Jobs in Reading | Pictures of Reading

Located just a few miles south of Henley on the banks of the River Thames, is one of the most prosperous – yet understated – towns in the UK . Despite being a modern, vibrant place with a thriving local economy in addition to being a magnate for a growing number of professionals relocating to work in the town's booming IT and finance sectors, you will not find Reading in many tourist guide books. And that's just how the locals like it.

Getting around Reading
Traffic congestion has long been one of Reading 's transportation headaches, with the local council proposing, abandoning and then re-proposing a number of solutions to ease the problem which is especially prevalent at the two bridge crossings over the River Thames. But once you have muscled your way through the traffic, there are at least a number of public car parks in the town centre close to all the offices – as long as you get there early enough! As an alternative, the council has introduced a car share and Park & Ride schemes.

And given the fact that a number of the key business districts are scattered throughout the centre and outskirts of the town, Reading 's bus network runs a comprehensive and frequent number of services running direct routes from a number of Reading 's suburbs including the town centre itself.

Train wise, Reading is well-connected. Aside the obvious direct links with London , Oxford and Bristol , Reading station runs direct services to the key business districts at Reading West and Green Park in addition to being on the line for the local suburbs Earley, Lower Earley, Woodley, Caversham Heights and Tilehurst, for example.

Eating, drinking and shopping in Reading
Reading town centre currently ranks in the top 10 of the UK's retail destinations and is established as a regional shopping and leisure destination - as evidenced by taking a wander through the Broad Street Mall and the Oracle Shopping Centre, with over 90 high street names, including John Lewis, House of Fraser and Marks & Spencer.

And holding their own with the big boys are a number of independent and unique shops, notably along Union Street or Smelly Alley as it is locally known, Harris Arcade, Friar Street and the street market on the corner of Hosier Street/St Mary's Butts.

However, what makes Reading famous has to be its flourishing cultural and arts scene. Aside from an eclectic programme of concerts, shows and exhibitions held at a number of venues such as the renowned Hexagon and Film Theatres, the cultural highlight has to be the annual Reading Festival – a three-day live music event held each August bank holiday weekend that sees tens of thousands of people descend on the outskirts of the town.

But for the rest of the time, the pick of the best restaurants and bars are located around the Friars Street and Queens Walk parts of the town centre. And given the compact nature of Reading 's town centre, a swift half and some food at lunchtime won't make you late back for work. Equally, it can be a great place for a pub crawl at a weekend.

Elsewhere, the Riverside and malls offer a selection of over 25 restaurants, cafés and bars, and a 10 screen Vue cinema.

Reading has a number of sports and leisure centres, including the Rivermead and Arthur Hill Studio, Central Swimming Pool and Highdown Sports Centre. And for spectators, there is always Reading football club who ply their trade at the Madjeski Stadium which they share with Guiness Premiership rugby union team, London Irish.

And not to be outdone by their Henley neighbour, Reading also has a growing rowing scene with Redgrave-Pinsent Rowing Lake providing training facilities and hosting a number of competitions.

Main residential areas
Reading's property market is buoyant – particularly its rental market, fuelled in part by the student population from Reading University and health workers from the Royal Berkshire Hospital. The centre of town is particularly popular with young professionals and students studying at the nearby University, with a range of flats, purpose-built apartments and conversions.

Elsewhere, some of the most sought after areas are Earley, Lower Earley, Woodley and Caversham Heights which are characterised by traditional Victorian, detatched and semi-detached family homes. However prices are on the steep side. So for something more affordable yet still in a desirable location with easy access to the town centre, Caversham, Woodley, Calcot Row, and Tilehurst should be a consideration.

If you're thinking of moving to the area, take a look at some of the current property available to buy or let in Reading.

Take a closer look
A picture is worth a thousand words. You can see some images from in and around Reading below.

Looking for local vacancies? See all current jobs in Reading or find out more information on the local area.