We love you Forbury Gardens & all that you bring to our town: the boozy days, the picnics, walks in the park & the place where it all started for us. Thinking of those involved in a horrible horrible day x 💔
#forburygardens
#readinguk
#rdguk
COMING LATE SUMMER.. Today we signed to take over the Hosier Street Market. As part of this, we’ll be submitting plans for BLUE COLLAR CORNER - our first permanent site, featuring 1 bar, 2 floors & 4 kitchens - a huge beer garden in the Summer & fully enclosed in the Winter 1/3
Hearing Gymshark's Ben Francis is on the verge of becoming the sole
#readingfc
owner. Name has been mentioned for a while in connection with William Storey and Genevra consortium, and I'm told a deal is almost done.
🔵⚪️3 years in the making, we’ve got our dream gig at the football club we love 💥🙌 Serving street food to the masses, we’ll work really hard to make this the best partnership since Kitson met Doyle.. ⚽️🍔🥘 Full deets & a quote from us 👇
🍣🍔🥗 We are delighted to announce that local business
@bluecollarfood
will be supplying food in our Fan Zone and around the ground in 2019-20! 🤤
Run by a
@Club1871
Season Ticket holder and named as a nod to Royals kit, we're bringing the taste of the town to Madejski Stadium.
Hey
@NagsHeadReading
@TheAlliedArms
@PurpleTurtleRdg
appreciate there’s lots of other factors to consider but if having street food enables you to open, feel free to drop us a DM and we’ll arrange traders for you free of charge 👍
THREAD: RFC NEWS: We’re gutted to let you know that
@readingfc
have decided not to renew our contract for the outside catering at the Mad Stad, with the caterer who sells the food & beer inside the ground now also controlling the outside areas too
INTRODUCING.. The Saturday Night Drive-Thru.. 🚗🍔 Our very best street food traders alongside drinks to takeaway, top tunes & a one way system we’ve spent hours thinking about. Dates & details when we get the green light 🌮🥘🌱
A READING PARTNERSHIP COMING TO BLUE COLLAR CORNER: Freshly poured pints of Double-Barelled beer.. Featuring Ding, Parka, rotating specials, a guest beer line, draught cider & the exclusive new Blue Collar Lager 🙌 Boozing never felt so good 🍺🔥
We wanted to build on that success & create the best fanzone in the country. Coppell’s Corner (see pics), first pitched by us last year, would have been funded by us, featured The Spread Eagle bar, former player Q&A’s & the best stadium food in the UK, but it wasn’t to be
BLUE COLLAR CORNER: THE JOURNEY CONTINUES 🙌 Almost 2 years in and we’ve loved every second of turning this abandoned yard into our home - the UK’s greatest street food rotating alongside 10 lines of local craft beer, cocktails, coffee, dj sets & VIBES…
A TOWN COMING TOGETHER 🔵⚪️ A huge thank you to
@SellBeforeWeDai
& everyone involved on such an important day for our football club 💪 Find us until Midnight tonight, smashing out street food, booze & dj sets as we build up to a huge Halloween night ahead 🍺🍽️🕺
IN 1983 THEY MARCHED TO SAVE READING FOOTBALL CLUB, IN 2023 WE’RE HAVING TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN.. This Saturday’s march to the stadium starts outside Blue Collar Corner and here are the key points from us… (1/4)
WE HOLD OUR HANDS UP.. we’ve changed our minds. After listening to all your comments today and, with our food traders wanting to crack on, we’re going to give it a go as a takeaway service every WEDS & FRIDAY lunchtime.. 1/2
@RFCSupport
@ReadingFC
this was, and always will be, our dream gig.. We’re ready to help and would love to come back - you have our contact details 🔵⚪️
COMING TO BLUE COLLAR CORNER.. BRIAN McDERMOTT 🙌 From highs of Premier League promotion to lows of the play off final defeat & anxiety, depression and an alcohol addiction - this is Brian’s story as you’ve never heard it before. In an intimate setting & followed by a Q&A, BOOK👇
🙌🚗🚲 HELLO GOOD TIMES.. after 11 weeks away, we’re on the way back with 5 of our very best traders for one night of street food & the ultimate Saturday night takeaway 🥘🌮🌭 Wind down your windows & meet us there
#adaptandovercome
#streetfood
#rdguk
#rg1
#drivethru
We had an absolute blast doing it while we could & you can still find us every week, smashing out street food in the town centre. Thank you - it’s been sweeter than that Robin Friday volley against Tranmere 👊🔵⚪️
