AN ONGOING campaign to try and save Reading Gaol and see it converted in to an arts centre remains poised for action.
The resignation of Boris Johnson as prime minister after his ministers lost confidence in him has meant a planned meeting between Reading East MP Matt Rodda and the then prisons minister was nixed.
However, Mr Rodda has had short catch-up with the new prisons minister Stuart Andrew, in a bid to ensure the future of the gaol remains on the agenda.
“I’ve explained to him about the background of the jail, how important it is as a historical building and about our campaign to save it,” he told Reading Today.
“Mr Stewart has listened very carefully to that and he’s going to look into it for me.”
He continued: “I’m really encouraged by that and hope we can move the campaign forward.
“We’ve got a new minister and a new start.
“I’m really keen to work with him and try and do the best for Reading.”
The gaol has been empty since December 2013. It has been put on the market, with a number of potential bidders, but the sale has fallen through each time.
In 2021, Banksy painted a mural on the walls in a bid to help protect the site for future generations, offering to sell the stencils used for the artwork to help Reading Borough Council complete its bid to turn the site into community-focused centre for the arts.
