Work is underway to bring a shop back into use in Reading town centre.

Men have been spotted preparing the shop at 88 Broad Street for opening at a later date.

The shop is situated next to the Fone Shop and Waterstones in Broad Street.

Work on the shop is being conducted as developer Jalinder Ahuja won permission to make changes to the shopfront in July last year.

After that, the materials being used were approved by the council’s planning department were approved last November.

A sign spotted inside the unit states the shop will be called ‘Smart Tech’ which sells phones, vapes, other devices and cookware, which could be seen inside the unit as well.

Reading Chronicle: The new Smart Tech shop being prepared for opening at 88 Broad Street in Reading town centre. Credit: James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporting ServiceThe new Smart Tech shop being prepared for opening at 88 Broad Street in Reading town centre. Credit: James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Approved changes to the frontage include providing a new door to provide access to the first and second floors of the building.

The shop previously served as the EE store in images seen in 2016.

EE has since moved to 114-115 Broad Street, near the entrance to The Oracle.

You can view the approved applications to make changes to the shop using the following references:

  • 230422 – New shopfront and door to upper floors of 89 Broad Street
  • 231108 – Shopfront materials for 88 Broad Street