Wash Common’s corner shop, which served the suburb for generations, is to be turned into a flat. The Essex Street post office branch was closed in February, and sold to a couple who want to turn it into a home.

Suburban infill

South Newbury continues to be targeted by developers looking to replace period homes with maisonettes. West Berkshire Council threw out a scheme at 134 Andover Road to demolish two homes, and build seven smaller houses instead, but the developer has appealed to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to overrule the council.

Around the corner in Essex Street, Amcrest Developments wants to demolish one and build a terrace of three homes.

Further afield, the former Hitchmans Yard in Highclere is to be turned into houses. The old Newbury company moved to the Mount several years ago, but instructed agents to sell the site to developers. Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has since given the green light for homes to be built.

New estate agent

“Estate agents row” is set to get longer. The owners of rundown offices between Seymours nightclub and the Post Office in Cheap Street want to convert the ground floor into an estate agents, and the upper floors into two flats.

Curry on Regardless

Another Indian restaurant is opening in Newbury’s Bartholomew Street. The former Chinese restaurant August Moon is under new management, and owner Mohammed Rafiqul Islam expects to open a tandoori house in the next few weeks.

Corn Exchange boost

Changing the reels on the Corn Exchange film projector is soon to be consigned to history. The Market Place arts venue has just been given £50,000 of digital film equipment by the Lottery and UK Film Council. The move allows the Corn Exchange to stay up to the minute on new releases, which are moving increasingly to digital-only format.

Town trail trouble

Putting up sculptures around Newbury isn’t proving easy. The Newbury Town Trail group has had to hire a traffic expert to see if the sculpture on the St John’s Roundabout will distract motorists.

Meanwhile, two more projects have been turned down for funding by the Arts Council. However, hope is at hand, as the group will soon be going public with plans for its next project “The Pillars”.