From schools to shopping: Why reside in Reading? | Mum In The Madhouse

From schools to shopping: Why reside in Reading?

Having lived and word just outside of Reading for 14 years.  I have to say I love it and the fact that Maxi was born there will mean it is always close to my heart.

Reading is often dismissed as merely a town on the commuter belt to London. It doesn’t feature on many tourist brochures and is perhaps most famous historically for making biscuits.

reading baby

 

My Reading Baby

However, thanks to a booming IT and insurance industry, this large and personable town is enjoying something of a renaissance. Visit its lively and vibrant town centre with its array of bars, shops and restaurants and it quickly becomes apparent why the Reading and Bracknell area was named best place to live in the UK in 2013 by the consultancy PWC and think tank Demos.

With such a thriving economy, excellent schools and nurseries and a housing market that offers good value for money, you may wish to consider looking into Linden Homes property for sale in Reading. It could be the smartest move you ever make: with some of the best performing schools in the country, a red brick university and a creative and dynamic workforce, Reading is very much on the up. Plus, it is situated along the banks of the picturesque River Thames – what more could you want from a family home?

Property in Reading

Like the rest of the south east, the Reading property market is buoyant, particularly the rental market fuelled by the city’s student population. Some of the most desirable areas are Woodley, Caversham Heights, Calcot Row, Tilehurst, Earley and Lower Earley where you will find traditional Victorian family homes offering good value for this part of the country.

Shopping in Reading

Reading is the number one shopping destination in the south east outside of London and ranks in the top 10 UK regional destinations. Take a wander through Broad Street Mall and the Oracle shopping centre and you will find over 90 high street names including Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, House of Fraser and TK Maxx.

If you’re looking for something a little bit different, Union Street, Friar Street or the street market on the corner of Hosier Street have a variety of independent stores and boutiques, selling unique one-off items.

Eating out 

Reading has a fantastic array of restaurants offering everything from authentic Italian to tapas bars, sushi bars, Thai, Chinese, Japanese and French as well as top quality traditional English eateries.

Culture

It would be impossible to talk about Reading without mentioning the world famous music festival. Every August some of the biggest names in music come to the Berkshire town for the atmospheric three-day festival.

If sleeping in tents and wallowing around in mud isn’t your cup of tea, then Reading has a thriving cultural scene to enjoy throughout the year. It has several theatres, the most prominent being The Hexagon, which boasts an eclectic mix of plays, concerts, stand-up comics and musicals.

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