would like more information, please call 0118 939 0373 or email jo.keen@reading.gov.uk

Reading Half Marathon
Sunday 21 March

The Reading Half Marathon is now full although you can still enter the Green Park Challenge. The Green Park Challenge is a 2.8km run open to all the family. From serious athletes wanting a shorter race, to complete beginners wanting to have fun, get fit and raise money for charity all at the same time. Start time is 8:30am.

For information on the Half Marathon and the Green Park Challenge visit http://www.readinghalfmarathon.com

Full details of road closures will be available in early February at http://www.reading.gov.uk

Open For Art

The first Open For Art venue was launched on Friday 27 November at 173 Friar Street with an exhibition curated by Caversham artist, Bithja Moor, entitled Peepshow. Peep shows, also known as peep box or raree show ("rarity show") trace back to ancient times and are known in various cultures. A peep show could be a wooden box with a hole or several holes, containing a set of pictures. The boxes were often decorated inside to resemble theatrical scenes.

In this installation all the family can peep through little spy holes and discover thought-provoking insights and secret worlds created by arjeea21, a group of artists based in Reading. http://www.arjeea21.com

Three more venues will be installed in the next few weeks and information on where you can find them in Reading can be found at http://jelly.org.uk.

Open for Art is a partnership project between jelly and Reading UK CIC, utilising Reading's empty shop windows with art from Reading based artists. This follows a successful pilot project in June 2009 creating pop-up galleries in Reading. Working with the landlords and agents of Reading we will be using temporary spaces, creating a visual profile for the arts and showing Reading's individuality as a town. For further information on other Open for Art spaces please visit http://www.jelly.org.uk

This project is being supported by Cream Design, Fryer Holt, Brook Henderson, Hicks Baker and Sackville Developments (Reading) Ltd.

The Mayor’s St George’s Day Dinner (23 April 2010)

Enjoy a champagne canapé reception followed by a five course dinner, table gifts, dancing to Supper Club jazz band, table magicians and disco. With free on-site parking and some wonderful prizes on offer, this is certainly an event not to be missed.

The tickets are now on sale individually at £60.00 per head or tables of 10 at £550.00. A special overnight deal is also available at the Hilton Hotel, the main sponsors of this event. Please contact the Mayor’s Office on 0118 939 0071 to reserve your tickets.

All the profits from this event will go to the Mayor’s Fund in aid of Diabetes UK and Sue Ryder Care.

 
Tim Smith
Executive Director
Reading UK CIC

1 February 2009
 

This newsletter is for general information only. Whilst it is believed to be correct, it should not be relied upon for any commercial or other decision of value.