Store applies for alcohol licence to run 24 hours a day, across the week

THE company that runs Home Bargains has applied to sell alcohol at a store it is preparing to open in Whitley.

T. J. Morris Ltd wants to open branch of the discount store chain homeware items in Brunel Retail Park, Rose Kiln Lane.

When it is opened, 100 jobs are expected to be created.

It has applied Reading Borough Council for permission to sell alcohol 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, its usual trading hours are 8am to 8pm every day except Sundays, when it opens 11am to 5pm. n Comments on the application can by made by emailing licensing@reading.gov.uk

In July last year, MCTGF, the owners of Brunel Retail Park, won approval to fuse Units 4 and 5 together to clear the way for Home Bargains, under planning application reference 220145. These were the former homes of Go Outdoors and SCS Sofas.

Home Bargains has been contacted for clarity on opening hours and an opening date for the store but was unavailable for comment.

The chain has an existing store not far away at the Reading Link Retail Park off the A33, and there is a branch of B&M in Brunel Retail Park.

Sung in Italian with English surtitles.

THE INDEPENDENT includes a local

This stunning, traditional production includes the classic “Triumphal March” with a temple dance, cascades of glittering gold and amazing fire performers.

Honest motherhood Angela Garwood

3pm eternal: no cause for alarm

WELL there’s a first for everything isn’t there.This week something happened that has never happened before. Something bad.

This week, Tuesday to be precise, I slept through my alarm.

Not my morning alarm, which would have been fine, Joel or Maia would have woken me.

My other alarm.

I don’t usually nap anymore. It was a necessity when Leo was a baby, but now, I get by without. Normally he only wakes once in the night. Twice at most. (Occasionally he’ll sleep through ...) Not Monday night. Or the night before. He had an ear infection, so as well as being very hot, there was lots of coughing and snuffling and generally wanting me.

After nights like this, if I’m on my knees, (like Tuesday) I’ll close my eyes for half an hour between lunch and school pick up.

(PICK UP. Where I collect my daughter from school. That thing.)

That thing I did not do on Tuesday because I slept through my afternoon alarm. Both of them.

I woke at 3.37 (my alarm was set for 2.25 with a follow up at 2.30?!).

Pick-up is at 3.25.

Obviously, this was the one day I decided to let Joel have the car. (He did the morning school run and it was raining so..) I was looking forward to collecting Maia on foot that afternoon, a brisk 20-minute walk. But collecting her would involve being conscious at 3pm, which of course I was not.

3.38: What to do. What to do. Legging it over there would be fine if I was alone, but the rigmarole of hastily waking Leo and hoping he’d be compliant in sitting in his pushchair (he wouldn’t) seemed a less favourable option.

The thought of Maia stood there, alone, wondering where on earth her mother was, exacerbated my panic.

This is the part where, in hindsight, I absolutely should have woken Leo, got him into his pushchair and sprinted to school. I did not do this.

Instead, I called my Mum, failed to get through, so tried the home number. Which my Dad answered.

“Would you like me to collect her?” he said softly.

Of course I said “Yes please” when I should have said “no, thank you”.

Misjudging the timings and utterly delusional, I believed in that moment that my Dad (whose mobility is far from great and has a disabled parking badge) would be there in a flash. Good decisions are rarely made from a place of hysteria.

Maia was, eventually, collected from school. My poor Dad, who should never have been dragged out in Tuesday’s grim weather with his Zimmer frame, saved the day.

Happy to see her Grandad, but understandably not so thrilled with me, I was justifiably reprimanded that evening for my negligence.

I am still requesting her forgiveness.

I’ve learnt several lessons from this painstaking ordeal.

Firstly, never ever have a nap if you have somewhere to be at a certain time, it’s far too risky.

Second, running to the school will always be faster and less torturous than the minutes/years I spent worrying and waiting for Grandad to call and tell me they were home safe.

Lastly, to contradict my first lesson, if you are to take a nap (don’t), avoid wearing earplugs so effective you fail to hear your own alarm.

Angela blogs at The Colourful Kind