An expansion project for a busy late-night bar and music venue in Reading is due to be decided soon.
The Purple Turtle is one of the busiest bars in the town centre, which has developed a reputation for raucous nights going on until 3am.
The venue in Gun Street regularly hosts music performances and DJs from both a street-level space typically dedicated to rock music and a lower-level ‘dungeon’ typically used to host dance music DJs.
Outside, the Purple Turtle has a large smoking area and a covered shisha lounge.
The expansion involves the Purple Turtle taking over the building next door to create a café restaurant and construct a rear extension that would provide entertainment space, a stage and a bar.
Additionally, the business owners have applied to construct a separate three-storey building to provide ‘back of house’ space and a green room for performers.
The expansion plan first emerged two years ago in January 2023, but a verdict on the project has been delayed due to extensive negotiations between the business and Reading Borough Council’s planning department.
Complications have involved its presence in the St Marys Butts and Castle Street Conservation Area, and its proximity to the Holy Brook stream.
Furthermore, the building itself is Grade II listed as it dates back to circa 1700. Built as a townhouse, the ground floor was converted for commercial use in 1840.
The project has been recommended for approval by council planning officer Matt Burns.
Assessing the plan, he wrote: “In terms of public benefits of the proposals, a variety are identified.
“The proposed development would see a vacant grade II Listed building in disrepair brought back into an active and complimentary use along Gun Street and would secure repair and restoration of internal and external features of the listed building, important to its historic significance.
“These are considered to be significant benefits of the proposed development.”
Mr Burns did acknowledge that increased activities had the potential to create noise and disturbance for neighbours.
Ultimately, he concluded the benefits outweigh the impacts bringing the building back into use would have on the surrounding area.
He also acknowledged that the building has been vacant since the NHS left their offices it occupied there in 2004.
The assessment by Mr Burns was written in a report prepared for the council’s planning applications committee, which is due to make a decision on the project when it meets on Wednesday, January 8.
You can view the application by typing references PL/23/0107 and PL/23/0108 into the council’s planning portal.
