R:UK #1

Rivers, retail, business and musicfestivals

R:UK

�e magazine that tells you about Reading…

R:UKR:UKR:UKR:UK

EXECUTIVE EDITOR:Kirsty MacAulay [email protected] FEATUREWRITER: Alex Aspinall [email protected] ART DIRECTOR:Terry Hawes [email protected] ADVERTISEMENT SALES: Paul Gussar [email protected] OFFICEMANAGER: Sue Mapara [email protected] MANAGINGDIRECTOR: Toby Fox [email protected] IMAGES: Neil Horne @ eye-imagine photography, Reading UK CIC, �e Oracle, University of Reading PRINTED BY: Trade Winds

PUBLISHED BY:

Lower Ground Floor, 189 Lavender Hill, London SW11 5TB T: 020 7978 6840

ON BEHALF OF:Reading UK CIC�e economic development company for ReadingDavidson HouseForbury SquareReading, RG1 3EUwww.livingreading.co.uk

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:Tim SmithTel: 0118 900 1625

DESTINATIONMANAGER:Sue BrackleyTel: 0118 900 1624

SUBSCRIPTIONS ANDFEEDBACK:www.rukmagazine.com

04 Iiving From quaint villages to international business and a vibrant town centre, Reading offers an enviable quality of life.

09 rivers Angling, rowing and waterside restaurants – Reading’s waterways are enjoying a renaissance.

17 business We find out why Reading is so popular with the blue chip companies and multinationals that have made it their home.

23 eating out A run-down of the foodie highlights in and around Reading.

28 university�e importance of linking universities with businesses to create a knowledge economy.

34 evening economy�ere is no shortage of places to entertain or be entertained in the town centre.

38 didyou know?Fascinating facts about the home of the Reading festival.

0928

© 3Fox International Limited 2009. All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of 3Fox International Limited is strictly forbidden. �e greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors. �e views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of 3Fox International Limited or Reading Council.

con

ten

ts04

COVER IMAGE:Robed figure by Dame Elisabeth Frink

EXECUTIVE EDITOR:Kirsty MacAulay [email protected] FEATURE WRITER:Alex Aspinall [email protected] ART DIRECTOR:Terry Hawes [email protected] ADVERTISEMENT SALES:Paul Gussar [email protected] OFFICE MANAGER:Sue Mapara [email protected] MANAGING DIRECTOR: Toby Fox [email protected]

IMAGES: Neil Horne @ eye-imagine photography, Reading UK CIC, �e Oracle, University of Reading

PRINTED BY: Trade Winds

The magazine that tells you about Reading

R:UK

Living

0�


What is it about the villages of Berkshire that are so appealing? “�ere’s something simply timeless about them,” says Justin Kempson, a 27-year-

old IT marketing manager who moved to Reading after having started his career in London, and who now spends his weekends cycling through the leafy lanes of the county. “�ey remind us of a better, more innocent age. �at’s not to say they haven’t changed and evolved, but you still get this image of pre-World War I bliss: life centred around the fields, the pub and the cricket pitch. A sort of idealised, traditional England – one that’s warm, safe, contented even. I think everyone dreams of living and raising a family – though not just yet – in a place like that.”

Certainly, the area has been much praised by travellers and artists. Kenneth Grahame, author of

�e Wind in the Willows, retired to Church Cottage in Pangbourne, and E. H. Shephard’s famous illustrations of his book are said to have been inspired by the �ameside landscape there.

A quintessential product of the Victorian and Edwardian age, Jerome K Jerome, on his quixotic trip down the �ames, recorded in �ree Men in a Boat, singled out the village of Sonning as, “the most fairy-like little nook on the whole river”, Shiplake and Pangbourne as particularly delightful: “It is a part of the river in which to dream of bygone days, and vanished forms and faces, and things that might have been, but are not, confound them.”

He’s not quite so complimentary about the town of Reading itself though, but notes its role as a handy refuge from London:

“Parliament generally rushed off to Reading whenever there was a plague on at Westminster; and, in 1625, the Law followed suit.”

�is – he concludes – made 1625 a vintage year to be living in London!

continued overleaf

best of both worldsWhat makes Reading so attractive? Jonathan Morrison discovers a decidedly active town centre with much to offer, surrounded by picturesque villages, just a short train ride from London

R:UK

Living

0�

Reading’s historic links with the capital continue to define it in modern times: prosperous workers from London use it as a transport hub for lives divided between the City and Reading’s perfect villages – described as some of the most desirable places to live in the UK. More importantly proximity to the financial capital of Europe, if not the world, made Reading the ideal place for a new ‘Silicon valley’ to blossom. international companies such as Microsoft, Symantec, Oracle, Sage, Cisco and verizon are located in its business parks, adding to established companies such as Prudential, Thames Water and Yellow Pages. in 20 years it has changed from market town to vibrant city, one of the so called ‘control centres’ of the economy and headquarters for major multinationals like Bg group.

It’s also become a cultural centre: Reading has several theatre venues, including The Hexagon – a multi-purpose venue that provides a programme of events including theatre, comedy, classical music and dance

– and the Progress Theatre, the repertory theatre where Kenneth Branagh first graced the stage. Reading plays host to semi-professional and amateur choirs and choral societies. it even has resident orchestras, including the long-established Reading Symphony Orchestra (RSO) and the Reading Youth Orchestra (RYO). Then there’s the famous Reading Festival, which has been running since 1971. The second largest UK music festival after glastonbury, it attracts 80,000 fans each year to watch headline acts from around the world. There is a slightly different flavour to the town’s newest festival – Heavenly Planet debuts in summer 2009 celebrating culture, music and optimism. The UK’s first under cover festival ensures the fun will continue whatever the weather.

Prosperous, modern, with a high average-wage workforce, shops and services have moved in over the last decade to exploit the wealth created in the town as well as its position as a regional hub and capital for much of the Thames valley. About 250,000 people now live in greater Reading and many more travel to the town to work and shop – with so much economic activity, demand for

housing and development has never been greater, and continues to grow exponentially.

This could be problematic: Reading is also an historic place, with a heritage of attractive buildings, important public spaces and, of course, waterways, including the River Thames and River Kennet. The character of the built environment is varied and complex, ranging, time-wise, from the ancient centre, based around the 12th century abbey ruins, to the victorian town hall, through the post-war expansion of residential areas and industrial estates, to modern business locations – high-quality headquarters in the town centre and business parks. On top of this, Reading has over 880 listed properties, 13 conservation areas, two local nature reserves and 45 wildlife heritage sites.

new developments, however, have been sympathetic and sustainable. The Oracle, a shopping and leisure centre that brought high-end stores like House of Fraser to the town, regenerated a large stretch of the Kennet’s riverside with bars, restaurants and a continental café-culture approach. indeed The Oracle continues to thrive - named as Best Established Centre by the British Council of Shopping Centres in 2007.

in the immediate future, Chatham Place will provide a new focus for the western part of the centre of Reading, and represents a major redevelopment of the brown-

“In 20 years it has changed from market town to vibrant city, one of the ‘control centres’ of the economy and hQ for major multinationals”

field site close to the station with stylish, contemporary apartments that will appeal to trendy urbanites and retail, leisure and community facilities integrated around them. Costing £250 million, this project will create a vibrant new quarter of the town centre. Described as a ‘beacon of economic regeneration’, the first phase was completed in 2008.

