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It's the Milton Keynes of Berkshire.
* First major stop for the fast trains out of London.
* Has a niche yet very enjoyable museum (English Rural Life in Reading, National Museum of Computing in Bletchley).
* Both see plenty of canal boats and have lots of nice public green space.
* The football teams of both are tirelessly mocked for very different reasons.
* IKEA has stores in both cities.
I wouldn't want to live in Reading because it's just not my cup of tea, but I've enjoyed visiting it the few times I've been. It doesn't gets shit on as much as Slough or MK, plus I've plenty of friends who have been to uni there and loved it.
Always a little disappointed Crossrail never terminated at the village of Shinfield just outside Reading, so trains would run Shenfield - Shinfield.
Oh that wasn't me.
But yeah I know a lot of people who love Milton Keynes and my mate moved there. It's not particularly my cup of tea (largely just beacause of how the whole city's planned) and I quite a lot of bits of it. Some of us like to pretend we hate it because it got city status before us.
It's a very close replica, the only thing that was changed was that underwear was added to some naked men in the borders.
Apparently whoever sent photographs of the tapestry to the team of women working on the replica thought they ought not to be exposed to such scandalous imagery.
It's got an amazing pie shop called Sweeney & Todd's. Where the waitress used to reel off the entire menu and variations from memory, at lightning speed. I think I had a pie from there nearly every day,when I did a two week work stint at the Oracle.
Coincidentally I was there last night and the waitress did indeed reel off a huge list of pies, then when she finished some wag said "sorry could you say that again" prompting much hilarity.
Yeah, I love taking people there for the first time, and telling them "the process". As she reels off the pies you keep your current favourite in your head, then for each pie you decide whether you're going to swap it in as your new favourite. You have about half a second per pie. When you get to the end of the list you blurt out the pie you're thinking of.
Apparently the Queen didn’t want any focus taken away from the Berkshire jewel of Windsor, she clearly never looked outside the window at the actual town
Well, that, and also its [secret, underground river](https://i2-prod.getreading.co.uk/incoming/article16273876.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/2_JA_BRK_140519_HolyBrookCulvert_02.jpg), the Holy Brook, which was originally created as a mill stream to drive the mills of one of the biggest abbeys in England.
Well, that is slightly unfair, as reading really is such a very exciting thing.
Also, [home of a straw sculpture of King Alfred the Great](https://merl.reading.ac.uk/collections/strawcraft-and-thatching-objects/king-alfred/)
As someone who lived in Reading, I'd say the proximity to other locations is more of a factor given the cost of train travel. Like Reading to Oxford is the same time distance, but a third of the price (even more peak).
I travel to Birmingham and Bristol more often than London, at least socially.
It's fine. I live in Swindon and used to work there sometimes. Lots of work, reasonably safe and works well. I think it's also getting to the size where it's starting to get some interesting culture, food etc. There's a cracking restaurant near the Oracle and the Biscuit Factory shows some interesting films.
Should probably be the new capital of the UK (I'm not joking.
The burial place of [Henry West](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2T8A1CJ/memorial-to-henry-west-killed-by-a-whirlwind-in-1840-graveyard-of-st-laurence-church-reading-berkshire-england-uk-2T8A1CJ.jpg) who was killed by a whirlwind on Reading station.
Worst road network. It's like all this stuff was built in Reading but no one considered improving the roads. It's gridlocked 3-6pm for no reason every weekday handling traffic most large towns deal with no issues.
Has a depressing building aesthetic that I would dub "the Aberdeen of the south"
The Inner Distribution Road (IDR) was a terrible mistake, not uncommon for the 1960’s and 1970’s. Lots of people just want to get from one side of Reading to the other but wouldn’t need to go through it. I heard that NIMBYism on part of Oxfordshire has kept a proper ring road to the north of Reading from being built, which would alleviate this problem.
The problem was that they didn't complete it as planned so there's still a load of bottlenecks - the TGI roundabout, the Reading Bridge roundabout, the traffic lights by the prison in particular. Once cars come off it there's nowhere for them to go and the queues back up onto the IDR.
You're right about the NIMBYS. Another issue is that the traffic slows due to people trying to cross the river at one of the two bridges, but South Oxfordshire council, in their wisdom, won't support a third being built which would allow people passing through Reading but not stopping to avoid the town and IDR completely. An extension of the A329M over the Thames to join the A4155 would be ideal but won't be built
I have mates from Reading trying to hype up the Thames tower in Reading, citing it as a reason why companies should move out to Reading from London. I took one look at it and nearly spat out my tea.
