A showdown is looming over an attempt to replace the closed Walkabout in Reading with ‘Bar Tokyo’.
The Australian-themed bar located just off Friar Street in Reading town centre has been closed for 11 months and has had a rocky recent history.
Walkabout was closed for weeks after Tharel Thompson, a man from Barbados, received life-changing injuries after he was stabbed in the head by Krisma Anthony in February 2024.
Although it reopened in March that year, Walkabout closed for good in October 2025, and has remained vacant ever since.
The bar in Wiston Terrace is currently sealed off, Walkabout lettering has been removed from the building, but an Australian flag remains inside.
Lettering above the entrance door states that it is ‘licensed to sell intoxicating liquor of all descriptions for consumption on or off the premises’.
This summer, a company called ‘Bar Tokyo’ applied for a fresh licence to operate involving the sale of alcohol and live music until from 11am each day to 3am Monday to Saturday and 2am on Sundays.
Additionally, the bar would be open until 3.30am Monday to Saturday and 2.30am on Sundays, and serving food and non-alcoholic drinks 30 minutes prior to closure.
However, Rebecca Moon, an environmental protection officer at the council, has objected to the application.
She stated: “I am concerned about the potential for public nuisance as a result of noise, in particular music noise.
“There are residents nearby to the premises, and there is a history of
complaints about noise which whilst it is acknowledged this was a different operator, does demonstrate that this premises has a high potential to cause a nuisance due to layout and location.
“The application asks for outdoor live and recorded music.
“I do not believe that outdoor music is appropriate in this location and I believe it would result in a public nuisance.
“I therefore object to this element of the licence applied for.
“One of the noise control conditions proposed is a noise limit of no more than 5dB above background after 11pm, however, this comes from the Noise Council Code of Practice and is intended for daytime noise, for a venue operating no more than 30 events per year.
“If a noise limit is to be proposed by the applicant, then it should be suitable for the time of day and the number of operating days per year.
“I would be willing to withdraw my representation if the outdoor music is removed and a more suitable limit proposed.”
It is understood that adjustments have not been made to the application, meaning a decision on the activities must be reached at a meeting of the council’s licensing applications sub-committee.
The application is due to be decided at a meeting on September 17.
