Reading Council awarded £19 million of Levelling Up money
Reading Council has been awarded £19.1 million from the government's Levelling Up fund to extend and refurbish the Hexagon Theatre and build a modern new Central Library.
The award includes £8 million to rebuild Central Library at the Council’s Civic Offices in Bridge Street and £12 million to revitalise the Hexagon, creating an attractive, flexible and exciting new space for performances and community use.
In a statement, the council said: "The existing Central Library on the King’s Road is well-used but is located in a dated building which is set over a series of floors, making accessibility difficult without significant investment.
"A brand-new custom-built Central Library, incorporated into the current Civic Offices site, will create a modern and open space, offering a much-improved, accessible environment for everyone.
"The ambition is to create a flexible space for the whole community that embraces not only the traditional offer of book loans but looks to the future with our digital and learning offer.
"The 1970s-built Hexagon has a number of limitations for future improvements due to its design and age. The proposal is to extend to the right-hand side of the existing building with an entrance directly off Queens Walk offering much-improved accessibility and new multi-function community space, called HexBox, that can accommodate a wider variety of performances and uses.
"This project will form the first phase of a longer-term regeneration of the Hexagon and the wider Minster Quarter."