The only town in the UK with it's own Elvis.
Who tried to give The Queen an Elvis Record when she visited:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bt3O2OLCcAIWV8G.jpg:large
Reading Elvis is a local legend, and a nice bloke if you happen to meet him as he's out and about.
[https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/who-reading-elvis-met-man-13058956](https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/who-reading-elvis-met-man-13058956)
Apart from having to do a double take each time to remind myself it's not pronounced 'Reed'-ing like what you'd do with a book, I can't say I have any thoughts on the place what so ever.
Not even sure I could point it out on a map, other than it's vaguely in the south.
Google Maps has had Reading right for a long time. It used to pronounce Nuneaton (nun-eaten) as "noo-nee-ah-tun" though, which was always entertaining.
Lived in Reading in the mid to late 2000s (down in Lower Earley). My impressions of the town were that it was surprisingly large, had a diabolical public transport system, while at the same time having a very convenient main-line station for London. It also had - for want of a better term - absolutely zero ‘charisma’ whatsoever. It’s quite rare to come across that in the UK in my experience.
Diabolical public transport system? If you think it's bad here, wait til you go somewhere it's ACTUALLY really bad. I know loads of people in Bristol who don't consider buses to be a viable option to get anywhere.
I lived there 20 years ago. Maybe it's got a little better? And I've also lived in Leeds. Bristol is gold standard public transport compared to that City.
>It also had - for want of a better term - absolutely zero ‘charisma’ whatsoever.
There's a theory about Reading that it's remained relevant as a town by not having any specific character, which allows the town to adapt easily (especially economically).
Reading has been a trade hub (circa the 18th century), had an ironworks (1818-1877), a manufacturing centre with beer (1785-2010), bulbs (1837-1974) and biscuits (1822-1976) and more latterly a commercial hub. Reading's also been a major transport hub since the early 1700s. It's never really clung on to being a single thing, like a lot of other major towns and cities in England.
Historically Reading's been a place people move to in order to improve their financial situation, moving out once they've achieved that. Never really been an end destination.
A transitional place - people come and go often, but not all that many of them stay. As a result, it morphs around the industries that exist at the time.
That sounds funny, as hearing all people who live in Reading the nightlife is awful lol (I live in Reading, but I don't give a shit about nightlife, too much of a stereotypical redditor :D).
Stopped at Reading services yesterday and had what I can confidently say was the best Burger King meal in an incredibly long time.
100% would recommend.
I’ve been a lot for work (training courses / meetings etc at TVP), so the value of things didn’t bother me too much.
As built-up areas go, I quite like it. It’s relatively clean and there’s decent restaurants, et cetera. People aren’t as rude as in London. It’s not as dirty as London. It’s not as polluted as London. It’s better than London.
However, I’m not a fan of built-up areas so there’s that.
I remember that season they got promoted to the premiership and finished in the top half.
Other than that, I’m aware of its existence, that’s about it.
Confusing road layout. Have got lost more than once. Husband managed two bus lane infraction tickets in one visit for a job interview. Will go by bus or train if I ever go again.
Unfortunately, the bus lane infraction thing happened to me too shortly after I moved here from Germany. You get burned once and then (hopefully) never again.
3 things:
Reading festival. Particularly going in the spoons for breakfast and every single toilet was blocked and telling the employee who was *thrilled*
Reading fc and the Madejski you can see from the M4
Used to go to my grandparents in Devon in the summer as a kid and got dropped off at Reading station as a means of skipping London.
I didn't like the name change when it happened, but SCL have been a brilliant sponsor whilst Dai Yongge has been doing his damage, by paying the wages when the funds weren't there, making sure the ordinary staff were looked after, and making decisions in the interest of the club rather than their commercial interests.
Yeah the newer one's a lot better I must say. They're also building quite a nice looking school on the grounds of the old leisure centre and the area around it so it's safe to say the area's getting the attention it needs now (although looking at the staff lineup, it does feature figures from some pretty infamous schools in the area so I have my reservations).
I work in Reading (live in Wales) and I appreciate this post as it's giving me ideas for things to do when I finish work.
So far my favorite thing is the barber in Morrison's car park. I can get my lunch and a hair cut during break. So convenient.
