A PROVISIONAL OPENING date for a new Reading bowling centre complete with pool tables and darts has been revealed.
Bowl Central will use the Caversham Road unit used by Dawsons musical instruments before it closed.
Tracy Standish, the director of Bowl Central, said: “We’ve got planning consent, we expect the lease before the end of this month, the project is definitely moving forward, but there’s a lot of design detail that needs to be done.
“The unit needs to be stripped back to its shell, and it needs a new heating, ventilation, plumbing and hot water system.”
The company needs to apply for permission for its designs as it would be an external plant room.
“If the plan is submitted in October and November, I would hope planning consent would be given early next year,” Mr Standish said.
“We would hope to start fitting out probably in March, then launch in July.”
But he added these timeframes are subject to change.
Mr Standish said: “That’s a best case, there can always be things that frustrate best cases, so it will probably be the third quarter of next year before we open.
“But we’re definitely going ahead with the project.”
Once open, the venue will feature bowling, dart, pool and shuffleboard, as well as gaming machines were tokens can be exchanged for prizes.
Earlier this year, the company applied to sell food and alcohol and play music until midnight from Sunday to Thursday, and 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
However, concerns were raised by the Bell Tower Community Association (BTCA), which represents neighbours in the area.
Mr Standish negotiated with BTCA, agreeing to reduce opening times by an hour.
He explained: “We agreed to these hours as a compromise in response to the concerns of the residents’ association which allowed them to withdraw their objection.
“I’m happy enough with the change, it will allow us to proceed with the project.
“We’ve considered the concerns of residents so we can provide this new venue to the wider community of Reading.”
Advertising designs for the front and rear of the bowling complex were approved by the council’s planning department in August.
Mr Standish used to run Bowlplex, a nationwide family entertainment company, before selling it and opening the first Bowl Central in Bournemouth, with consent to open a second location in Fareham.
