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Reading Town
Reading is not only a modern European city with a thriving centre, but also the capital of the Thames Valley sub-region - arguably the most dynamic sub-region in the UK outside of London.
The centre’s economy revolves around the service sector and leading-edge technology services. Moreover, this thriving town enjoys the status of being one of the biggest insurance and business service centres in the country.
Superbly situated, modern and diverse, Reading satisfies all tastes, ages and needs.
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Accessibility
Reading benefits from excellent road, rail and air links.
The rail station is the 2nd busiest station outside of the capital and has direct services to over 300 destinations, including 200 trains a day to London. Mainline services run into Paddington and Waterloo.
Major roads passing through or nearby include the M4, M40, M3 and M25.
And for those with good air links as a priority, the town is situated just 30 miles from London Heathrow, circa 58 miles from London Luton Airport and circa 66 miles from London Gatwick.
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Shopping
With the Oracle Shopping Centre and Broad Street Mall at its heart, Reading is now ranked as the 11th top centre for shopping in the UK outside London.
With more than 90 shops alone, the Oracle, astride the River Kennet, now attracts some 30 million visitors a year.
The Broad Street Mall is the more established of the two major shopping malls in the town and has been at the forefront of mall style shopping in Reading for over thirty years.
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Sport & Leisure
There is a large range of sporting facilities in and around Reading, with a host of fitness clubs, sports clubs, golf courses and swimming pools to choose from - not to mention the Madejski Stadium, home of Reading FC.
Rivermead Leisure Complex alone offers many traditional sports-centre activities, a leisure pool (with wave machine and flume), plus an excellent programme of major events such as concerts, shows and exhibitions.
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Entertainment
The Riverside development - which forms an important part of The Oracle - has something for everyone, from a buzzing nightlife with bars and dancing to cinema, ice-skating in winter and an excellent range of restaurants. Whether it's Italian, Chinese, Indian or even the taste of America you fancy, you’ll find what you’re looking for at The Riverside.
The VUE and Reading Showcase cinema complexes add further spice to the entertainment centrally available to visitors.
And if it’s live entertainment you’re after, The Hexagon Theatre is a well-established, multi-purpose venue – again in the heart of Reading
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- and boasts an exciting programme of events including Rock, Pop, Comedy, Drama, Classical Music and Dance. Other venues include The Concert Hall and Progress Theatres.
Music lovers will know Reading for its famous annual Reading Festival, held next to the Rivermead development. Over 60,000 visitors flock to experience the festival each year.
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Education
With over 80 nurseries, schools, colleges and related services to choose from, Reading has a great deal to offer in the line of training and education.
The town is also home to Reading University, which recently celebrated its 80th anniversary. The university is campus-based, offering on-site shopping as well as cafeterias and a bank.
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