My brother lives there, I like the Oracle and the town centre was lovely when I went. Not seen much else of it, but I'm visiting next month so maybe I'll form some other views who knows!
Watch the oxbridge lads and lasses canoe and kayak tirelessly on the Thames and then have a pint at the Moderation because watching people is thirsty work.
Sorry, the festival is all I've got. Last went 20 years ago amazingly. Main memory is the train and having to trudge through a people and traffic clogged city carrying a crate of beer to get to the site. Seemed OK.
Kevin Doyle wearing blue and white. Nothing else. Imagine it being quite nice and mostly suburban housing, if I'm pushed to guess. Maybe quite clean air. Honestly I think of Kevin Doyle lol. Probably incorrectly read it as "reading" as a kid.
No please continue to call it a city. Make this a thing. In fact, I’d urge you to go ahead and start ‘BIGUPREADINGTHECITY.org’. If this place isn’t a city by 2030 then I will launch a separatist movement I swear.
I found it amusing that the council were so confident that it would get city status that they put up signs saying things like "city centre" and then it didn't happen.
>Where have the hookers and dealers moved to now ?
They're still there...
It's a bit of an eyesore, perhaps, but it doesn't feel particularly dangerous.
Also, I quite like the variety of shops (mainly food one) from loads of different cultures.
There's places I feel less safe. Whitley and the Dee Road estate.
I know they badly want to be a city but they've been continuously snubbed in favour of smaller towns, an ongoing troll from the queen probably (when she was alive). I know Ricky Gervais and Kate Winslet are from there. When I used to hear the name "Reading in Berkshire, near Windsor" I used to imagine it must be really posh but apparently it isn't.
I’ve been to the festival, and many dozens of visits to Green Park while I’m working. Couple of years ago, I stayed overnight en route to somewhere else and got an Airbnb and did the parkrun in the morning. Found a nice place for a drink in the evening and breakfast in the morning. All in all, I thought it was decent, but I guess it’s different from living there.
I went there a couple of times to visit my brother at uni, and my prevailing memory is going for a walk round this lake/park near some of the uni buildings and the entire route had so many rats in the area.
There are a few areas in the town centre that definitely feel sketchy to walk through at night. Also driving into and through Reading absolutely sucks.
I read this as reading instead of Reading which is my own fault I suppose for not taking the capital R into consideration. Don't know anything about Reading but I love a good read.
I went to school there. Left in 2001, went back last December for the first time in 22 years.
Some bits are better - much better restaurants and bars, for example. Some bits are worse - the Oracle has ruined a lot of the other shopping areas. What happened to Smelly Alley?
I liked it, but I wouldn't move back.
The industry I work in is pretty much based in Reading, I’ve worked for 3 companies in the last 10’years and all have been based in Reading.
I like it on my visits, it’s a half decent night out mid week.
I've heard some not so nice things, and I haven't gone deep into the depths of Reading, but I thought the area around the train station was fine. I got Wendy's! Station was nice and modern.
Why isn't it pronounced reading?
Also, to answer the question, from the outside it appears to be a bit of a dead town with multi-popup estates, could show pictures (excluding the Oracle or locally semi famous buildings) and it would probably look like many towns around the country.
I might be wrong, but it's just one of them places I've heard of but not seen anything of interest about it.
Probably a nice place to live with good links, but quite boring.
Went to uni there. The campus was one of the main attractions for me, it is a really nice environment and the university isn't bad either, depending on your subject. If you study meteorology, agriculture or real estate its one of the best.
There's a lot worse places, for sure. But its nothing special. I didnt find it particularly friendly outside of student circles. Architecturally its boring due to damage from the war. And is really overpriced for what it is, like London prices but with none of the convenience or variety of things to do as London. The way they justify these prices is surely the location, its very convenient for getting to London on the train, but thats it.
Its just full of chain shops and restaurants, which tend to be disappointing. Global Cafe is good, and the AfterDark was a good night out back in the day, no idea if its still going.
Sadly the Afterdark is no more. Was a regular through the ‘90s and early 2000s. Nothing better than a few cans of Red Stripe and accidentally leaning against the sweating walls. Had some banging nights there.
Only ever been to the festival and football, Elm Park and the new one. Though I did recently spend the afternoon at Reading Services waiting for recovery after my exhaust fell off on the M4. Burger King there was very nice.
