Page 1084 - Reading Mercury

applied to discourage long-term parking in Rose Street car park and to ensure the use of
other parks. Further parks are envisaged for the future.
Suggestions in the report for improving public transport are to locate the bus stops in
Broad Street, closer to the centre and the possibility of taking the present bus routes out of
Rose Street.
The second report, entitled, “Town Fabric” deals with the conservation of the town
centre, the recognition of its character and quality, and the identification of a series of
policies to aid and secure the historic built form of the centre.
Suggests
The report suggests ways in which the pressure for change can be guided in order to
improve the economic, social and physical quality of the town centre, and
recommends the following policies:-
No further loss of listed buildings of architectural or historic interest to be allowed
unless there are compelling reasons or obvious advantages accruing.
New buildings must respect the character of the area
• Buildings which are not listed but as a result of the studies undertaken to date are
worthy of retention, may be subject to a building preservation notice.
• Alterations and additions to listed buildings in the town centre must be carried out
in a manner sympathetic to its character.
The report also deals with advertising and shop fronts and puts forward suggestions
for improvement schemes to be carried out in Rose Street and Market Place.
The two reports are now available for public consultation and any observations
rd
should be sent to the District Council’s planning department by October 23 .
Two further reports, dealing with housing and economic activity, will be published
early next year. Linked policy statements will then be prepared which will help
formulate the new town plan.

st
Thur 21 Oct
STEAM SHOW MAKES TERRIFIC LOSS AS PUBLIC STAY AT HOME
Saturday’s spectacular at Wokingham Carnival Field should have got the public all
steamed up. There were gleaming, shining, puffing engines. There were merry-go-
rounds and roundabouts. There were even the can-can girls. The only ingredient
missing was the people. They stayed away in their hundreds. In fact support for the
steam fair, organised by showman, John Carter, was so poor that he has made a four-
figure loss on the event.
And now the man who has caused havoc among residents at Winkfield in the past
with his steam shows, fireworks and low-flying aircraft is planning to turn his back on
the area. The explanation was either that the public are not interested in steam fairs or
that money is scarce.

Nov 1976
END OF AN ERA FOR OLD PALMER SCHOOL
Palmer School, Wokingham is being demolished to make way for old people’s
accommodation. But before parents start ringing Mr. Sidney Meachen the headmaster
of the primary school in Norreys Avenue, it is the old school in Palmer School Road
that is being pulled down. The school site is to be the home of 85 people in warden-
assisted and self-contained accommodation and will release valuable council housing
for families.
The school, which was built in 1874 and opened by the Bishop of Oxford in 1875,
catered for 120 infants and 160 boys and girls of junior school age. The acre site was

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