Moving to Reading

[woodall57]

Well I am moving to Reading for a year for a placement year so was wondering if anyone on here has any tips on where to avoid etc. My job will be at Green Park so somewhere near there I guess. I don't really know what to look for.


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cbt:4/7/12 theory:16/7/12 module 1:12/8/12 module 2: ?

[Ste]

[weasley]

J11 traffic can be pretty bad at rush hours. If you want access to stuff then in towards Reading is the option. Lower Earley is nearby and not all bad, Woodley a bit further out and more suburban. You could live South of the M4 in a small town or village; Wokingham, Spencer's Wood, Shinfield, Swallowfield etc. You'd need to travel for entertainment though.

I agree about Whitley and areas around there. I think there's a bus route out to Green Park so central Reading might work. The area around the Royal Berks hospital can be OK. I lived around there for a few months. I also lived in Tilehurst for several years; this was nice but it's a bit further out for you. One benefit is that if you have a bike, 5 minutes and you are clear of the Reading sprawl and into proper countryside (albeit with senseless 50 mph limits).
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[angryjonny]

I lived in Woodley when I was there. Nice, but suburban. Lower Earley is similar. We were advised by estate agents to avoid Whitley Wood and anywhere between 9 and 10 o'clock on the dial.

If you're young and single, stick yourself somewhere near the centre of town and commute rather than finding some joyless econobox off the relief road.

[Nash GT]

Little villages just outside reading are better IMO
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Suzuki GSF600N

[Ste]

They're also a lot more expensive.

[woodall57]

I won't have a bike as I will be car sharing or getting public transport in. It's at a place that makes networking hardware... begins with a C

What's Reading like compared to Sheffield? is it a similar sort of layout with there been a small town centre and everything spread out into big areas? I have been looking at Kennet Island which seems like a good area.
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cbt:4/7/12 theory:16/7/12 module 1:12/8/12 module 2: ?

[Ste]

It might well be quicker to walk to Green Park from Kennet Island rather than going by public transport or car sharing.

Can't really comment on Reading town centre compared to Sheffield. What I can say is that no matter where you go in Reading, there will always be a Tesco's near by.

[weasley]

There is pretty much only the town centre. Of course it sprawls out and there are local 'centres' but not worth going to unless you live there. The centre has a decent selection of shops, bars, restaurants etc, The Oracle shopping centre, Broad Street etc. Kennet Island is good for that end of town, now that the sewage plant has gone. The 'civic recycling centre' is handy too! And the Madejski Stadium, if you like Championship football or London Irish rugby. Bicycle maybe? Good routes in and out of that area.
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[woodall57]

Ah ok. I will probably cycle then if it's close to the offices. Do quite a lot of people end up going to London for entertainment and shopping and stuff with it been so close?
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cbt:4/7/12 theory:16/7/12 module 1:12/8/12 module 2: ?

[angryjonny]

[weasley]

London is 30 minutes by train. I never went there on a night out. I did, however, sometimes go to Oxford (30 minutes the other way). But mostly there's plenty in Reading to do. There's a big university so you can find studenty stuff, or there are plenty of hipsters so there is also Jamie's Italian and the like. As above, the traffic system is messed up and you really don't want to drive into town any time after the start of Novermber, unless you like to queue for 20 minutes to get in a car park. There's no decent park and ride but there is a good bus system.

I always described Reading as functional. It has everything you need, but there's nothing really there to visit.
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[Clanger]

I lived in a basement flat in the Cemetery Road Junction near the A4 when I lived in Reading. Only stayed there a year, found it hard living...I'm really not suited for city living, but it was a means to an end. Working for peanuts...the accommodation made it closer to commute by bike.

Later on though, whilst not living in Reading, found the nightlife in Reading a draw. Went to the Purple Turtle a fair bit, and the Matrix and other hard dance club nights held there.

Was a good place to be based for the Reading Festival, that's for sure...
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[Ste]

The Turtle has changed a lot.

[Nash GT]

[Ste]

The Matrix got closed quite a few years ago, 2002 maybe, and was before my time by a few months.

The Turtle has changed from being a scummy place that was cool to being another trendy place that isn't much like how it used to be. Probably can't get away with smoking spliffs in the beer garden anymore.

I guess that Walkabout is still full of students.

[Tarmacsurfer]

[Jewlio Iglesias]

[Ste]

I know, the floor is no longer covered in turtle scum so you can now walk around without your feet sticking to the floor.

[weasley]

Is the After Dark club still there?

I remember what was before the Matrix.... O'Neil's late night, upstairs, music club bar thing. Oh, and I also recall Washington Heights (before it was RG1/Utopia)!
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[diesel dog]

I lived in Shinfield for a while. 10 minute trip into town on a good day and another 10 minutes the other way was nice countryside. Nice enough area then but when I visited friends that still live there last week, it made me realise I'd done the right thing and moved away.

The traffic is a nightmare literally everywhere and I went during the day. Had the joy of driving on the old Basingstoke rd by Morrisons, up to the Shinfield rd and down past the black boy. Thank fuck I won't be doing that trip for a while .....

[G]

A few times I've worked for a week at a time at said company beginning with a 'C'. I was coming from West-Reading.
Wouldn't want to do it by car, but ok on two wheels.

Not too bad to get to from said person Ste knows who'll rent you a room either and nicely is downhill on the way in, if you're cycling .

[woodall57]

[G]

IVT - Interoperability Verification Testing - to ensure our product didn't break their stuff and accurately reported on it.

[woodall57]