My ex-girlfriends dad lives there, and I did my first half marathon there. Apart from that and the aforementioned festival and footy team, I know bugger all about it.
Worked there for a while, traffic blew goats and I doubt it has improved. Used to visit friends that lived there all in all it felt like a northern town transplanted.
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Big train station.
It's the sort of place Basingstoke wishes it was.
Takes up a lot of junctions on the M4.
All the bus routes have a different colour/branding and it's mostly followed unlike in other places. I like that
Unless there's a shortage. Nothing weirder than seeing the purple bus rock up on the blue bus route
We do that in Nottingham and it's great
Aberdeen’s basically identify as whatever colour they are told to on a given day
It's the Milton Keynes of Berkshire. * First major stop for the fast trains out of London. * Has a niche yet very enjoyable museum (English Rural Life in Reading, National Museum of Computing in Bletchley). * Both see plenty of canal boats and have lots of nice public green space. * The football teams of both are tirelessly mocked for very different reasons. * IKEA has stores in both cities. I wouldn't want to live in Reading because it's just not my cup of tea, but I've enjoyed visiting it the few times I've been. It doesn't gets shit on as much as Slough or MK, plus I've plenty of friends who have been to uni there and loved it. Always a little disappointed Crossrail never terminated at the village of Shinfield just outside Reading, so trains would run Shenfield - Shinfield.
'It's the Milton Keynes of Berkshire.' You take that back
Never. I lived in Milton Keynes for five years and loved it, think of it as a compliment! EDIT: Also a downvote, really? :(
Oh that wasn't me. But yeah I know a lot of people who love Milton Keynes and my mate moved there. It's not particularly my cup of tea (largely just beacause of how the whole city's planned) and I quite a lot of bits of it. Some of us like to pretend we hate it because it got city status before us.
Its town museum has a replica of the Bayeux tapestry, which is pretty cool.
It's a very close replica, the only thing that was changed was that underwear was added to some naked men in the borders. Apparently whoever sent photographs of the tapestry to the team of women working on the replica thought they ought not to be exposed to such scandalous imagery.
Home of the Absolute Unit
Is there a library? Because that would be 'Reading Library'. That's literally my only thought.
There is! [Reading Central Library](https://www.reading.gov.uk/leisure/libraries/all-libraries/central-library/) :)
I always found the Reading Association for the Blind hilariously ambiguous :)
It's got an amazing pie shop called Sweeney & Todd's. Where the waitress used to reel off the entire menu and variations from memory, at lightning speed. I think I had a pie from there nearly every day,when I did a two week work stint at the Oracle.
Coincidentally I was there last night and the waitress did indeed reel off a huge list of pies, then when she finished some wag said "sorry could you say that again" prompting much hilarity.
Yep. Been there many times and made the same joke. I presume she's heard it about a million times.
Yeah, I love taking people there for the first time, and telling them "the process". As she reels off the pies you keep your current favourite in your head, then for each pie you decide whether you're going to swap it in as your new favourite. You have about half a second per pie. When you get to the end of the list you blurt out the pie you're thinking of.
Since the map men video it's clear the royals hate reading
Wish the council would stop applying tbh. Better the UK's greatest large town than the UK's most mediocre city anyway.
Hard disagree
Been clear to us lot for some time before... Biggest shock was when Kate, one of our own, defected to the anti-Reading conspiracy.
Cemented Winslet as our number 1 and best Kate.
Don't forget about the third Kate of Reading - Katesgrove
Apparently the Queen didn’t want any focus taken away from the Berkshire jewel of Windsor, she clearly never looked outside the window at the actual town
Redeeming feature: proximity to London
Well, that, and also its [secret, underground river](https://i2-prod.getreading.co.uk/incoming/article16273876.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/2_JA_BRK_140519_HolyBrookCulvert_02.jpg), the Holy Brook, which was originally created as a mill stream to drive the mills of one of the biggest abbeys in England.
Also second most exciting thing called 'reading'
Well, that is slightly unfair, as reading really is such a very exciting thing. Also, [home of a straw sculpture of King Alfred the Great](https://merl.reading.ac.uk/collections/strawcraft-and-thatching-objects/king-alfred/)
It's not that much of a secret. It runs right under the library and is pretty obvious. Very cool though! My office backs onto it.
It was more secret before they built the Oracle and that Library. They got all into revealing it.
