COVERING WOKINGHAM, FINCHAMPSTEAD, EARLEY, WINNERSH, SHINFIELD, WOODLEY, TWYFORD & SURROUNDING AREAS
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Punters flocking back to the pub PUNTERS have been flooding back to the borough’s pubs, surpassing landlord predictions, writes Jess Warren. After being allowed to reopen from Monday, April 12, publicans now have two weekends of trade behind them and they have told Wokingham.Today that takings have exceeded expectations. Carole Williams, landlady at The Queen’s Head in Wokingham town, said in her first week of trading, she “ran out of everything”. “It’s been absolutely smashing,” she said. “The customers have been so lovely as we found our feet again.” Andy Rogers, owner of Bar 56 and The Redan, in Wokingham said the first two weeks have been “exhausting” with both bars taking more than expected. “People are really pleased to be out,” he said. “We’re just hoping people keep coming out. The fear is that this is just a novelty that will wear off.” While weekends have been fullybooked, Mr Rogers said there has also been an increase in weekday visitors. “With people working at home, they’re not having to commute for one or two hours a day,” he said. “We’re seeing more people come out in the evenings after work.” With a bank holiday this weekend, Mr Rogers expects to be kept busy – and he’s not alone. Albert Tenkorang, of The Waterside, in Woodley, said he is fully-booked from today until Monday. “We’ve been extremely busy non-stop,” he said. “It’s been absolutely fantastic.” With only three pubs open in Woodley at the moment – the others being The Chequers and The Shepherd’s House – Mr Tenkorang said this has helped boost bookings. “I’m just really pleased people feel safe enough to come out again,” he added.
THE VOICE OF THE BOROUGH
Thursday, April 29, 2021 No. 310
70p
MEET THE THREE WHO WANT TO RULE
TOPBOXERS INTHERINGTO HELPDAWSON
Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury sign up for fundraiser EXCLUSIVE By CHARLOTTE KING cking@wokingham.today A WOKINGHAM family has raised £14,000 to pay for their son’s life-changing surgery — and they have even gathered some celebrity support.
Since January, Nathalie and Paul Gosling have been trying to raise £60,000 to fund a vital operation and aftercare for their two-yearold son, Dawson, who has a rare form of cerebral palsy. The condition affects movement in his legs, including his ability to walk. Earlier this year, the
Gosling family launched a fundraiser with children’s charity Tree of Hope to raise money for spinal surgery to allow Dawson to walk independently. And boxing duo Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have pledged their support with a signed portrait, which the family will raffle to raise even more vital funds. After three months of campaigning for Dawon’s surgery, Mrs Gosling said she is “amazed” at how much money has been donated so far. “Given that we only started a few months ago, I’m blown away that people we don’t know would donate so much,” she said. � Continued on page 2 APPEAL: Dawson Gosling needs help to fund a life-changing operation
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