Steve Woodford, Managing Director of agents Haslams, has been involved in many of the proposed developments. “It’s an exciting time for Reading,” he says. “�e face of the town

has completely changed over the past 10 years and there’s obviously a lot more to come. Growing up here, you wouldn’t dream of going out for a night in Reading town centre. Even eight years ago, it was difficult to find a high-quality bite to eat. Now there’s almost too much choice: Forbury’s Restaurant, Carluccio’s Café, anything else you care to name! Likewise, before �e Oracle, there was only Marks & Spencer and John Lewis – now we have department stores to rival Kensington.

“One of the biggest pulls is still the transport: you can get a high-speed train straight to London every 10 minutes and house prices are obviously a fraction of the capital’s. But that’s to do Reading a disservice. �ere’s lots going on here – it’s all very positive! We’re making the town centre a really pleasant place to live and work – Chatham Place will create a genuine community right in the heart of Reading, for example, in a stunning new environment, whilst the development at Tamesis Reach is in a quite astonishingly beautiful location and the properties are holding their value even in the current market.

“�e best thing about Reading, though, is that it’s still not that big. It still has a village feel. In 15 minutes you’re in the countryside. �e �ames is on your doorstep, as are all the unchanged villages, and undisturbed landscape. You get all the benefits of living in a prosperous town, and all the pleasure of living in the countryside.” �

W

READING DETAILS

DEVELOPMENTS:

CHATHAM PLACEChatham Place is creating an entirely new district just to the west of the town centre, spread across 11 acres. It’s a truly mixed-use scheme with commercial activities balanced by 300 one- and two-bedroom apartments, both affordable and private.More information: http://www.chathamplace.co.uk/

TAMESIS REACHSet on one of the most picturesque stretches of the Thames, Tamesis Reach combines the appeal of living in the countryside with the convenience of being close to Reading’s centre. This development will create a small number of contemporary two- and three-storey townhouses.More information: http://www.tafisher.co.uk/Tamesis/TamesisReach.pdf

KENAVON DRIVEAn up-and-coming development. Planning has been granted for 511 luxury and affordable apartments with a prime riverside location on the site of an old British Gas depot. The plan is to create a new community

with a distinct local identity. More information: http://readingscm.web-labs.co.uk/Documents/servingyou/planning/Kenavon_Drive_Consultation_Leaflet.pdf

GREENPARKGreenPark, PRUPIM’s flagship development, is creating a 180-acre business park close to Reading and set on a beautifully landscaped campus. Already, around 2,000 people work there, and companies such as Symantec, Cisco and Logica have moved in.More information: http://www.greenpark.co.uk/

TRANSPORTOPTIONS

BY ROAD:Reading was a major staging point on the old Bath Road (A4) from London to Bristol. This road still carries local traffic, but has now been replaced for long distance traffic by the M4 motorway, which closely skirts the borough serving it with three junctions (J10–J12). Major redevelopment is under way at J11 to improve access for local and through traffic.

BY RAIL: There are plans to expand Reading station which is the second busiest interchange on

the national rail system. Reading has direct services

to both Paddington and Waterloo with fast trains (26 minutes) to Paddington approximately every 10 minutes at peak times. Long distance services link Reading to every other part of the UK, with many direct routes. A comprehensive local systemserves the region as well.

BY AIR:The nearest airport is London Heathrow, less than 30 miles away by road. An express bus service named RailAir links Reading with Heathrow, or alternatively the airport can be accessed via Paddington.London Gatwick is 60 miles away by road and is served by direct trains from Reading. London Luton is also 60 miles away, whilst London Stansted is 90 miles; both can be reached by rail via Central London.Southampton Airport also provides services to short haul destinations. It is 45 miles away by road and served by direct rail services.

LOCAL:A comprehensive and frequent local bus network within the borough is provided by Reading Buses, one of the greenest fleets in the UK. Rural services are provided by Reading Transport Ltd and other companies.


McKay Securities PLC is a Reading-based commercial property investment

company with Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) status.

Since flotation in 1959, McKay has established a long track record of developing

and refurbishing high quality, contemporary and innovative industrial and office

properties in the South East of England. Completed schemes are retained and

managed for long term growth within the Company’s portfolio.

75% of the portfolio has either been developed or refurbished by McKay using

some of the best-known architects of their time to create properties attractive

to occupiers. The company’s Reading portfolio includes local landmarks

Great Brighams Mead by Broadway Malyan and 20 Greyfriars Road by Terry Farrell.

McKay is keen to increase the size of its portfolio in and around Reading and has

funds available to work with tenants and occupiers to deliver occupational solutions.

www.mckaysecurities.plc.uk

For further details please contact:

Simon Perkins MRICS

Managing Director

T 0118 950 2333

E [email protected]

Mckay ad V3.qxp 19/9/08 10:42 Page 1


pushing the

boat out

Waterways have always been important to Reading. �e

town owes its existence to its location on the �ames and the

Kennet rivers, and has seven miles of unspoilt river frontage. Adrienne Margolis explores

how the rivers and canals are now enjoying a renaissance

RIVERS

continued overleaf

R:UK

rivers

10

As far back as the Bronze Age, goods were taken from the Thames Valley on boats to continental ports, and it soon became a leading trade area. Under the Tudors, London expanded and, with it, the Thames Valley towns, which fed people in the capital.

Barges brought timber, wood, food and livestock down the Thames although navigation was difficult until locks were built in the 17th and 18th centuries. By the 18th century, London was the world’s busiest port, and Reading received 95% of its goods by river.

Plans to make the River Kennet navigable can be traced as far back as the early 18th century. When the Kennet and Avon Canal finally opened in 1810 it linked London via Reading to the sea at Bristol.

Once the canal was opened, even more companies used the waterway to transport their goods around the country and to bring in supplies. Huntley & Palmers, Simonds Brewery and Suttons Seeds (the three Bs of biscuits, beer and bulbs for which Reading was famous in the 19th century) were among the Reading-based businesses that thrived.

In common with many parts of the country, the use of the waterways around Reading declined in Victorian times as the railway and road network expanded. The Great Western Railway arrived in the town in 1841, bringing visitors on day trips. This led to a boost in leisure activities on the water and, gradually, the industrial uses of the waterways lost popularity.

In 1852, the Great Western Railway bought the canal. The company had no interest in keeping the canal going, and it fell into disuse. The last boat came through the area from Bath in 1947 and, in 1955, the canal was closed.

A determined group of enthusiasts spent the next three decades raising funds and campaigning to reopen the Kennet and Avon Canal. They succeeded in 1990, when the waterway once again became fully operational between Reading and Bristol. Today, visitors can hire boats and canoes to sample the delights of the canals, and hire bikes to ride along the towpath.