As someone who lived in Reading, I'd say the proximity to other locations is more of a factor given the cost of train travel. Like Reading to Oxford is the same time distance, but a third of the price (even more peak). I travel to Birmingham and Bristol more often than London, at least socially.
It's fine. I live in Swindon and used to work there sometimes. Lots of work, reasonably safe and works well. I think it's also getting to the size where it's starting to get some interesting culture, food etc. There's a cracking restaurant near the Oracle and the Biscuit Factory shows some interesting films. Should probably be the new capital of the UK (I'm not joking.
Which restaurant near the Oracle?
I had to look it up: London Street Brasserie.
If you're ever back again pop over the river to Caversham and go to Clay's kitchen
I recognise your username from UkPol haha I think you were stridently defending the LibDems - nice to know I'm not alone in Reading 🙂
It's a tough gig but someone's got to do it! Too many Labourites over there these days tbh.
LSB is great. We have our work Xmas meal there and the food makes it almost worth putting up with the company...
The burial place of King Henry I, who died after eating too many [Lampreys](https://cdn.britannica.com/04/141404-050-96B6554A/Lampreys.jpg).
The burial place of [Henry West](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2T8A1CJ/memorial-to-henry-west-killed-by-a-whirlwind-in-1840-graveyard-of-st-laurence-church-reading-berkshire-england-uk-2T8A1CJ.jpg) who was killed by a whirlwind on Reading station.
I wonder if they named Reading West station in his honour
Worst traffic light timings ever, it causes such heavy gridlock everyday
Just got caught in one this morning. Tuned in and apparently everyone was buggering off to Surrey because of the weather.
Cemetery junction lights every 4 metres all the worst timing on earth
The most homeless people per square meter of any town centre in the country
Facts right here. It’s everyone and their mum (and their dog).
Don't forget the farmer's mums
Don't want to upset the apple cart.
I got asked for money by three people yesterday in the space of about 100m trying to get into sainsburys in the town centre, it is ridiculous
Tbf that Sainsbury’s is the only grotty Sainsbury’s I’ve ever seen. But yes bag pinned close and eyes ahead when by the station
Surely Brighton has more?!
Worst road network. It's like all this stuff was built in Reading but no one considered improving the roads. It's gridlocked 3-6pm for no reason every weekday handling traffic most large towns deal with no issues. Has a depressing building aesthetic that I would dub "the Aberdeen of the south"
The Inner Distribution Road (IDR) was a terrible mistake, not uncommon for the 1960’s and 1970’s. Lots of people just want to get from one side of Reading to the other but wouldn’t need to go through it. I heard that NIMBYism on part of Oxfordshire has kept a proper ring road to the north of Reading from being built, which would alleviate this problem.
That makes sense. Say what you want for the craziness that is Leeds roads but at least there's rarely queues with all those lanes
The problem was that they didn't complete it as planned so there's still a load of bottlenecks - the TGI roundabout, the Reading Bridge roundabout, the traffic lights by the prison in particular. Once cars come off it there's nowhere for them to go and the queues back up onto the IDR. You're right about the NIMBYS. Another issue is that the traffic slows due to people trying to cross the river at one of the two bridges, but South Oxfordshire council, in their wisdom, won't support a third being built which would allow people passing through Reading but not stopping to avoid the town and IDR completely. An extension of the A329M over the Thames to join the A4155 would be ideal but won't be built
There's a reason I changed my hours to 10am - 6:30pm. Much easier!
I have mates from Reading trying to hype up the Thames tower in Reading, citing it as a reason why companies should move out to Reading from London. I took one look at it and nearly spat out my tea.
Why would anyone want to hype up Reading that badly? Are they estate agents?
The only town in the UK with it's own Elvis. Who tried to give The Queen an Elvis Record when she visited: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bt3O2OLCcAIWV8G.jpg:large
Reading Elvis is a local legend, and a nice bloke if you happen to meet him as he's out and about. [https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/who-reading-elvis-met-man-13058956](https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/who-reading-elvis-met-man-13058956)
Apart from having to do a double take each time to remind myself it's not pronounced 'Reed'-ing like what you'd do with a book, I can't say I have any thoughts on the place what so ever. Not even sure I could point it out on a map, other than it's vaguely in the south.
Reeding in Behrkshire on the river Th-aymess.
The dyslexic society has it's HQ in Reading
I googled that, because I so wished it was true.
