Mandatory Credit: Photo by Geoffrey Swaine/Shutterstock (14543492aw) Shops and general atmosphere in the precinct which is up for sale. A Reading shopping centre has been listed for sale for ?16.45 Million. Located on Church Street, St Martin's Shopping Centre was built in 1969 and contains over 92,000 sq ft of upgraded retail space. The centre is currently anchored by a 40,000 sq ft Waitrose and a 13,000 sq ft Iceland which look out onto the centre of Caversham. Together, these retail giants account for approximately 50 per cent of the income from retailers. The potential buyer would also be given planning permission to add further residential accommodation. Other major occupiers include Boots, Superdrug and Costa alongside local occupiers which include longstanding picture-framing and household goods store Terry's, vegan restaurant Vegivores and The Caversham Butcher. This commercial property has been listed by KLM Real Estate as instructed by Federated Hermes. The centre is also being sold alongside the 250-space car park and 10 flats held on short hold tenancies. Reading shopping centre listed for sale for ?16.45 Million, Caversham, Reading, UK - 17 Jun 2024

Iceland already has a large programme offering jobs to ex-offenders (Picture: Rex)

Low-risk offenders could be sentenced to paid jobs at Iceland instead of jail, bosses have said.

CEO Richard Walker and his director of rehabilitation Paul Cowley wrote to the prisons minister Lord Timpson to discuss the idea, which is aimed at tackling prison overcrowding and reoffending rates.

The idea is in its early stages but would reportedly involve criminals who face short prison sentences or suspended sentences.

A role at Iceland could be part of a suspended sentence, where offenders walk free but are sent to prison if they breach certain conditions.

Walker told The Times: ‘We have a prisons crisis, and we have a solution that we think could be really powerful.

‘And look, if people mess up and they don’t turn up for work, then they do go inside.

‘If it all goes well, then that’s your sentence. You don’t go to prison. You don’t lose your home, kids don’t go into care.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer (right) with executive chairman of Iceland supermarket, Richard Walker, during a visit to an Iceland store in Warrington. Mr Walker has given his backing to Labour, saying the party was the

Iceland boss Richard Walker gave his backing to Labour at the last general election (Picture: PA)

‘And if it doesn’t, and it all goes pear shaped, then it’s a suspended sentence which kicks in.

‘But it’s an opportunity to get rid of a custodial sentence. And I believe, and the company believes, that that would have some impact on reducing reoffending and our prison population.’

Company bosses say they’ve consulted two former attorneys-general who said the idea is legally feasible.

More than 1,300 ex-offenders have either been employed or given job offers by Iceland over the past three years.

The company has strict rules on which types of offenders can work at its stores and Walker said candidates would have to undergo ‘serious vetting’.

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