New Entrances to the Civic Centre and Reading Registration Service

There are new entrances for all resident services at the Civic Centre from Monday 13 January.

Civic Centre

The main entrance is being relocated to Simmonds Street for all resident, Brighter Future for Children services, and council meetings.

Residents will be able to follow signs from Bridge Street safely along a paved area through to Simmonds Street and the new main entrance.

The new main entrance will be for visitors who have housing, benefits or council tax queries, want to discuss any other council services, or attend Brighter Futures for Children meetings. This will also be the main entrance to attend scheduled council meetings during working hours or in the evening.

There is also a new digital check-in system for all visitors. Those with appointments can book in to notify the relevant council officer they have arrived. Residents with a specific query will be given a number and join a queue to be assisted by the Customer Fulfilment Centre.

There will be no access via the previous main entrance in Bridge Street.

It is recommended residents try to resolve any queries by using the Council’s website at reading.gov.uk before making a visit to the Civic Centre which may be busier and nosier than usual because of the construction work.

Reading Registration Service

Reading Registration Service is in a new location in the Civic Centre for the notifications of births and deaths, and applications for marriage.

The brand-new entrance will be on Bridge Street.

Visitors will be able to follow signs on Bridge Street to the new entrance via a brand-new accessible path which runs alongside the Civic Centre.

Find out if you need an appointment here reading.gov.uk/life-events.

The Registration Service area has a new suite of private rooms with two waiting areas and a self check-in service. There is a dedicated reception area where documents can be collected, submitted, and payments made.

The Registration Service provides the formal registration of births, deaths, and stillbirths, as well as re-registration of births after marriage of natural parents, or to add the natural father. It also takes notices of marriage and civil partnerships and offers private citizenship ceremonies.

For an appointment and more information visit the Life Events section on the Council’s website reading,gov.uk.

Replacement or additional certificates can also be ordered through the website as well as commemorative certificates and wallets to keep them in to celebrate a marriage or civil partnership, or the arrival of a new baby.

There is no access to the Civic Centre reception or any other part of the building.

Opening hours

The Civic Centre and the Registration Service will be open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, except on a Wednesday when opening is at 10.15am to allow for staff training.

Baby change facilities are only available in the Civic Centre main reception.

Visitor parking is unavailable at the Civic Centre. It is recommended visitors use the nearby parking bays in Fobney Street and the Oracle Shopping Centre, or get public transport into the town centre. The nearest blue badge spaces are in St Mary’s Butts.

Why are there new entrances at the Civic Centre?

The change of location to the entrances is to allow construction of the new purpose-built Central Library and redesigned and improved customer service and reception area for residents.

It will be the only entrance until Spring 2026 on completion of the Central Library.

There will be an increased volume of traffic delivering building materials in the area and residents are being asked to take more care around the Civic Centre during the construction period.

Contractor Morgan Sindall has been procured as the contractor to create the new Central Library and improved customer service area. The improvements have been possible with a £19.1million investment into the cultural offer in the town by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

In addition, the construction has led to the opportunity to replace the boilers used for heating and hot water with air-source heat pumps in line with the Council’s ambition to become Net Zero by 2030.