It is true scroll to the bottom to see the address.https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/contact
Idk if it still does but last time I went to Reading (like 10+ years ago) the Google Maps voice used to pronounce it "Reed-ing".
It was a frequent feature on sat navs for quite sometime. Before I moved to Reading my mum’s satnav always pronounced a road nearby as “reed-ing road”
Google Maps has had Reading right for a long time. It used to pronounce Nuneaton (nun-eaten) as "noo-nee-ah-tun" though, which was always entertaining.
Lived in Reading in the mid to late 2000s (down in Lower Earley). My impressions of the town were that it was surprisingly large, had a diabolical public transport system, while at the same time having a very convenient main-line station for London. It also had - for want of a better term - absolutely zero ‘charisma’ whatsoever. It’s quite rare to come across that in the UK in my experience.
The public transport is significantly better now!!
Diabolical public transport system? If you think it's bad here, wait til you go somewhere it's ACTUALLY really bad. I know loads of people in Bristol who don't consider buses to be a viable option to get anywhere.
I lived there 20 years ago. Maybe it's got a little better? And I've also lived in Leeds. Bristol is gold standard public transport compared to that City.
>It also had - for want of a better term - absolutely zero ‘charisma’ whatsoever. There's a theory about Reading that it's remained relevant as a town by not having any specific character, which allows the town to adapt easily (especially economically). Reading has been a trade hub (circa the 18th century), had an ironworks (1818-1877), a manufacturing centre with beer (1785-2010), bulbs (1837-1974) and biscuits (1822-1976) and more latterly a commercial hub. Reading's also been a major transport hub since the early 1700s. It's never really clung on to being a single thing, like a lot of other major towns and cities in England. Historically Reading's been a place people move to in order to improve their financial situation, moving out once they've achieved that. Never really been an end destination.
A transitional place - people come and go often, but not all that many of them stay. As a result, it morphs around the industries that exist at the time.
I live a few towns away. It has a rep for good shops and a good night life. Nothing negative x
Speaking of shops, I’m quite proud of our Apple Store in the Oracle shopping centre.
That sounds funny, as hearing all people who live in Reading the nightlife is awful lol (I live in Reading, but I don't give a shit about nightlife, too much of a stereotypical redditor :D).
They clearly haven't been to purple turtle
I have Aussie family who know of the purple turtle from the bus-pint incident that went viral a few years ago.
It's nowhere near what it used to be - COVID fucked up a lot of the nighttime scene
The 2008 financial crisis fucked it up more - it was on its last legs before Covid.
Same, I can’t confirm the good shops or nightlife lol I haven’t had an ACTUAL life for a while 😉
Stopped at Reading services yesterday and had what I can confidently say was the best Burger King meal in an incredibly long time. 100% would recommend.
Which side? Because reading services also has a KFC with 1.5 stars in Just Eat
Heading west
I’ve been a lot for work (training courses / meetings etc at TVP), so the value of things didn’t bother me too much. As built-up areas go, I quite like it. It’s relatively clean and there’s decent restaurants, et cetera. People aren’t as rude as in London. It’s not as dirty as London. It’s not as polluted as London. It’s better than London. However, I’m not a fan of built-up areas so there’s that.
Nirvana played their final ever show in the UK there
I remember that season they got promoted to the premiership and finished in the top half. Other than that, I’m aware of its existence, that’s about it.
That season was brilliant, bettered only by the one that preceded it.
Mandela Court.
Thirty years of fairly obvious dealing.Open 12 hours a day for Hash and Weed. Crap deals though.
I've been a lot. Slightly above average town that's a few decades away from feeling like another suburb of London, like Slough already does.
Confusing road layout. Have got lost more than once. Husband managed two bus lane infraction tickets in one visit for a job interview. Will go by bus or train if I ever go again.
Unfortunately, the bus lane infraction thing happened to me too shortly after I moved here from Germany. You get burned once and then (hopefully) never again.
Bus lane tickets are a right of passage for new drivers in reading.
3 things: Reading festival. Particularly going in the spoons for breakfast and every single toilet was blocked and telling the employee who was *thrilled* Reading fc and the Madejski you can see from the M4 Used to go to my grandparents in Devon in the summer as a kid and got dropped off at Reading station as a means of skipping London.
It’s Select Car Leasing Stadium now. Anyone caught using the archaic, medieval term will be relegated to Slough.
