LOCAL AREA

Steeped in history, but not stuck in the past

Located at the heart of this hugely walkable city, 43 London Street puts all Reading has to offer on your doorstep. Centuries of history in the form of the city’s historic abbey and Victorian architecture sit alongside its £900m railway station and the modern office, shopping and entertainment districts.

You’re even just moments from The Great Expectations, a pub which had the honour of being opened by Charles Dickens in 1843. Then there are the two rivers that flow through the city. So much life is concentrated into the town centre, it’s the embodiment of the 15-minute city so many other urban areas are looking to reinvent themselves as.

All Food & drink Entertainment Shopping Fitness Education

43 London Street

The Oracle Shopping Centre

John Lewis

Harris Arcade

Broad Street Mall

Broad Street

Forbury Retail Park

High Spirits Cocktail Company

Market House Rooftop Bar

The Botanist Bar & Restaurant

BrewDog

Thirsty Bear Pub & Pizza Restaurant

The Purple Turtle

The Cocktail Club

London Street Brasserie

Miller & Carter

Osaka

Bolan Thai

Browns

Buenasado Argentine Steakhouse

South Street Arts Centre, South Street

The Concert Hall

Madejski Art Gallery

The Hexagon

Vue Cinema

Reading Film Theatre

Thames Lido

Thames and Kennet Marina

Workout20

The Gym Group

Buzz Gym

PureGym

F45 Training

Tesco Express

Marks & Spencer

Sainsbury's

The Great Expectations

Deenway Montessori School

Katesgrove Primary School

Forbury Gardens Day Nursery

Coley Nursery School

Little Knellies, Nursery at The Abbey

Berkeley Gardens Day Nursery

St Edward's Prep & Nursery

Coley Primary School

Kendrick School

The Abbey Senior School

Reading School

Reading Girls School

UTC Reading

Leighton Park School

Reading University

Dining

As mentioned, The Oracle is home to a host of great places to eat. Combining a world-tour of gastronomic delights with river views is a winning formula that’s hugely popular in the summer. If you wanted an alternative, while still being near the water, Whittington’s Tea Barge is a great choice. There are plenty of other options to explore, including a twice weekly food market and a wealth of gastropubs in the surrounding villages.

Retail

Just over the River Kennet is The Oracle, Reading’s largest shopping centre, which offers 80 well-known brands along with riverside dining courtesy of Gordon Ramsay Street Burger and Cote amongst others. Broad Street and its Mall are home to even more high street favourites. While for independent stores, the 1930’s Harris Arcade is the perfect destination.

Culture

Reading enjoys all the cultural trappings you’d expect of a city its size. For theatre, big name comedians and classical music, there’s The Hexagon. The South Street Arts Centre supports the more avant garde end of the arts, with a diverse programme of theatre, music and comedy. There’s also the spectacular Concert Hall, which dates back to 1882. Art lovers also have plenty enjoy thanks to the Madejski Art Gallery and a large array of artists’ studios.

Entertainment

Reading is a place you can live life at whatever pace you want. There are enough bars, pubs and clubs to make any night a special occasion. Not to mention a great live music scene. At the other end of the spectrum, you can just as easily slip into the countryside and enjoy the natural world by foot or bike. The river also offers plenty of leisure activities. Paddle boarding. Rowing. Wild
swimming. Take your pick.