#readingfc
#bluecollarstreetfood
#supportlocalbusiness
THE GREATEST WINGS IN THE UK🐓🙌 Voted 1st place for their Buffalo Wings & 1st place for their Wild Wings at Wing Fest in London this weekend - our pals
@gurtwings
are officially the best in the Country 💙
Aaaaaaand it’s back..💥Almost 5 years after our first ever event, we’re back in Forbury Gardens with 10 of our very best food traders, our festival bar, DJ sets, firepits & more.. It’s free entry and not ticketed - just turn up for ULTIMATE weekend eating, boozing & vibes 👊🕺💃
READING FANS: WE MISS YOU With Saturday’s game off, come and see us instead.. You’ll get 10% off at the bar when you show RFC colours, season ticket or membership card + we have 10 x traders smashing out street food that looks like THIS 🙌
EAT READING is back THIS WEEKEND and you can find our food traders all along Broad Street - here’s the lineup.. 🙌🍔🥘🌮
📍FIND US: 11AM - LATE, THIS SATURDAY & SUNDAY, BROAD STREET, READING 👊
COMING TO BLUE COLLAR CORNER: GURT WINGS.. Multi award winners of Wing Fest & Wing Jam & already adored in the Ding, their first permanent premises opens in Blue Collar Corner on 12th March. Your new, all year round, one stop shop for life changing fried chicken is on it’s way 🙌
We’re season ticket holders, it’s our hometown club & this was our dream gig, so to receive such a positive fan response meant everything. Outside catering sales went up by 120%, we hit the targets that were agreed & the number of food options outside the ground went from 3 to 11
We believe that by turning this abandoned yard into Reading’s newest independent venue we can breathe life into an unloved part of our hometown. And after we open the site, we’ll work with both new & current traders to improve the market area with the best in local produce & more
Aaaaand we’re BACK..💥🥘🌮 After 12 long weeks away, from 17th June we’re returning to the town centre every Wednesday 🙌 Although initially limited to 5 food traders, we’ll be mixing brand new food concepts with some of our classic vendors.. Stay tuned for the full lineup 🌱🐔
What a night💥😳 Thank you so much to all of you that have come along & supported us ❤️ Our licence only allows us to trade until 9pm so please don’t join the queue if you haven’t already. We’re so sorry if you’ve missed out & will be back soon 🌮🥘🌯
🤝💥We’ve partnered up with Market House, Reading’s newest bar, hotel & rooftop hotspot to supply our street food traders 🌮🥗🔥 Over the next 3 weeks, next to their in-house kitchen, our mates Mexican Odyssey will be serving their stacked nachos & ultimate tacos 🙌
SEVEN YEARS OF BLUE COLLAR 🎉 What started in Forbury Gardens as a one man band at our first ever food festival, has grown into a team of 15 that share a common goal to bring the very best of street food, booze, music & vibes to our hometown.
…Today we signed a lease extension to continue - it’s been a hell of a ride & it’s only just beginning 💪🍹🍔
FIND US: EVERY THURS - SUNDAY, BLUE COLLAR CORNER, HOSIER STREET, READING, RG1 7QL
BLUE COLLAR CORNER is changing.. Inline with our new look from October onwards, we’re coming in BIG with a programme of exciting free entry events, later opening hours & special ticketed nights on selected Wednesday evenings. Here’s what we’ve got planned for October 💃👇
BRIAN McDERMOTT: WHAT A NIGHT 🔵⚪️ A huge thank you to Brian & everyone that came along 💙 The last few remaining tickets for next week are available here:
Aaaaaaand it’s BACK 🙌💥6 months on, our drive-thru returns for the ULTIMATE, one-off SATURDAY TAKEAWAY. This will be pre-order only, with limited slots available to click & collect.. Download our app or hit the link below to check out the trader menus & place your order now 👊👊
BLUE COLLAR CORNER IS CHANGING.. From 23rd March onwards, you can expect brand new food options, rotating on a short term basis, as we welcome some of the greatest & most innovative food traders in the UK alongside locals to pop up 🙌 Here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming👇
COMING TO BLUE COLLAR CORNER.. THE 106 RECORD BREAKERS: The stars of our incredible 05/06 campaign open up on 3 nights of interviews – they’ll share memories of that season, gives their thoughts on the current state of RFC & answer audience questions..
