Former prison to become 'refuge for artists who face persecution'

The owner of the currently closed Reading Prison has reiterated that he wants to use the Grade II listed site as a cultural space.

The 19th Century town centre prison was closed in 2014 and was where celebrated Irish writer Oscar Wilde was an inmate for two years after his conviction for gross indecency - effectively being gay - in 1895.

The Ziran Educational Foundation wants to use the prison as an art space and boutique hotel that "serves as a paean to unfettered creative expression, a refuge for artists worldwide who face persecution."

"I bought this site for, in my opinion, the history, the culture – it's very important," the foundation's founder Channing Bi said on a tour on Friday.

"We found a new architect – they've made the masterplan. If everyone likes it, we can do [the redevelopment]."

Further details on the prospective development are expected later this year.