“There has been a steady uptake in use,” says Norman Briggs of Kennet Cruises. “Many boats sail to Reading from all over the country – people come from a long way to the Kennet. There is now a continuous towpath the whole length of the canal and a national cycleway. This means that we get


“Many boats sail to Reading from all over the country – people come from a long way to the Kennet”NORMAN BRIGGS, KENNET CRUISES

lots of people walking and cycling along the canal route.”Since the canal reopened, the riverside scene in Reading

has changed completely, Briggs points out. “�e Oracle shopping centre has made a big difference,”

he says. “At the mouth of the Kennet, everything beyond the Huntley building through Reading is completely new, and it has created an attractive waterside scene. �e major change is that the buildings now take advantage of the views.”

People could take even more advantage of Reading’s location if boats were able to travel further into the town centre, Briggs says. “ �e Oracle has improved things but, from a navigational point of view, mooring space is limited and this curtails our ability to pick up passengers.”

�ere are moves to designate a mooring place in the town centre for passenger boats as well as plans for a river bus.

Tim Deaton, managing director of �ames Rivercruise, is behind the river bus scheme. “We are working with the Oracle to try and start up a river bus next year,” he says. “I would like to run a commuter service to open up the waterway down to the �ames/Kennet marina. A river bus could provide a very fast service to the centre of Reading. At the other end, it would go to the Madejski football stadium.”

Deaton reckons that the costs for setting up the new

REBIRTH OF A LEGENDReading Borough Council’s parks team has been working with consultants on plans to regenerate Caversham Court Gardens, an historic Thameside garden listed on the English Heritage Gardens register. Funded by a major Heritage Lottery grant, the scheme will not only enhance the historic garden’s original features but also introduce new planting and new services for public use.

Highlights of the restoration project include repairing the 17th and 19th century features of the garden, including the gazebo and its causeway, the crinkle-crankle retaining wall and the ancient yew family.

A garden feature that shows the outline of the footprints of the medieval and later 19th century house will provide a seating and play area as well as being a focal point for the top terrace.

Caversham Court’s historic gazebo will be used to house historical information as well as a Living History Project, featuring memories from the gardens which can be preserved for visitors to see.

The park is closed during 2009 as work progresses on the £1.6m scheme.

R:UK

rivers

12

riverboat service in Reading would be minimal. Although the scheme would be expected to pay for itself in the longer term, he acknowledges that initially a subsidy would be needed.

“It is possible to build special boats,” he says. “Minor improvements to infrastructure are needed, such as a few landing stages and a bridge over the dyke in the Thames/Kennet. It would also mean opening up the towpaths and keeping them clear.”

Deaton has also seen great changes along the waterways in Reading. “By late Victorian times, the rivers had been bricked up,” he explains. “The Kennet was like a covered-up drain and the Holy Brook is still covered up. The waterways were not considered a place of beauty.”

He agrees that The Oracle has been a catalyst for ‘massive improvement’, and welcomes the changes to the town centre, where flats have replaced warehouses on the waterfront. “A lot of new people have moved in and made the area much more vibrant,” he says.

But he believes that there is still plenty of scope for amenities along the Thames.

“A lot has been done to rejuvenate the Kennet and it would be good to see more use made of the Thames too,” Deaton says. “As well as running our regular cruises, we would like to make more use of the Thames by offering evening parties and cruising restaurants.”

Another thriving business using the waterways is »

“the oracle shopping centre has made a big difference. at the mouth of the Kennet, everything beyond the Huntley building through Reading is completely new, and it has created an attractive waterside scene”NoRMaN BRiggs, KeNNet CRuises

The Oracle shopping centre has put the waterfront back at the heart of Reading town centre.

Reading Marine. This family-run boat yard is based at Aldermaston Wharf in Padworth, on the Kennet and Avon Canal. The company has been building and hiring out narrow boats for more than 35 years. It initially offered narrow boat holidays on the Thames, switching to the Kennet and Avon Canal after it reopened in 1990.

“We offer full week and short break boat hire,” Richard Edwards, who owns the company, says. “Many of our customers take short breaks and love it, and return to hire boats for a week.”

Over the past 10 years, a £26 million lottery grant has made a huge difference to the waterway, Edwards says. “Aqueducts and locks have been rebuilt, and the canal has become far more

accessible. The towpaths are used much more for walking and cycling than in the past,” he says.

Reading Marine builds bespoke narrow boats. “We build around eight boats a year for clients from all over the UK,” Edwards says. “We have also built two boats that are now based on the Dutch canals.”

Edwards said he would like to see even more use made of Reading’s waterways. “The water frontage is a terrific asset but, at the moment, people are just not encouraged to come to the town via the water. For example, there are no signs into town at Caversham Lock, and the parkland along the Thames is underused. Also, the moorings along the Thames

For further information please visit www.musedevelopments.com

Muse Developments is a major force in regeneration, specialising in the delivery of complex mixed-use schemes. The company is undertaking quality development throughout the UK, including at Chatham Place in Reading (pictured above).

We are driven by a desire to bring innovation and afresh approach to important developments acrossthe country.

With a wealth of experience, our PAST is rich inindividual achievement and commercial success – The PRESENT is filled with imagination andpartnerships, secure business in place and potentialto be realised – Looking forward to a FUTURE withoptimism, enthusiasm and a real focus for thechallenges and accolades to come.

ING6026_Muse_R/UK Advert.indd 1 12/11/08 16:10:20

R:UK

rivers

14

are too far out of town. Our boat yard used to be at the Queens Road car park. There is a mooring opposite, where we used to keep 20 boats. It is no longer being used.”

The owners of businesses based on the water would like to see Reading turn its face even more firmly to the Thames. “We have been trying to encourage this for years,” Deaton says. “Around 80% of

the area alongside the Thames under Reading’s control is parkland. It is an attractive place to come to, but not enough is made of it. Things are starting to happen, but we need something spectacular. ”

Reading Borough Council is currently carrying out work improving amenities along the riverside. One major recent addition has been a play area on King’s Meadow. “It has generated a huge increase in usage of this area,” a spokeswoman for the council says. “People are now coming

to use the area for activities like picnics and kite flying.”The council has a priority list for improvements to

the parks, using funds generated through Section 106 agreements, under which commercial property developers contribute to regeneration.

Using £250,000 of funding, in addition to creating the play area, paths have been upgraded and trees planted along the waterside. “We are always looking for more funding,” says the council spokeswoman. She adds that substantial sums will be needed to fund large-scale projects in the park plan, including a marina on the Thames, and an education centre. Meanwhile the rivers grow in profile as rowing takes centre stage in local plans for the 2012 games. With the national team training at Caversham Lakes, and the university’s rowing club nurturing many of the nation’s future rowing stars, the rivers in Reading are set to have a prominent future. •

The river has reclaimed its rightful place in Reading but there are more plans in the pipeline to ensure the river stays centre stage with ideas for a river bus and marina.