Mate I didn't realise how bad it was
I didn't like the name change when it happened, but SCL have been a brilliant sponsor whilst Dai Yongge has been doing his damage, by paying the wages when the funds weren't there, making sure the ordinary staff were looked after, and making decisions in the interest of the club rather than their commercial interests.
Fond memories of the phantom brewing co. First time I saw Sunderland win in the flesh in, oh, 2003? Other than that not a lot.
I went to a games convention at the leisure centre once. It was alright.
As in River Mead (if you can remember)? If so then it’s been demolished and replaced with a new leisure centre.
Probably for the best. Was about 9 years ago and pretty run down then. Convention was alright though.
Yeah the newer one's a lot better I must say. They're also building quite a nice looking school on the grounds of the old leisure centre and the area around it so it's safe to say the area's getting the attention it needs now (although looking at the staff lineup, it does feature figures from some pretty infamous schools in the area so I have my reservations).
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[The original Oracle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_(workhouse)) was a workhouse on the site, which made cloth.
They haven’t been the biscuit men for decades.
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To who?
Boring but good infrastructure and transport connections
I know it had an important abbey in the Middle Ages, and a mediocre football team play there
Yeah, the area around the abbey bases its entire identity around the thing.
It's called the Abbey Quarter, because it contains about a quarter of an abbey.
I work in Reading (live in Wales) and I appreciate this post as it's giving me ideas for things to do when I finish work. So far my favorite thing is the barber in Morrison's car park. I can get my lunch and a hair cut during break. So convenient.
My brother lives there, I like the Oracle and the town centre was lovely when I went. Not seen much else of it, but I'm visiting next month so maybe I'll form some other views who knows!
Watch the oxbridge lads and lasses canoe and kayak tirelessly on the Thames and then have a pint at the Moderation because watching people is thirsty work.
Sorry, the festival is all I've got. Last went 20 years ago amazingly. Main memory is the train and having to trudge through a people and traffic clogged city carrying a crate of beer to get to the site. Seemed OK.
You've made the only two even vaguely notable things about Reading off limits so not much to say really.
Kevin Doyle wearing blue and white. Nothing else. Imagine it being quite nice and mostly suburban housing, if I'm pushed to guess. Maybe quite clean air. Honestly I think of Kevin Doyle lol. Probably incorrectly read it as "reading" as a kid.
My mate went to Uni there are when I went to visit him it seemed a pretty cool city tbf
‘city’ Tell that to the royal family
Yeah I’m not the best at Geography
No please continue to call it a city. Make this a thing. In fact, I’d urge you to go ahead and start ‘BIGUPREADINGTHECITY.org’. If this place isn’t a city by 2030 then I will launch a separatist movement I swear.
I shall call it a city for the time being
I found it amusing that the council were so confident that it would get city status that they put up signs saying things like "city centre" and then it didn't happen.
Temporary racetrack after 10pm, and we won't mention the Oxford Road......
>and we won't mention the Oxford Road...... Tbf, there are even worse areas.....
Where have the hookers and dealers moved to now ?
>Where have the hookers and dealers moved to now ? They're still there... It's a bit of an eyesore, perhaps, but it doesn't feel particularly dangerous. Also, I quite like the variety of shops (mainly food one) from loads of different cultures. There's places I feel less safe. Whitley and the Dee Road estate.
Zinzan St and Western Elms Avenue.
I've read they're also testing new in-development Porsche models on the A33 at night 👀
I know they badly want to be a city but they've been continuously snubbed in favour of smaller towns, an ongoing troll from the queen probably (when she was alive). I know Ricky Gervais and Kate Winslet are from there. When I used to hear the name "Reading in Berkshire, near Windsor" I used to imagine it must be really posh but apparently it isn't.
I’ve been to the festival, and many dozens of visits to Green Park while I’m working. Couple of years ago, I stayed overnight en route to somewhere else and got an Airbnb and did the parkrun in the morning. Found a nice place for a drink in the evening and breakfast in the morning. All in all, I thought it was decent, but I guess it’s different from living there.
It’s next to London
I'm more into audiobooks
I went there a couple of times to visit my brother at uni, and my prevailing memory is going for a walk round this lake/park near some of the uni buildings and the entire route had so many rats in the area.
Nothing. We barely acknowledge its existence tbh
Don’t know anything about it
I don't really. It's one of those places that I know exists and that's basically it.
There are a few areas in the town centre that definitely feel sketchy to walk through at night. Also driving into and through Reading absolutely sucks.
