Reading prison has been sold
The Ministry of Justice say an educational charity has purchased it
Last updated 11th Jan 2024
Reading's former prison has been sold.
After more than ten years the Ministry of Justice announced on Thursday afternoon it had been bought by the Ziran Education Foundation.
They described it as a charitable non-profit organisation that collaborates with colleges to develop primary and secondary school curriculums and educational services.
MoJ statement:
"The sale follows an extensive bidding and vetting process to guarantee best value for taxpayers’ money while ensuring future planning applications acknowledge the historic nature of the site.
"The Ziran Education Foundation will now engage with Reading Borough Council on the use of the site as it will need to approve any development plans.
"Initial proposals included plans for an educational centre providing services to the local community, including a museum outlining the history of the prison and an exhibition space accessible to the public.
"Proceeds from the sale will now be reinvested in the wider prison estate to help reduce reoffending and protect the public. In the last decade we have raised over ÂŁ105 million through the sale of former prison sites."
The MoJ did not say how much the prison had been sold for.
In 2021 the prison made international headlines when a Banksy artwork was revealed on a prison wall - it was believed to portray Oscar Wilde escaping with a typewriter in a nod to the former inmate.
Banksy later indicated he'd done it to show support for the prison's cultural credentials.
Campaigners including Reading Borough Council had wanted the prison turned into an arts centre for use by the community.
More than 13,000 people signed a petition in support of selling the prison for community arts use which was organised by Reading East Labour MP Matt Rodda.
There'll be some comfort in the statement regarding community use, but with the history of the sale a certain amount of scepticism as well.