Rivers, retail, business and musicfestivals

R:UK

�e magazine that tells you about Reading…

R:UKR:UKR:UKR:UK

Are you helping to transform Reading?

Make sure everyone knows.

Use R:UK magazine to promote your company and its work to a readership of more than 35,000.

Contact Paul Gussar 020 7978 6840


Reading is the UK’s highest-performing urban centre, according to the Centre for Cities think tank. �e town is in the heart of the �ames Valley, which remains one of Europe’s most economically successful sub-regions, attracting 60 per cent of the inward

investment for the whole of the south east. �e town is the UK’s fastest-growing regional centre.

Despite the economy’s wider troubles, its growth rate is predicted to be 3.5% per annum over the next decade, according to Experian’s recent Resilient Local Economies report. In Centre for Cities 2009 report on ‘recession-proof’ towns, Reading was in fifth place.

A major factor luring multinational companies to Reading is its proximity to Heathrow Airport. �e airport has more non-stop departures to New York than Paris Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt and Amsterdam airports put together.

Reading is also a key rail hub, with direct services into Central London, Oxford, Bristol and many other major urban centres.

Chris Reeve, director of property consultancy at Lambert

Berkshire’s beaconReading continues to be successful, defying national and global economic troubles. David Blackman explores how it is attracting investment through its location, proximity to Heathrow airport, rail links and educated workforce, and is even seeing speculative development

BUSINESS

R:UK

business

Smith Hampton’s Reading office, says: “It’s one of the best-connected stations in the country. People are brought to Reading for a hundred different reasons.”

The government has approved £515m of improvements to Reading railway station, which will increase the number of platforms and provide more track space.

The town’s connectivity will be further improved over the next decade when the Crossrail project, linking east and west London, is built.

Reeve points to another factor – Reading’s excellent telecommunications infrastructure. “Reading is one of the best places outside of London for telecommunications in terms of choice and competition,” he says. Thanks partly to the well-established nature of the telecoms sector in the UK’s version of Silicon Valley, customers have plenty of providers to choose from.

Because of these factors, Reading has the fifth highest employment rate of England’s 56 ‘primary urban areas’, the Centre for Cities report reveals.

It is not only the amount of employment available in Reading that sets the town apart from its competitors; it is also the quality of the workforce.

Reading’s growing business parks with cutting edge design buildings like The Blade, right, plus great shopping and excellent rail and air transport links, make it the perfect business location.

18

»


Reading is the UK’s fastest-growing regional centre. Its growth rate is predicted to be 3.5% per annum over the next decade

R:UK

business

20

More than half of the town’s working population (55%) is qualified to degree level or above, while the proportion of adults of working age lacking qualifications is 8.5% – the third lowest level in the country.

Reading is one of six urban areas that together contain 30% of England’s knowledge workers. The proportion of the workforce engaged in so-called knowledge industries, such as IT, science and engineering, is 29%, nearly double the national average of 17%.

The wider Thames Valley sub-region contains nine of the UK’s 20 most significant clusters of knowledge-based industries. Employment in the computing sector is three times the national average.

One fifth of the world’s biggest companies have their European headquarters in the Thames Valley. Microsoft, Prudential, Cisco and Verizon Business are just some of the

big names represented in Reading itself.In addition, the town’s fortunes as a retail centre

have been transformed since the Oracle shopping centre opened in 1999.

From 25th place in Experian’s rankings under a decade ago, Reading has moved up to become the ninth most important retail centre in the UK last year, second only to Bluewater in Kent in the South East of England.

Alongside the blue-chip companies are Reading’s many established family businesses. The presence of firms like Jackson’s, a department store, and Jacobs, a jewellers, give the lie to the notion that Reading is a soulless commuter dormitory town.

Jackson’s has been a Reading institution since the store’s founder Edward Jackson opened a gentlemen’s outfitters on 17 September 1875. While the shop is a lot bigger now, it still occupies the original site.

The store is still owned and managed by the Jackson family – the present managing director is Edward’s great-grandson – its extensive schoolwear department has kitted out generations of Reading pupils, many of whom are still coming back decades later. While Jacob’s has not been around for quite as long, it is a well-established part of Reading’s retail furniture, having opened in 1948. Ian Jacobs, the son of the original owners, still runs the store today with his wife Adrienne and son Adam.

The success of such independent stores is testament to Reading’s success, as locals are still eager to seek out the distinctive stores as well as visiting the more high-profile high street names. “It’s a huge tribute to the quality of family businesses that customers will walk in and say ‘we didn’t know there were stores like this outside of London.’” explains Ian Jacobs. “We positively thrive on the fact that we are an old established family business,” continues son

“Reading is one of the best places outside of London for telecommunications in terms of choice and competition”ChRIs Reeve, LambeRt smIth hampton

Reading’s location in the Thames Valley gives it excellent access to the area’s knowledge-based industries and some of the biggest companies in the world including Microsoft.


IN THE PIPELINEReading has been one of the hottest spots in the UK commercial property market for more than a quarter of a century.

During that period, much of this activity has been concentrated in the out-of-town business parks that surround Reading. The town centre was, relatively speaking, left behind by the boom that was taking place on its outskirts.

However, that picture is changing with a string of developments coming on stream that will provide a quality and quantity of space not previously seen in the town – as well as a change in the skyline.

Chris Reeve, a director of the Reading office of property consultants Lambert Smith Hampton, says: “We’re seeing a renaissance in the town centre.” The main development is READING CENTRAL ONE, the largest speculative development in the town centre since the 1980s.

This hi-tech business campus development, to be built on a former NCP car park in the town centre, will cover an area of more than 600,000sq ft.

The developers, a joint venture between property company Kier and Invista Real Estate Investment Management, are creating what will be one of the Thames Valley’s highest-profile office schemes.

The first phase, a 10-storey building covering 219,000sq ft, started on site in November 2007 and is due to be completed in March 2010. Yell has taken a prelet of eight-storeys. Set in neatly landscaped gardens, the building will have a BREEAM “very good” rating. Reading’s second main town centre project is THE BLADE,which will be the tallest office building in Reading and the first in a series of towers planned to transform the town’s skyline. The 15-storey office development is under construction in Abbey Square, just minutes’ walk from the town’s mainline railway station, close to Argent’s recently developed Forbury Square scheme.

Expected to be completed in spring 2009, The Blade is being developed by institutional investor Morley Fund Management with PMB Holdings,

one of property tycoon Peter Beckwith’s vehicles. Other schemes in the pipeline include the refurbishment of ALDWYCH HOUSE, a 55,000 sq ft building opposite Reading railway station.

The property is vacant and planning consent has been secured to double the floor area as part of an extensive refurbishment scheme. The developers intend to create a landmark headquarters. All of this activity in the town centre, however, does not mean that Reading’s out-of-town market has gone off the boil. The town’s showpiece business park, PRUPIM’s GREENPARK,continues to expand. Work started in 2008 on the new speculative office blocks and plans have been submitted for a significant further expansion. Together, these new phases will deliver nearly 500,000sq ft of additional office floorspace to the Foster and Partners masterplanned scheme, which is 99% let. There are also plans to build a railway station at GreenPark.

Steve Tully, project management director at PRUPIM, says that the decision to press ahead with construction of the new office buildings shows the level of confidence in the Reading market.

Adam. “People love being sold goods by the person whose name is over the door.”

Reading is seeing new developments coming forward for shoppers who want something different. Recently refurbished, �e Walk shopping precinct offers a range of independent boutiques.

�e Harris Arcade, an Art Deco gem that is home to many independent shops, has just undergone a £200,000 facelift. BAE Systems, which owns the arcade, employed specialist stonemasons to restore the arcade to its 1930’s glory.

Sitting alongside new retailers in the arcade are firmly established businesses. Tobacconist Shave & Coster has spent the bulk of its 100-year history there.

“It’s arcades like Harris Arcade and �e Walk that set shopping centres apart – this is where you find those different and unique shops,” says Fiona Brownfoot, a partner at Reading property consultants Hicks Baker. “It’s great, it’s unique, it’s quirky and we have retailers you will not find anywhere else.” �

A development by:

W W W . T H E B L A D E R E A D I N G . C O M

AT THE CUTTING EDGE of developmentREADY FOR OCCUPATION Q1 2009

FROM 5,630 SQ FT (523 SQ M)TO 109,302 SQ FT (10,154 SQ M)

Blade advert to print:advert 26/8/08 10:09 Page 1


EATING

continued overleaf

As home to the only restaurants outside of London to boast three Michelin stars the royal county is one place you can be sure you will eat like a king. Hilary Scott talks us through some of her favourite restaurants

Food for thought

R:UK

24

The level of good food available in and around Reading may well surprise some people but it is certainly a very nice surprise.

Fine dining may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Reading but the town and its surrounding villages are rapidly becoming a haven for foodies.

If the principal yardstick for that accolade is fantastic restaurants – from Michelin-starred delights to celebrity chef ’s pubs

– then yes, Reading is it. Add to that an abundance of top-notch local producers and it’s confirmed.

Proof, if it were needed, comes in the shape of Michelin-starred restaurant L’ortolan, the former village vicarage, at Shinfield just outside of Reading. The restaurant, which opened in 2001 and gained its much sought-after Michelin star in 2003, offers clever food intricately presented.

Currently working towards a star is Eden at the Forbury Hotel. Chef Daniel Galmiche has won a Michelin star at every restaurant he’s taken on and is aiming for the same at this elegant eatery. Stunning food and a great wine list combined with great ambience in the boutique hotel in the Forbury Square quarter make for a great experience.

The hotel is also home to the stylish Cerise restaurant with a Mediterranean menu, also designed by Mon Galmiche, and great cocktails. Dress stylishly for both as the most glamorous of Reading WAGs have been spotted there.

Step out of the Forbury Hotel and see Davidson House, the glamorous home of the Institute of Directors’ hub. Nearby Forbury’s Restaurant is run by Xavier Le Bellego, a real wine expert who matches his French food with great wines. This eaterie is famed for its cheese soufflés and venison and offers a very reasonable lunch and early evening market menu.

Just round the corner (you’ll be amazed how many eating options there are) is Malmaison with a menu featuring ethically produced, locally sourced ingredients – and Chronicles wine bar is a local institution, popular with the business crowd.

And then there are the TV chefs and their restaurants – Antony Worrall Thompson, Mike Robinson and Paul Clerehugh. Different styles and diverse establishments, but always great food.

Antony Worrall Thompson, or one of his chefs (all personally trained by Antony) serve proper pub grub at The Lamb at Satwell or the 17th century Greyhound at Rotherfield Peppard – try Mr Machin’s Smoked Salmon (Mr Machin is a butcher in nearby Henley) or get there early to sample Thompson’s own roast middle white suckling pig with apple chilli jelly before it sells out.

Game lovers can eat at the expert’s table at The Pot Kiln, the subject of Mike Robinson’s tv series Heaven’s Kitchen and, in his own words, “the kind of English country pub of which dreams are made”.

The game will undoubtedly have been shot by Robinson himself in the fields and woods opposite the pub and the vegetables often come from his garden. Robinson’s menu takes inspiration from some long-forgotten dishes and his skills – and those of his butcher Alan Hayward who has a shop offering more than just meat at Casey Field’s Farm – have ensured dishes like brawn (served here with caramelised golden apples) and potted game are making a well deserved comeback.

Another tv regular, Paul Clerehugh, adviser for Jamie’s School Dinners programme, runs a classy brassiere on Reading’s London Street, as well as one of the best pubs in town The Crooked Billet.

The brasserie has an excellent value two course menu for £13.50 from lunchtimes through to 7pm. Best to book, though – this is one of the town’s most popular eateries.

Best to ring beforehand also at the Billet, voted best foodie pub by Waitrose Magazine. Savour the rustic location at Stoke Row and tuck into local produce including crayfish from the Kennet, cured meats from Reading-based piggery Wysipig, Oxfordshire pork and bread made from

eating


THE CROWN,Playhatch - inventive food from former Savoy chef Nana Akuffo

THE SHOULDER OF MUTTON,Playhatch - a Pride of Reading runner-up and not just for mutton lovers

BLACK BOYS,Hurley - charming pub near Henley a Michelin Bib Gourmand winner

THE NUT TREE INN,Murcott - run by chef Mike North, given a Rising Star in the 2008 Michelin Guide

THE LEATHERNE BOTTEL,Goring-on-Thames - owned by Reading Football Club chairman Sir John Madejski, great for business and pleasure

THE FRENCH HORN,Sonning - marvellous meat and in winter spit-roast duck over a roaring log fire

SWEENEY & TODD,Castle Street - another Reading institution with an extensive range of good value pies to take away or eat in

THE SWAN,Streatley - intimate riverside hotel , great meat, fish and lavender ice cream

high quality flour from nearby Mapledurham Mill.For Pan Asian cuisine there’s lsq2, a business park

restaurant. But don’t be fazed – it’s set in a delightful location by a man-made lake. Winner of the Casual Restaurant of the Year award at the Pride of Reading awards 2007.

T he fact Reading hosts its own food awards says a lot. One of this year’s winners was Mya Lacarte, dubbed “a delightful and buzzy place” by Antony Worrall �ompson, one of the judges. It won

Best Restaurant 2008 for its great atmosphere and British food with a twist. Runner-up in this category was Pepe Sale, another Reading institution for business and casual diners alike. �is is the best of Sardinian food in a wonderfully friendly restaurant.

In the casual award Tutu’s Ethiopian Table reigned. At the bottom of London Street Tutu’s is inside Reading Global café. Tutu serves her home-made food – spiced lentils, curries, collard greens and more eaten with a traditional sour dough pancake/bread. It’s cheap as chips and much better for you with herbs and summer vegetables taken from the well-tended roof garden.

