Biscuit Factory Faces Licensing Crisis in Reading

Independent cinema the Biscuit Factory at Broad Street Mall in Reading is temporarily closed after its premises licence lapsed when two owning companies were wound up.

The venue opened in July 2021 as an independent cinema with a cafe and food area. It shut for a week in early May and then again later that month because of the licensing problem.

The original operator, the Really Local Group, was liquidated in January 2025. A successor, RLG SPV BETA, took over but went insolvent in February and the Biscuit Factory passed to RIENT. That new company does not hold the premises licence, which immediately lapsed when its predecessor dissolved.

Reading Borough Council licensing officers say they notified the venue on April 23. Evidence shows officers were able to buy a beer the following day despite not being authorised to do so.

RIENT has applied for a new licence covering film showings until 11pm Sunday to Wednesday, midnight on Thursdays and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. It proposes selling alcohol from 10.30am Monday to Saturday and 11am on Sundays until 11pm each night, with food and soft drinks sales until midnight on Thursdays.

The application will be decided by the council's licensing applications sub-committee at a meeting on Thursday, June 18.

The Biscuit Factory has attracted public backing from local politicians. Karen Rowland, who previously served as the Labour councillor for Abbey ward, wrote: "The venue has never been one that has attracted any significant attention of the police previously over its five years of operation."

Cllr Dominguez added: "The venue is one of the few places in Reading where everyone feels welcome and it wouldn't be sustainable without the income from the bar and cinema."

Only Mrs Rowland's representation was accepted as valid; the submissions from Cllr Dominguez and former mayor Tony Page were ruled invalid because they did not focus on the licensing objectives.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter