ON SATURDAY, July 8, one of Reading’s most historic and recognisable venues celebrated a huge milestone and looked ahead to its future with an evening of live music.
The Purple Turtle on Silver Street marked a third of a century as one of the town’s most central bars and performance spaces as it turned 33 years old.
The event saw the return of a band which was among the very first to have graced the stage back when the bar was established in 1990, The Deckchairs, as well as a DJ set for a night of riotous celebration.
The Deckchairs brought their ebullient brand of iconoclastic punk to the stage, performing fan-favourites Blow Up Your Girlfriend and Bacon Sandwich, as well as an ode to nearby Bracknell.
Fans were also invited up onto the stage after the closing song to celebrate with the band and pose for photos.
Johnny Durex, lead vocalist of The Deckchairs, said that the band’s irreverent sensibilities were well suited to the Purple Turtle.
“Our sort of music is not so much punk punk, we prefer to call it happy punk, where you can have a bit of a laugh, and everyone seemed to love it.
“When we first played, The Purple Turtle was totally different to how it is now, so to be back here 33 years later is just brilliant– and what a venue.
“It will be here for another 33 years, and we’d love to come back and play.”
The celebration comes as the venue continues to look ahead to its future, with plans to bolster its status as one of Reading’s most recognisable venues.
In April this year, owners laid out proposals to more than double The Purple Turtle’s footprint as it seeks to change the adjoining building, which has been disused.
Current plans will see parts of the disused building demolished to make way for new cafe and club spaces to become part of current venue, connected to the property via the basement, which would also contain customer toilets, storage, and staff rooms.
Plans also include the construction of an extension behind the property, including a three-story building for storage and the development of more yard space for the venue’s outside area.