Worldwide cuisine is well served in Reading. Our Indian and Chinese restaurants offer great quality – try the Gulshan near the train station, the chain of Miah’s restaurants or the Peking Palace.

If you fancy Italian food don’t worry. La Dolce Vita’s one of the sweetest and everyone in Reading (and their mums and dads) has at one time been to the fabulous Nino’s in Market Place for homely anti pasta and pasta.

In short, Reading and Berkshire really does have it all, whether you’re looking for somewhere to lunch or for a celebratory dinner you’ll find the perfect meal in the royal county.

OTHER RECOMMENDS:

“Different styles but always great food”

R:UK

eating

26

Where tO buy:

GREAT MEATVicar’s Butchers, West Street

Jennings, Caversham Precinct

GREAT FISHFrost’s, Union Street GREAT CHEESE, LOCAL HONEY AND DELI FOODCounty Delicacies, St Mary’s Butts

THE BEST OF ITALIAN FOODCarluccio’s Delicatessen, Forbury Square

LOCAL FARM PRODUCEReading Farmer’s Market, Cattle Market, Gt Knolly’s Street(first and third Saturday every month)

Berkshire is home to some of the country’s finest restaurants, two of them with three-Michelin stars.

Nearby Bray, the mere mention of it makes the mouth water, is dominated, of course, by Heston Blumenthal’s three-Michelin starred Fat Duck. You will need to book a table well in advance if you want the most experimental food - and the most

memorable dining experience - of your life. For £125 you can revel in the 14-course tasting menu which offers the famed Snail Porridge with Joselito ham, Salmon Poached with Liquorice and Pine Sherbet Fountain.

Just a little less out there is Blumenthal’s Hinds Head Hotel across the road. A Tudor coaching inn and a proper pub, with pub prices, expect traditional favourites such as pea and ham soup, oysters, pork chop and mustard mash and steak with bone marrow sauce and Blumenthal’s famed triple cooked chips.

Along the river you’ll find the Roux brothers’ Waterside Inn - another three-starred gem which champions the entente cordial with a quintessential British setting backed up by the best of French cuisine. The menu changes at least four times a year and though it is unabashed French

cooking, the restaurant does use local ingredients.Also highly recommended around Bray are the Monkey

Island Hotel (set on its own island) and Sir Michael Parkinson and son Nick’s pub The Royal Oak at nearby Paley Street, which won chef Dominic Chapman (formerly of the Hinds Head), a Michelin Bib Gourmand in January last year.

Back to the Michelin stars. John Campbell’s The Vineyard at Stockcross is one of only 11 double Michelin restaurants in the UK. A great champion of local ingredients, his tasting menu comes in cheaper than Heston’s at £88. Prepare to be captivated by his signature Salmon ‘mi cuit’, spiced lentils and red cabbage, the divine cucumber and lime or his Dali-esque English goats cheese and pickled beetroot.

Take the A4074 for Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons, - Raymond Blanc’s two Michelin starred hotel. Elegant and graceful, the rooms here are some of the best in England, the food is spectacular and if you time your visit to coincide with the lavender season the two acre kitchen garden is England personified. Monsieur Blanc’s 10-course tasting menu, the Menu Découverte, is £116. •

“You will need to book a table well in advance if you want the most experimental food of your life”

Within driving distance of Reading there are plenty more foodie delights

Out and about

R:UK

university

28

“If you want to have anything to say to the outside world, you have to be leading edge”


In the past, the stereotypical student life meant being stuck in lecture rooms – or pubs – for three years before being thrown out into the big wide world to find a job.

Armed with a lot of knowledge and qualifications, but little practical experience, students found themselves at the entry level of most companies.

Times have changed. Today’s universities are equipping their students with not only knowledge but also practical experience to allow them to take first jobs at various levels.

�e University of Reading and �ames Valley University have perfected this. �rough a combination of research projects and enterprise initiatives, they are able to benefit not only the students but also employers and the local economy.

“We want to develop a greater sense of linkage between the graduates from the university and the business community,” explains Dr David Gillham, director of research and enterprise services at the University of Reading.

Universities have become more businesslike, working with employers to give students work experience and providing companies with practical support and academic expertise. Noella Pio Kivlehan reports

heads for business

continued overleaf

As one of the UK’s top 20 research-intensive universities, our research activities bring together an unrivalled breadth and depth of expertise that make us leaders in climate change, biodiversity, land use and the built environment. Alongside our world-class research in Environmental Sciences, we also established the Innovative Construction Research Centre that is committed to working collaboratively with leading players in the UK construction sector, encouraging the development of a knowledge-based industry responsive to change.

Central to our teaching and research expertise is an understanding of the impact of our research on real-world events. Our strong collaborations with industry partners mean that we are able to apply our research to existing scenarios and provide solutions to help improve the built environment.

Our research areas include:

Inclusive Environments

Innovative Construction Research Centre

Intelligent Buildings Research Group

Biomimetics

Materials Mechanics

Indoor Environment and Energy Research Group (IEERG)

Reading Production Engineering Group (RPEG)

Making a difference to the built environment

You can be involved with our research in a number of ways, from short courses and CPD programmes to consultancy services and masters degrees.

To find out more about how we can help your business, visit our website: www.reading.ac.uk

Top: Lloyd Building, London

Bottom: BP Solar Pavilion, Baglan Bay, Wales

All images courtesy of Arup G Smith


“A high percentage of our graduates stay in the �ames Valley area so you can look at the university as being an incubator for skills that are kept in the local community.”

Gillham says the university’s philosophy is built around not only teaching degrees “but also looking at things you can do that give added value to the graduates, such as programmes for work experience which make the graduates more marketable”.

Part of this is the university’s Practice of Entrepreneurship module, which, as the name implies, focuses on practice rather than theory and is available across the curriculum to second, third

year and postgraduate students.“What it means is that students can get relevant life skills

in a business environment,” says Gillham. “It is aimed at small social enterprises and looks at issues such as ‘how do you undertake research?’ Students have the opportunity to interact with entrepreneurial businesses. �ey can go and spend as little as one hour or as much as five weeks helping the CEO to plan a presentation.”

�ames Valley University (TVU), with campuses in Reading, Slough and Ealing, has launched a five year strategic plan, to place TVU at the forefront of employer engagement and enterprise development in the UK.

Dr Ian Tubridge OBE, TVU’s deputy vice-chancellor (Enterprise), says it is essential that universities work with

“We need interaction with the business community if we are to tap into the relevant topics and issues. We are here for business”

R:UK

EVENING ECONOMY

UNIVERSITY

SUPPORT FOR START-UPSAND CASESTUDIES

VIVA PHOTOGRAPHYCaroline Gratrix firmly believes that help from Thames Valley University enabled her to establish her business Viva Photography more quickly than she would have done otherwise. She was also able to combine studying with starting her business.

Having started a photography course in 2002, Caroline launched her company two years later, running a studio from her converted garage. “The tutors were really supportive,” says Gratrix, who went on to complete a BA (Hons) degree in Professional Photographic Imaging. “One of the most positive things was that they were flexible about working times and, if I couldn’t make a lecture because I was out on a job, they completely understood.”

