Quicker cemetery repairs urged by volunteer group
BBCVolunteers that promote a cemetery's history have urged a council to move faster to repair parts of it.
The Reading Old Cemetery History, Heritage and Education group works to uncover and share the stores of the 18,000 people who were buried at the site from 1843.
Yota Dimitriadi, from the group, said it wants Reading Borough Council to provide a timeline for repairs at the Grade II listed site and its Cemetery Arch.
The council said it is "fully committed to progressing" the £700,000 arch project but that it needs specialists' expertise.
The authority said in February 2025 that repairs had started on the arch but it was closed for safety reasons two months later following structural engineers' advice.
Dimitriadi added: "It's fair to say that the arch needs urgent work. We would like to see the scaffolding go away and the arch restored.
"As a garden cemetery, it tries to combine the natural element with the built environment. While there's a conservation plan, that needs updating because of the weather changes and mature trees that are on the site.
"Elements of the cemetery need more attention and care."
A council spokesperson said it is currently "receiving and evaluating quotes" from consultants to make sure the arch repair work is "done in accordance with all regulations for a historic building of its type."
They added: "Works will resume once this process is complete, although they are weather dependent as the specialist materials for this building are sensitive to extreme weather conditions.
"Once appointed, the specialist team will advise and confirm realistic start and likely completion dates, but we expect that to be in the first half of next year.
"The council remains fully committed to progressing the scheme and restoring what is one of Reading's most iconic buildings."
The spokesperson said a management plan, which includes grass cutting, has remained unchanged for the last five years and that it is supported by "routine inspections and maintenance of paths, trees, boundaries and memorial safety."