A building that has been vacant for 20 years in Reading has been beautified by a new display celebrating the heritage of the area.
The RedServe Heating building in Christchurch Road has long been unused, with the ground floor unit falling into a dilapidated state.
That is why the Friends of Christchurch Green, RGSpaces and Whiteknights Studio Trail have teamed up to beautify the building with an exhibition.
The shopfront now contains nostalgic photos from 1906 to 1995 showing what Christchurch Green used to be like.
Former businesses featured include Franklin’s Greengrocer’s & Post Office and Peskett Pharmacy.
The exhibition was spotted on Saturday, August 22.
A post on the Friends of Christchurch Green blog states: “We’re delighted to announce that our exhibition, ‘Memories of Christchurch Green & its Shops: 1906–2026’, has found a new home!
“The exhibition has now been installed in the window of the vacant RedServe shop, adjacent to the No. 21 bus stop, where it will remain for the foreseeable future.
“And because it’s a window exhibition, you can enjoy it 24 hours a day, seven days a week – so why not stop and have a look next time you’re passing?
“Created by Friends of Christchurch Green, the exhibition brings together photographs, newspaper cuttings, local research, and personal memories that chart the history of Christchurch Green and its parade of shops over the last 120 years.
“Discover independent businesses that have come and gone, familiar local characters, changing streetscapes and stories of everyday life in the neighbourhood from 1906 right through to the present day.”
Molli Cleaver, community engagement manager at the University of Reading, said: “The University were part of the exhibition team and supported by designing and printing the exhibition. We helped to fund this alongside RG Spaces.
“The exhibition was initially exhibited as part of the Whiteknights Studio Trail but we wanted to find a longer-term home for the exhibition.
“Friends of Christchurch Green have spent a number of years working to improve the Green, so it was a real win when Tony Chima, owner of the building, kindly granted access for us to use it.”
The new look for the building follows complaints about how long it has been dormant and its appearance, which were raised by councillor Will Cross (Labour, Redlands) at the full meeting of Reading Borough Council in June.
Plans to beautify the former shop have actually been in the works for a year.
Fiona Talkington said: “It was in the planning stage last year as a way of celebrating Christchurch Green and it coincided beautifully with the University’s centenary.
“We were delighted when Jenny offered to include it as part of the Whiteknights Studio Trail and had always hoped that it would find another home – which it has!”
The building was previously earmarked for a cafe called ‘coffee corner’, but plans approved in January 2022 effectively expired last year.