Gratrix says her course’s curriculum was another major advantage. “TVU has an amazing business studies course. You have all those talented young people who have no clue how to take their talent out into the real world but the tutors gave us courses in subjects like accountancy and how to market yourself. It gave you the know-how.”

Another area of benefit was that the university provided equipment to hire. “TVU was very well stocked,” says Gratrix.

The tables have now turned, and Gratrix takes on work experience students from Thames Valley University, and she is set to give some talks at the university. “I show them the studio. I still have the year-end project that I did, which allows them to see what they have to do. I’m happy to help anyone who wants to be helped.”

employers. “When people talk about employment engagement, they treat it as an aside to a degree. But we believe it has to affect all programmes and all students have to benefit from it. You can’t guarantee jobs, but it helps to ensure the employability of our students,” he says.

�e results speak for themselves. TVU topped �e TimesHigher Education supplement league table of universities with the best record in getting their graduates into employment. It reported that almost 95% of TVU’s graduates went into employment or on to further study within six months of leaving in 2006-07, according to performance indicators released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Not only are students benefiting, but local, national and international companies are able to tap in to what the university has to offer.

�e University of Reading’s merger with Henley Management College in August 2008 created the Henley Business School, bringing added kudos and opportunities.

“Companies are used to sending their bright young things to the Henley Business School. Now we want to talk to those businesses about what else we can do,” says Gillham.

“For example, meteorology and climate change – we want to talk to businesses about what the impact of climate change

A major aim of the University of Reading and Thames Valley University is to encourage and help small businesses in the region by giving them advice, help and premises in which to expand. This, in turn, supports employment into the local towns and cities.

The University of Reading has a long history of incubating businesses within its campus. The Science and Technology Centre provides a bespoke environment for up to 20 hi-tech businesses ranging from pharmaceutical to food technology companies, which spend between two and four years housed at the university before they are ready to leave for independent premises.

Adding to its existing space, Reading has planning permission for a 55,000sq ft incubator centre, which Dr David Gillham, director of research and enterprise services at the university, says “will be a beacon for early stage companies”.

“The good thing for these businesses is that they have everything there on tap,” says Gillham. “They have access to an established network – the businesses will be part of a community of like-minded businesses. Even if they want a shoulder to cry on, they know there are people there with similar issues.”

The university is also a stakeholder in the Thames Valley Enterprise Hub (TVEH). “We complement the university’s enterprise agenda,” says Susan Elliott, director of TVEH. “We offer and provide hands-on help to businesses who want to build something more sustainable. We look for ambitious businesses that can create wealth and growth for the area.”

Elliott says that the majority of businesses need investment to support their growth. “At any time, we are working with 60 businesses over three to four years. Our success rate is monitored by how much funding we can get those businesses. In the 12 months to March 2008, we were aiming to hit a target of £1.9m, but we actually achieved £2.4m.”

will be, and what they, as a business, want to do about it. We want to talk to leaders of industry. It is building an arena where we can create a dialogue about issues.”

Research is another area in which the University of Reading works closely with the business community. While Reading has a very broad academic base, Gillham highlights its four strongest areas: meteorology and climate; food science and health; construction management and sustainable environment; and advance computing informatics.

Although this happened by accident rather than design, Gillham says: “�ey are four of the biggest topics that we are hearing a lot about in the media. As a university, what we are trying to do is put an emphasis on investment in developing these four key areas – if you want to have anything to say to the outside world, you have to be leading edge.”

He adds: “We are also actively promoting and developing strategic partnerships with industry, with the kinds of business that are interested in exploiting the kind of knowledge we are developing.

“We are increasingly making bespoke solutions for organisations. If the university has strengths, we will look to adapt modules that would be attractive to those companies.”

Reading is active in knowledge transfer – where


FISCAL TECHNOLOGIESFISCAL Technologies, based in Crowthorne just outside Reading, provide duplicate payment detection software and services to corporations, government and financial institutions. This reduces costs, improves fraud detection and makes more efficient use of working capital.

The company’s main market comprises 6,000 companies in the UK with a combined turnover of £100 million. The firm is now expanding into the US.

According to its director, the Thames Valley Enterprise Hub helped FISCAL by, among other things, assisting with business planning and forecasting, introducing it to commercial contracts, giving licensing advice through an intellectual property clinic, and arranging networking events and peer group networking.

David Griffiths, who owns FISCAL, says: “When you are in a small, fast-paced technology business, this is vital. The Enterprise Hub’s business acumen has been very helpful in packaging our business from a future investor point of view.

“It also provides a networking group of other similar companies – this has been invaluable as we can all share our problems and solutions. It is also nice to know other people are in the same boat.

“They provide a range of monthly seminars that have been very useful and a good gathering point to network further.”

Griffiths adds: “We are a very lean organisation and nearly all our employees work remotely and use online technologies to co-ordinate our efforts. Our overhead

“The networking group is invaluable, we can share our problems and solutions. It is nice to know other people are in the same boat ”

“We want to develop a greater sense of linkage between the graduates from the university and the business community”

companies benefit from the university’s academic expertise – and is focusing on the town’s small businesses.

T he university is planning to open a science park, which will provide a physical place where companies can interact with each other. According to Gillham the time is now right to set up the

science park. “We have built up the confidence that this is good for the university,” he says. “We can make it work. We need to take a long-term view for the land to make it economically viable.”

�e planning application will be submitted in the next 12 months but Gillham believes it will not be fully developed for 25 years. “�is is a knowledge transfer initiative that you develop slowly and build up,” he says.

�e work the universities and enterprise hubs are doing to help students and businesses benefits both Reading and the wider �ames Valley area. Gillham adds: “Universities recognise that they have to think and behave like businesses. We require interactions with the business community if we are to tap into the relevant topics and issues. �e outpouring of the academic requirements also helps businesses to run better. We are here for businesses.” �

base is very low, allowing us to run rings around audit companies and offer great value to our customers. We are winning five or six customers every month and now it’s about scaling the organisation’s profitably.”

The company is growing rapidly in terms of turnover and is aiming to quadruple its turnover since last year to £250,000. It means to expand substantially and has just set up a US office, working with the UKTI (UK Trade and Investment) to develop its brand in the US market.

BUSINESS SKILLSEven during a time of economic slowdown there is fierce competition for talent within a competitive global market. More than ever graduates need to be equipped to add value and harness opportunities. Unsurprisingly, enterprise is fast becoming a core element of student experience.

The Centre for Entrepreneurship at the University of Reading offers programmes designed to encourage enterprise and entrepreneurship. Whether students go on to work for themselves, a multinational, or the public sector these skills will be central to their future success.

Malcolm Wicks, vice-chairman of the Institute of Directors, Berkshire, says, “The IOD are strong supporters of the centre and many of our members are pleased to get involved in sharing expertise and experiences. It’s encouraging to see such a successful centre at the university and to experience the energy and ideas of some very bright, budding entrepreneurs.”

