Both of the TGI Fridays restaurants in Reading have now closed following ongoing troubles for the American diner chain.
For years, there were two TGI Fridays diners in Reading, with the first opening in Caversham Road all the way back in August 1989.
A second restaurant opened at The Oracle Riverside, in the same building as the Vue Cinema, in October 2015.
The diner at The Oracle was the first to close, with the doors being shut for the last time on June 3, 2024.
And the restaurant in Caversham Road, which had lasted for 36 years, closed on Wednesday, January 14 along with 15 other TGI Fridays up and down the country.
But the days of both of the restaurants in Reading had been numbered for years due to plans to redevelop the places they were located in.
The first TGI Fridays stood for more than three decades in Vastern Court, otherwise known as the Reading Station Shopping Park, has seen many changes in that time.
But that was not enough to stave off its closure on Wednesday, January 14.
The phone answering machine at the restaurant states: “Hi there, thanks for calling.
“Unfortunately, this TGI Fridays location has now permanently closed and is no longer trading, but don’t worry, you can still enjoy your Fridays favourites – just head over to our website to find your nearest open restaurant.
“Thanks again and we hope to welcome you at another TGI Fridays soon.”
The closest restaurant to Reading is at the retail park in Crest Road, High Wycombe, around 14 miles away.
The TGI Fridays at The Lexicon in Bracknell closed in October 2024.
The chain has now been whittled down to 33 locations.
But the days of the TGI Fridays have been numbered after Aviva Life & Pensions UK, which owns Vastern Court, won permission to replace the site with 1,000 flats and new commercial space from the Conservative government in 2024.
This project will also involve the demolition of the building containing Aldi, The Range, Majestic Wines and One Beyond.
Little has happened on the scheme since the outline plans were approved.
Meanwhile, the TGI Fridays at The Oracle Riverside closed in June 2024 amid plans from the centre owners Hammerson to replace the building it occupied with 218 flats.
This project was meant to be decided in December last year, but members of Reading Borough Council’s planning applications committee chose to defer the decision to conduct a site visit and thorough assessment of the impacts the development could have.
It is not clear when a decision on The Oracle redevelopment project will be made.
The site visit has been scheduled either for January 22 or January 29.
The scheme involves demolishing the Vue building to replace it with flats, a re-provided cinema and a restaurant.
