A DECISION by the government not to allow Reading Gaol to be turned into a locally-owned arts centre has been branded “disappointing” by one of the MPs who fought to save it.
The historic site, which was once home to an incarcerated Oscar Wilde, was put up for sale by the Ministry of Justice in 2015, and Reading Borough Council had hoped to be first in the queue to buy the site, which is close to Forbury Gardens and the town’s historic Abbey Quarter.
Reading East MP Matt Rodda had teamed up with his Reading West counterpart – and political opposite – Alok Sharma in a bid to save the site.
Last autumn, they led hundreds of people in a mass hug around the gaol site, and last month organised a virtual protest march after the real thing was called off due to the coronavirus.
But on Monday, Reading Borough Council revealed that its bid to buy the site was rejected by the Ministry, adding that it would now collaborate with the winning bid to ensure the site’s historic and cultural value is retained.
In a statement, Mr Rodda said: “I am deeply disappointed with the Government’s approach and I would urge the Government to work with the council and respect the enormous historical importance of Reading Gaol.
“I am concerned that the Government still want to sell the gaol to the highest bidder and I understand they now have a preferred bidder who they are working with.
“I would ask them even at this late stage to reconsider and think again about selling the gaol to Reading Borough Council or an arts and heritage organisation.”
And Reading Borough Council said that its planning policies would at least mean that any development would include a provision for a cultural or historical element which draws on the significance of the site and enhance the Abbey Quarter as a heritage and cultural destination.
It added that it is highly likely further archaeological assessments and investigations would additionally be needed to inform any future development.
The leader of Reading Borough Council, Cllr Jason Brock, said: “The Council’s bid rightly focused on the historical and cultural value of the Reading Prison site and it was dependent on securing significant external funds to manage the risk of taking ownership of this historic property.
“We are naturally disappointed that the Ministry of Justice has rejected the council’s bid.
“The purchase of Reading Gaol comes with significant planning parameters which are fundamental to any development of the site and are designed to protect the prison’s historical, archaeological and cultural value, all of national significance.
“The developer will now need to pay very close consideration to the local and national and local planning policies set out by the Council in the Prison Framework and in our new Local Plan.
“I intend to meet with the successful bidder at the earliest opportunity to impress this upon them and want to work closely with them to ensure the historical and cultural value of Reading Prison is given prominence as plans are developed.”