R:UK

evening economy

34

centre forward

Reading town centre has changed dramatically in the past decade, becoming a highly desirable place in which to live and work. Its young, upwardly mobile demographic demands an upmarket evening economy and the town is attracting high-quality leisure and hotel brands, which are helping ensure its continuing growth By Alex Aspinall

continued overleaf »

R:UK

evening economy

36

Not that long ago you would be on your way home shortly after 11pm if you’d ventured into Reading’s town centre. The same pubs, the familiar cinema; it was all a bit predictable. But recent years have seen an impressive turnaround in the town’s cultural and leisure offer.

There’s much more going on, and plenty of options if you don’t feel like heading home straight after work.

Those with memories mature enough to remember Reading 20 years ago speak of a vastly inferior evening offering. It was around this time that Danny Frayfield was setting up the Purple Turtle bar, one of Reading’s best loved late night venues. “Twenty years ago there weren’t any bars,” he says. “There wasn’t really any nightlife; there were just a few pubs in town.”

Fortunately this criticism can no longer be levelled at Reading. The town has been able to attract bars, hotels and restaurants aplenty. Its residents and swelling ranks of visitors are enjoying the benefits of being spoilt for choice. But it’s not merely the quantity of businesses attracted to Reading that is so impressive – it’s the quality.

One of the best indicators of just how far Reading has come is the arrival of boutique hotel chain Malmaison. Like London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Oxford, Reading is able to supply the clientele to occupy the hotel’s luxurious rooms.

“Malmaison opened a hotel here mainly because of the business market,” says Lorraine Jarvie, general manager of Malmaison Reading. “If you look at the international companies that are based in Reading and along the M4 corridor, it is a prime location for hotel groups. There are a lot of businesses out there, and it fits our corporate profile.

“Reading definitely would not have been chosen 10 or 15 years ago. The company that owns Malmaison has owned this property for around 10 years. They have been sitting on it and it’s only been recently that they felt it would be viable as a hotel.”

But Malmaison is not the only upmarket brand adding to the town’s evening economy. A plethora of high-quality restaurants have made Reading their home, with Forbury’s Restaurant chief among them. The award-winning restaurant brought some much-needed European sophistication to Reading’s gastronomic portfolio when it opened its doors almost five years ago. Managing director Xavier Le-Bellégo, who has worked with some of the world’s finest chefs, is happy to be leading the town’s culinary renaissance.

“We felt there was a need for a chic restaurant where people can come to meet, relax and enjoy a glass of wine and a meal,” explains Le-Bellégo. “When I first came to Reading, all there really was were Italian and Chinese restaurants. There was not much in terms of gourmet food.

“Reading is becoming more and more cosmopolitan, with people moving here from all over the world, especially with all the IT companies. It has all the amenities around it and the lovely countryside as well.”

It could be easy to link the improvements in evening economies around the country with the relaxation of the licensing laws. This has had a certain effect, especially for bars that previously had to turf eager punters out with their wallets still half-full at 11.20pm. But Reading’s improved evening economy is about far more than fitting in an extra beer or two before hitting the kebab shop.

Reading’s enviable location means it is an attractive place to do business. Its close proximity to London and the M4 and M3 motorways, coupled with the fact that it is only 30 miles from Heathrow, mean that it is easy to broker deals

of national and international relevance in the town. This is the market that has captured chains such as Carluccio’s and is playing a significant role in ensuring Reading’s continued growth.

It is difficult to overestimate the role business, particularly that created by the presence of Reading’s hugely successful IT sector, has played in boosting the town’s profile. It’s impossible to imagine that Reading would have been able to improve its evening offer quite so markedly without the presence of these firms. They have brought a great influx of skilled workers to the town, many of whom form part of a young, upwardly mobile demographic – exactly the type of people cities around the UK are seeking to attract. This route to an improved evening economy is generally seen as being significantly more desirable, and more sustainable, than placing emphasis on cheap booze and drunken revelry.

Reading’s improved evening offer is part of the much larger change the town has experienced in recent years. This is something the town’s council has been working towards for many years, and it is pleased with the progress attained so far. “There is a very direct link between attracting good-quality bars and restaurants and the progress we have made in other areas of the town,” says Guy Douglas, manager of Reading UK CIC’s Business Improvement District.

“Reading is doing very well economically. There are retailers lining up to get in to the town. There are businesses that look at the business park offering and they know that by locating there they are placing themselves in a vibrant economic environment. Reading would have been less able to attract the higher-end restaurants in the past. The town had not managed to create the critical mass that exists now.”

There is an overwhelming sense of optimism in Reading. Buoyed by the progress made over the last decade, residents and members of the business community alike are united in their positive feelings about the direction in which their town is heading.

Douglas shares their excitement. “The benefits of our improved evening economy have definitely been felt,” he says. “I am pleased with where we are but we are striving for better. We have a wonderful path ahead of us. We have recently had some consultation on evolving Reading’s cultural strategy and the town is ready to embrace that.

“It becomes easier as you progress. It is to do with clustering. Once the snowball starts rolling it quickly grows in size. I think in terms of evening economy investment, this is actually very true. Once you get the high-end brands, and once you get some of the mainstream brands to start investing, it draws in others. And it has already started in Reading.” •

“If you look at the international companies that are based in Reading and along the M4 corridor, it is a prime location for hotel groups”LoRRaIne JaRvIe, geneRaL ManageR, MaLMaIson ReadIng

Where once it was lacking, Reading now has a thriving evening economy. The town centre has a plethora of impressive, high quality restaurants and bars, plus boutique hotels.

R:UK

38

did youknow?

Reading has

Birthplace of

Ricky Gervais, Kate Winslett, Arthur Negus

and Sam Mendes

Reading Football Club broke all league records

in 2005-6 with the quickest ever promotion to

the Premiership with the highest point score ever

The lion statue in Forbury Gardens is made of 16 tonnes of cast iron

Oscar Wilde was imprisoned in Reading prison from 1895-1897

880listed properties

Cent

ral L

ondo

n is

30

min

utes

by

train

Hea

thro

w a

irp

ort

is ju

st 2

7.4

mile

s

economic activity growthexpectedannually until 2026

3.5%

Henry

I

is buRied at ReadinG abbey

Jane Austen went to Reading Ladies boarding school• •

Twinned with Dusseldorf, Germany; Speightstown, Barbados;

Clonmel, Ireland; San Francisco Libre, Nicaragua

Thames Valley University (TVU) has a long history of working with employers driving innovation, enterprise and economic growth across the region.

The range of collaborations TVU has with industry and commerce, include the creative industries, hospitality, leisure, tourism and travel, construction, engineering,information technology, retail, health, food processing and a range of public services.

That’s why our vision is to be the foremost employer engagement university in the country.

For more information

0800 036 8888www.tvu.ac.uk

universityfor graduateemployment (Times Higher Education,July 2008)

educationemploymenteconomic prosperity

�e m

agazine that tells you about Reading…

R:UK #1

Documents

Transcript of R:UK #1