Possible relocation to Reading, can you tell me about this city?
Posted by Candid_Recover_5596@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 24 comments
Hi! I may be taking a temporary assignment in Reading and relocating from elsewhere in Europe with my family.
What is the city like day to day? Is it safe? Is it quite busy, or more on the quiet side? How difficult is it to find a decent apartment to rent?
We’d be moving with a toddler, so I’d also love to hear about nurseries/schools, family life, and the weather.
Thanks!
WittyActuator3587@reddit
Reading is a nice big town. It’s changed quite a lot in recent years since the Elizabeth line to London has come in as more commuters live there now. You could also look at some surrounding places like Windsor and villages like Cookham and Sonning if you want quieter arwas
Isgortio@reddit
And a much smaller bank balance. They're a heck of a lot more expensive lol
WittyActuator3587@reddit
That is true. I grew up in Burnham/Taplow but even though I have a fairly good job (albeit in charity so not massively paid) I have moved up north as I have no hope of buying where I grew up
Isgortio@reddit
Maidenhead to Lancashire for me :p people ask if I'll ever go back to the south and I genuinely can't afford to do so, and I don't need to.
Independent-Win-6661@reddit
I don’t really know much about Reading,as in what it’s like to live there. It’s a pretty generic town, not a tourist destination.
There are a few smaller villages on outskirts if you wanted to be more rural - Mortimer and Bramley on the Reading train line. As for weather we had sleet, rain and sun in one day last week! Come prepared with clothes for all seasons 😂
Human_Hedgehog_1478@reddit
It depends if actually need to be in Reading (for work purposes) or if you could be based close by. Wokingham for example is a really nice down which is in easy reach of Reading via train or car. They’re plenty of other nicer smaller towns within a short commute
FormalLeadership2109@reddit
I lived in Reading for 6 years, I liked it only moved away because housing prices became too expensive. Just avoid Oxford Road and you'll be fine. Central London is 20 minutes away on the direct train.
Isgortio@reddit
It's not a bad place. Avoid the centre if you can, traffic is pretty rubbish if you're driving and a lot of the housing is pretty much on main roads so it's noisy. Go to the outskirts and you'll be fine.
I grew up nearby, I never felt unsafe there even at night.
Reeelfantasy@reddit
Avoid west of Reading at all cost and you’ll enjoy it.
The_39th_Step@reddit
I lived up in Tilehurst/Purley and it was fine. It’s boring but not dodgy.
My advice for Reading would be to avoid the town and live in the villages on the outskirts if you can, they’re nicer.
G_UK@reddit
It’s 30 mins from London
Hot_College_6538@reddit
Famously it’s not officially a city, but to all normal purposes it’s as well equipped as most uk cities.
It’s hard to answer your questions as they aren’t absolute values, how busy is your part of Europe? What are the units of busy? It’s in the SE of England, an hour from London, people from rural Latvia would say it’s busy, people from Rome would say it’s quiet.
All the UK is safe, despite what you might hear. Crime is at record lows in the UK. There’s nothing abnormal about crime in Reading.
Weather wise it’s going to be more or less the same as London. Basically very variable, it’s sunny today, it was rainy yesterday. The UK in general tends to be more rainy than most of Europe due to being on the western edge.
evenstevens280@reddit
You've never been to central Bradford on a Friday night.
ARobertNotABob@reddit
Well, someone has to be an exception to prove the rule.
redandbluebadness@reddit
Not horrible but it's also a bit charmless
RayaQueen@reddit
That would be my (kindly) summary too. Reading is not lovely but it's practical and there are nice bits around it
theloniousmick@reddit
Used to live there and it was fairly generic English city/town from what I recall. Never felt unsafe.
BeaumarchaisApu@reddit
Generic is a very good word for it. Nothing too wrong with the place, nothing too right about it either. Has a bit of a vibe of a ‘new town’ without being one.
It’s not a place many people would book a weekend to visit, but one of its advantages is its location to visit more interesting places quite easily such as London, Oxford, Winchester. Even Bath and Bristol are reasonably accessible from Reading.
SarkyMs@reddit
So sorry for your loss.
evenstevens280@reddit
It's technically a town, but it's a really big one.
It's very well served and connected, primarily due to its proximity to London. Its railway station is, I think, one of the busiest in the UK outside of London. IIRC it's also the furthest (or close to) place outside of London that's on the TFL map, as it's an Elizabeth Line terminal.
It's certainly not the prettiest or most characterful place, but it's practical, fairly safe, and well positioned.
Renting will be pricey because it's effectively a London commuter town at this point.
Weather is... well, it's South England, so damp about 10 months a year and blisteringly hot in July and August.
MermaidGrace@reddit
Hey! 👋 I live in Reading (well, kinda, I live in Woodley which is one of the adjacent towns - but people generally consider it Reading) I mostly grew up here so would be happy to answer any questions I can. - Whilst everyone believes us to be a city, we technically aren’t (keep losing out on the selection process) but we are a “city in all but name” for sure - it’s pretty busy, but nowhere near the level of London or anything like that - it’s considered a relatively expensive place to live, ish, basically because it’s in the South of England and is a commuter town. But you can live “in Reading” and live in a more affordable area, will you be central or in one of the “Reading” towns? - It’s as safe as any other small English “city”, there are amazing people but always bad eggs around - Our train station is well connected and public transport (buses) are decent. You can get into London in 25 minutes if getting the direct train from Reading. - Wouldn’t know about apartment renting tbf - LOTS of family friendly activities, regulars and one offs. The Oracle & Broadstreet Mall tend to do great seasonal events for kids. I only really know about the schools and nurseries around Woodley so don’t know if that will be much help 🤷♀️
flyingmooset@reddit
The purple turtle and the Hobgoblin pub were always fun. Might not be your priority with a toddler though…
ExcitingWoodpecker62@reddit
For day-to-day life, Reading is quite practical. It has good shops, parks, and family-friendly spots. The nurseries and primary schools are decent, though popular ones fill up fast, so you need to apply early. Renting is doable but can be expensive compared to other towns outside London. Weather is classic southern England: mild but wet, cloudy days are common.
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