A family entertainment centre that will include bowling and gaming is to ‘just what Reading needs’.
FunBox is planning to open in the former New Look store in the Broad St. Mall, and permission was granted by councillors when they met earlier this month.
As well as ten-pin, the site will include bowling, virtual reality (VR) games, a restaurant and some arcade machines.
Cllr Karen Rowland (Labour, Abbey) said at the planning meeting where permission was granted: “I’m very positive about this, the employment contributions to the town centre is one aspect, but the energising of the Queens Walk, and giving it another area along there will be very very positive.”
Also approving was Cllr James Moore (Liberal Democrats, Tilehurst), who said: “I’d say one of the things I hear from residents the most is that there’s not enough for young people to do in Reading.
“This is something we do not have in Reading, there is no place where you can play Mario Kart with your friends on a big arcade machine or do VR gaming or things like that, so this is a really nice thing.
“I’ve been to places like this before, they’re all over London, there is one in Thatcham it seems like they are everywhere, but Reading did not have it, I’m really happy that this has come forward.”
Cllr Moore was referring to the Meet Space VR gaming centre in Pipers Court, Thatcham.
Cllr Micky Leng (Labour, Whitley) added: “It’s fantastic, it’s a bit like the stuff you get on a pier but we don’t have the sea.
“It’s just what the town needs, and more importantly, it’s what residents want.”
Also giving approval was Cllr Simon Robinson (Conservative, Emmer Green), who said: “Anything that re-energises and provides a good reason to bring people into the town centre and increase footfall is a fantastic endeavour in my opinion.”
He did raise concerns about adequate parking, as the car park in Broad St. Mall could close for a year to clear the way for mall owner AEW’s plans to build 601 apartments to the rear of the centre.
A council officer said: “(FunBox) will be below the mall car park, there are also loads of bus services in this area.
“Transport officers are content that this facility is as well served as the previous New Look and vaccination centre was. There are no concerns about parking.”
Cllr Josh Williams (Green, Park) wanted to know if FunBox could introduce gambling machines aimed at people aged 18 or over to the centre.
Council officers said the company would be in breach of its licence if such machines were introduced: this gives it permission to sell alcohol and provide regulated entertainment such as arcade games until midnight on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 11.30pm on Wednesdays and 10.30pm for the rest of the week.
The application was approved unanimously by the planning applications committee on Wednesday, December 6.
It can be viewed by searching for reference 231464 in Reading Borough Council’s planning website.