🙌🙌 HELLO GOOD TIMES, did you say cheeeeeese?? 4 days, 20 cheese based street food traders, craft beer, Pimms, prosecco, cocktails, firepits, hay bale sofas, day & night dj’s & so much more.. BACK in Forbury Gardens this April 🧀🍹🍻
THREAD:💥THE GRAND FINALE: After over 3,000 food trader applications & five regional heats, we’ve been chosen to host the UK final of the BIGGEST street food competition in the world, supported by Hellmann’s 🙌🍔🌮🥘🥗 1/5
We’ll update you on progress when we can, with us hoping to open in late Summer. In the meantime (and even when the site opens) you can find us smashing out street food at our lunchtime markets in Market Place every Weds & Friday 👊💥
🙌 Hello good times.. did someone say cheeeeeese?🧀 4 days, 20 cheese based street food traders, 2 bars, music, hay bale sofas, firepits, craft beer, Pimms, prosecco, cocktails, dj nights & so much more.. on it’s way to RG1 this April 🙌🍔🧀☀️
SPRING/SUMMER 2022: THE TIME OF OUR LIVES 🙌 After 6 months of Blue Collar Corner as a Summer venue, we’re now closed ahead of our HUGE Winter revamp & relaunch.. (1/3)
THAT’S THAT FROM US IN 2021: A year started in lockdown, surviving through takeaway markets & street food drive thru’s. It saw our return to Forbury Gardens, us hosting Eat Reading & our first Christmas Markets
THAT WAS FUN.. We absolutely LOVED being on Broad Street this weekend - thank you for coming out in force 👊💙 Missed out? You can find us BACK in Market Place, smashing out street food every Wednesday & Friday lunchtime 🙌🍔🌮
#readinguk
#rdguk
#eatreading
READY TO GO.. Find us smashing out street food, craft beer, Pimms, Prosecco & more on Broad Street this weekend 🙌
FIND US: Saturday 11am - 8pm, Sunday 11am - 6pm, Broad Street, Reading
HOW IT STARTED > HOW IT’S GOING 🙌🍹🍽️
CELEBRATING 2 YEARS OF THIS PLACE ALL WEEKEND, FT. THE GREATEST STREET FOOD THAT’S BEEN WITH US ALONG THE WAY, 10 LINES OF DRAFT BEER, COCKTAILS, GIVEAWAYS & KILLER TUNES 💃
FIND US: BLUE COLLAR CORNER, HOSIER STREET, READING, RG1 7QL
TAKE AWAY👊 We know the next couple of months are going to be brutal but, with markets permitted & our traders keen to give it a go, we still believe food can provide a bit of escapism - that in times of trouble a little walk & a good lunch can clear the mind & fill the belly 1/2
We’re going to have to be super strict in asking people not to hang around & will review it as we go but, after 10 months of incredible support, it wouldn’t be right if we didn’t at least give it a shot.. Find us, back as a takeaway service, on WEDS 13th JAN & FRIDAY 15th JAN
🥳HAPPY NEW YEAR.. Last night we celebrated the final moments of 2022, a year that was the culmination of six years of work in getting ourselves to the stage where we could take over a derelict yard and turn it into our first permanent home (1/4)
All seating covered, heaters on every table, our greenery changed to Autumnal colours, later opening hours, a huge events programme & screens installed for the World Cup 🙌 We have 2 weekends left before we refurb. Let’s make ‘em count 💪🍹🍕
Tomorrow, we are 2 metres away, contactless card payments, capped at 5 food traders but, after 13 long weeks, we are allowed BACK in the town centre💥🥘🌱👊
FIND US: 11.30am - 2.30pm, Wednesdays, Market Place, RG1 2EG
The most stressful & frustrating year of our lives, made special by all of you that came out to support us. Happy Christmas - we’ll be back bigger than ever in 2022 👊
💥THIS SATURDAY: From our very first event to present day, Peru Sabor have been feeding us - one perfectly seasoned dish at a time. Chicken wraps & lamb skewers available this Saturday🐔🔥🌮
SATURDAY NIGHT DRIVE-THRU: 6th June, 5pm - 9pm, Rivermead Car Park, RG1 8EQ
☀️ Hello good times.. Feastival is BACK & here for 3 whole weeks 🙌 Our biggest ever event features a brand new rooftop seating area in Forbury Gardens, rotating street food traders, 3 bars, live music, Pimms, Prosecco, craft beer, cocktails, firepits, hay bales & VIBES🕺🍔🍹
BLUE COLLAR CORNER IS TURNING ONE 🙌🎈After the year of our lives, of next level street food, rotating beers & cocktails, a Winter refurb, a cost of living crisis, World Cup screenings, massive DJ sets and live music, our baby will celebrate it’s first birthday on 10th March 🎉
As we try to recover as a town from what happened on Saturday, we don’t want to shout about food but the last few months have meant that our traders really need you to keep coming out if you’re able to. Even if just for a second, a mouthful of halloumi is a mouthful of escapism
