News round-up WE have rounded up some of Reading s most shocking, eye-opening and important stories from the past week. Here are a few of the most significant stories readers should be aware of:
1. Royal Berkshire Hospital nurse given a parking ticket in staff carpark
Royal Berkshire Hospital A nurse at the Royal Berkshire Hospital has received a car parking ticket whilst parking in the staff carpark. Shannon Smith, 22, has recently qualified as a nurse and parks her car in the staff’s South block car park when going to work. She revealed she received a ticket at the end of March 2020 for “inappropriate parking” but said the lines in the carpark have faded.
Morrisons in Reading A supermarket in Reading has been granted a 24/7 licence to open and sell alcohol.
Morrisons, on Rose Kiln Lane, 300 Basingstoke Road, will be able to open continuously and will sell alcohol around the clock after Reading Borough Council (RBC) approved the plans. The supermarket has also recently applied for planning permission to extend the store “to facilitate a proposed home shopping offer” to help with Covid-19. Morrisons current opening hours are Monday to Saturday, 7am to 11pm, and Sundays from 10am to 4pm. The variation to its premises licence, means it can now open it all hours, every day of the week.
Brunel Retail Park A retail park in south Reading could be demolished and replaced with logistics warehouses as the owners look to adapt to the “dramatic shift to online shopping”. Brunel Retail Park, on Rose Kiln Lane, which has stores including B&M, Halfords, Pets at Home, Next and Go Outdoors, could be transformed into two logistics warehouses. Quod, a planning consultancy, has submitted the flexible application on behalf of owner Mayfair Capital Investment Management Limited. The planning consultancy said the retail park has suffered from long-term vacancies and has several tenants which have been or are currently in administration.
The motorcyclist, a man in his forties, sustained serious injuries. He remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition. The driver of the car, a man in his thirties, was uninjured. Investigating Officer, PC Beth Drummond of the Joint Operations Road Policing Unit, made this new appeal today. She said: “We have now obtained new evidence in the form of dash-cam footage that shows a number of witnesses at the incident, some running towards the scene to help the motorcyclist and driver of the Ford. “We appreciate that two of these witnesses have come forward but there were other witnesses at the scene who we need to speak to, therefore I would urge them to contact police as soon as they can.
The driver of the car was not injured in the event. Senior Investigating Officer, Sergeant Gary Doughty of the Joint Operations Road Policing Unit, based at Three Mile Cross, said: “I am appealing for anyone who witnessed this incident, or who has any information, to please come forward. “In particular, I would ask any motorists in the area at the time of the collision, who have dash-cams, to please check any footage in case it may have captured something that could assist with this investigation. “I would also ask anyone who saw this happen to come forward and speak to us, if you haven’t done so already.