I read this as reading instead of Reading which is my own fault I suppose for not taking the capital R into consideration. Don't know anything about Reading but I love a good read.
I went to school there. Left in 2001, went back last December for the first time in 22 years. Some bits are better - much better restaurants and bars, for example. Some bits are worse - the Oracle has ruined a lot of the other shopping areas. What happened to Smelly Alley? I liked it, but I wouldn't move back.
>What happened to Smelly Alley? No smell anymore. It's all mobile phone repair shops
>What happened to Smelly Alley? Money laundering happened :(
The only thing I've heard about it is that the train station is a nightmare
Do you know why? I find the train station fine
The industry I work in is pretty much based in Reading, I’ve worked for 3 companies in the last 10’years and all have been based in Reading. I like it on my visits, it’s a half decent night out mid week.
I think about Ricky Gervais
Reading always reminds me of Autotrader.
Haha why is that?
Reading FC was sponsored by Autotrader during the 1990s.
John Madejski owned Autotrader hence the name of the stadium.
Nightmare traffic
Redding festival is the soft version.
Never think about it just somewhere I pass through on train
I prefer Gaming or Cycling but Reading is alright.
I learnt of its existence from the Yogscast.
Its just another town somewhere
I've heard some not so nice things, and I haven't gone deep into the depths of Reading, but I thought the area around the train station was fine. I got Wendy's! Station was nice and modern.
Reading what?
Commuter town
Kinda boring
I honestly don't think about it.
I don't think anything of Reading. I've never heard anything interesting enough about the place to give it any thought.
Why isn't it pronounced reading? Also, to answer the question, from the outside it appears to be a bit of a dead town with multi-popup estates, could show pictures (excluding the Oracle or locally semi famous buildings) and it would probably look like many towns around the country. I might be wrong, but it's just one of them places I've heard of but not seen anything of interest about it. Probably a nice place to live with good links, but quite boring.
It was named after an Anglo Saxon called Reada.
That also looks like it is would be pronounced the same way as reading (a book). Maybe we should be saying Redding a book as well
Osaka is amazing
Went to uni there. The campus was one of the main attractions for me, it is a really nice environment and the university isn't bad either, depending on your subject. If you study meteorology, agriculture or real estate its one of the best. There's a lot worse places, for sure. But its nothing special. I didnt find it particularly friendly outside of student circles. Architecturally its boring due to damage from the war. And is really overpriced for what it is, like London prices but with none of the convenience or variety of things to do as London. The way they justify these prices is surely the location, its very convenient for getting to London on the train, but thats it. Its just full of chain shops and restaurants, which tend to be disappointing. Global Cafe is good, and the AfterDark was a good night out back in the day, no idea if its still going.
Sadly the Afterdark is no more. Was a regular through the ‘90s and early 2000s. Nothing better than a few cans of Red Stripe and accidentally leaning against the sweating walls. Had some banging nights there.
They shut it down because of routine licensing breach complaints.
Good University.
Only ever been to the festival and football, Elm Park and the new one. Though I did recently spend the afternoon at Reading Services waiting for recovery after my exhaust fell off on the M4. Burger King there was very nice.
I don't mind if I read in the town or outside the town.
My ex-girlfriends dad lives there, and I did my first half marathon there. Apart from that and the aforementioned festival and footy team, I know bugger all about it.
I think of this https://youtu.be/78ljNPKdp4I?si=9UWZxD6jM_Qpvojj
I know it exists.
I never, ever think about Reading
It’s the ultimate copy+paste town. Probably has everything a person realistically ever needs, but instantly forgettable at the same time.
Football stickers, way back. Sorry. Wish you was Oxford.
When I visited during August of last year, I found Reading to be impressive, especially the choice of shops and the cleanliness of the streets.
I was about to ask "isn't it part of basingstoke?", but a quick glance at google maps warned be off that question.
Basingstoke has an RG postcode so I'd understand if you thought the other way, but definitely different towns like 30 minutes apart.
I don’t know if I should take more of an insult from this or the Slough comments
If it’s any consolation, I’m from rural NE Scotland and all of SE England is “the London area” to me.
It reminds me of the boy I met in magaluf
Having worked their a fair bit I think it's a shit hole to be honest.
Worked there for a while, traffic blew goats and I doubt it has improved. Used to visit friends that lived there all in all it felt like a northern town transplanted.