If you've been wondering what it's like to live in or visit Reading, the Crowdsourced Explorer community can help. We asked ten people living in Reading what someone who is considering moving to or visiting there should know. Here are their pros and cons, tips, and advice:
Population: 162,666
Living in Reading, England:
Tips for Moving and Visiting
ten local experts
Names of respondents may have been changed.
10 comments on “Reading”
Reading is a very busy town. It is very close to London via the motorway, this means that people tend to purchase homes in Reading where the prices are lower but are still in commuting distance to work in London. Reading has also been refused the title of City a number of times as there is no cathedral within its perimeters.
Reading is a wonderful city to live. Reading’s location makes it extremely accessible by bus, rail or road. The rail network is particularly good. The city is a melting pot of many cultures, thus making it a very interesting place to live.
After moving to live in this town, you might be surprised to find out that Oscar Wilde was once an inmate in the famous Reading Prison. The prison is a bit of a landmark in this town. In the heart of the urban jungle next to the river Kennet, it stands as a tall and proud reminder of local Berkshire history.
Reading is a city with really beautiful historic places, such as the Abbey Ruins. It is a friendly city with a variety of shopping choices from exquisite restaurants to fashion shops. You can go there to hang out and chill with you friends, whilst enjoying a nice cup of coffee.
There’s beautiful gardens, a great town center with friendly locals. It is near the M4 which makes it perfect if you work in London. The house prices have been increasing gradually over the time. The are many factories in this town. The locals often use the pubs for local gatherings.
Someone moving to Reading should consider that it is at least 30 miles from London. Nevertheless, Reading has many great offerings. These include parks, shops, fantastic transport links, and a zoo. Reading is not as multicultural as London, but it has a community that supports equality. It is also possible to reach London from Reading by train.
Reading may be but a small town that can be overlooked on one’s way into London, but it has a lot of history that would make it worthy of exploring. In the middle of the town centre lies the ruins of one of the largest monasteries in Europe, Reading Abbey. The Abbey was founded by Henry I in 1121 and today, visitors can explore over 900 years of history.
On moving to Reading the resident should know the proximity of the location of the property to the train station, as there is a very fast direct commute to London Paddington.
Reading sits at the heart of the Thames Valley conurbation and so provides access to a very wide range of employment opportunities. Reading has exceptional rail links, to multiple Central London stations, and to destinations throughout England and Wales. It is the largest Town in the UK and so has outstanding retail and leisure facilities. It is within a one hour drive of six or the largest UK airports, including both Heathrow and Gatwick.
Before moving to a new city they should know if they can get their basic necessities close by or they have to far for those things. Also, it is good to know how expensive the area is. Making sure they are able to live the quality life they want. and making this worth the investment.
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