BLUE COLLAR BRUNCHIN’🍳NEW BREAKFAST DISHES NOW AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS FROM 11AM - 2PM:
👉EL ASADO: ARGENTINIAN STEAK, CHIMICHURRI, CHIPS, CHORIZO SAUSAGE & A FRIED EGG🥩
(1/2)
Really chuffed to be featured alongside so many big hitters in
@marktaylorfood
’s roundup of the UK’s best street food markets. Check out the link below👇
We hope to come back from this - to make our events bigger & better, to announce plans for a permanent site, to find a way of mixing the best in street food with booze, music & vibes, whilst keeping in mind whatever guidelines are set. Stay safe - there’ll be news from us soon 👊
🙌 Aaaaand it’s BACK.. ULTIMATE street food, bars, music, hay bale sofas, firepits, craft beer, Pimms, prosecco, cocktails, dj nights & so much more.. on it’s way to RG1 for Feastival this June🕺🍔🍹🌮🍺🙌
🙌🔥Celebrating MEAT, FIRE & lots and lots of BOOZE 🔥🙌
••••
The ultimate meat based street food, craft beer, cocktails, live music, fire pits, oil lanterns, barbecues, plant based options, vibes & so much more all in Reading’s legendary Abbey Ruins🕺🍔💥
COMING TO BLUE COLLAR CORNER: SARV’S SLICE🍕Authentic, stone-baked Neopolitan pizza with the very best ingredients, fresh from the oven & slung out alongside their rotating specials.. Their first permanent, all round year spot is open Thursdays - Sundays from 12th March 👊
☀️ Costa del Reading ☀️ We are BACK in Forbury & ready to roll - Join us from 11 today until Sunday for the ultimate cheese based street food in Forbury Gardens 🧀🧀
2 YEARS OLD TODAY 🙌🎉🙌
Started in the hope of building a platform for the very best food options, mixed with the quirky street food considered too niche to succeed, our Wednesday market turns 2 today 💥🎉 1/2
IT’S OFFICIAL: Blue Collar Corner has been voted Reading’s best beer garden 🙌 Here’s what we’ve got for you there this week..
👉GOURMET WARRIORS: TACOS🌮
👉FRIES LOVE: CORNDOGS & LOADED FRIES🍟
👉FAT TABBY: LOADED WRAPS🌯
👉DIRTY BOYS BURGERS🍔
👉DOUBLE-BARRELLED BEER🍺
🧀 🙌 We are BACK and armed with cheese 🙌🧀 Forbury Gardens hosts 4 days, 20 Cheese based street food traders, 2 bars, music, hay bale sofas, our amazing firepit, craft beer, pimms, prosecco, cocktails & so much more 🙌🍔🌮
💥NEW TRADER INCOMING: Stacked, loaded, melt in the mouth steak sandwiches from
@highsteaksuk
, served with their legendary chimichurri & available this Friday. Lunchtime plans sorted 🥩🙌
FIND OUR TAKEAWAY MARKET: 11.30am - 2.30pm, Every Weds & Friday, Market Place, RG1 2EG
💥EAT READING is returning to Broad Street THIS SATURDAY & SUNDAY and there’s never been a better time to eat, drink & support local businesses.. Stay tuned for the full lineup, with 20 of our traders smashing out street food that looks like THIS from
@thechipsmyth
🙌🍟
On Friday our friend
@declarationball
devastatingly passed away. He was a brilliant writer, always supportive & visited us in Forbury as recently as Thursday. Hugely enthaustic about our town, a life lover and terrific company over a pint - you’ll be missed Matty
#MrFarrall
👉THE MARCH LEAVES AT 12.30 AFTER WHICH BLUE COLLAR CORNER RETURNS TO NORMAL AS WE BUILD UP TO OUR HUGE HALLOWEEN PARTY WITH RUM & DONUTS DJS
THANKS TO SELL BEFORE WE DAI - LET’S SAVE OUR FOOTBALL CLUB 🔵⚪️
@SellBeforeWeDai
@Club1871
@ElmParkRoyals
@TheTilehurstEnd
(4/4)
🎉4 YEARS AGO TODAY👉 We launched Blue Collar with our first event, a street food festival in Forbury Gardens. It reminds us of the Forbury at its best - full of people, colour, life and vibes. Fingers crossed we can do it all again next year 💙
XMAS LIGHT SWITCH ON: Our bar is on Broad Street today, smashing out Double-Barrelled draught beer, Winter Pimm’s, Wine, soft drinks & more, alongside live music and the Christmas lights switch on. Find us serving from 11 outside Primark 🙌❄️
💥Over the weekend we visited Time Out Lisbon & it was everything we hope to achieve - creative food & booze pushing the boundaries together under one roof. In our own way & our own style, the dream is, and has always been, to bring this to our hometown 🙏 1/2
So that’s that.. 4 weeks later, Feastival is over for another year. A big thank you to the staff, food traders, contractors, friends & every single one of you that came along & supported. It’s been emotional 🍹🍔🍺