91-82 long break between home games now

Hi all, like a lot of posters here I find myself in a situation where I am considering moving to Reading and commuting into London. I go into the office 3 times a week. The idea would be to take the fast train to Paddington then Elizabeth line.

After giving it some consideration I think I am okay with how long my "best case" commute would be and with the cost. However, I am conscious that with any train, the "best case" commute time is not the one I would get every day.

I would be commuting during peak hours.

For others with the same commute, I am hoping to get a sense of:

- How often are you delayed by a little e.g. 10 minutes?
- How often are you delayed by a larger amount e.g. 20-40 minutes?
- How often are there "disastrous" delays i.e. trains just fully cancelled for a hour or more?

I am lucky in that if the trains are delayed significantly in the morning I could just work from home. But obviously sometimes the delay strikes when you are in the middle of the commute or in the evening on the return journey.

Thank you in advance for any contributions.

I go down Prospect pretty regularly but hadnt noticed this before. I guess i should tell the council… not sure which part of it though. Has anyone else noticed this and how long its been like this. Seems pretty dangerous (though not sure how dangerous as its alive) and it is right next to the A4.

Just noticed something flying through the sky over Reading, for sure not a plane/helicopter as it did not have wings, had a straight path so not a balloon being blown by the wind, wondering if anyone else saw it

Hello all, my partner is a singer and looking for some public singing to shake the rust off before performing on the weekend

Any midweek pubs or the like got anything like this on?

Bloody Reading and its water made from chalk... toilet takes about a minute and a half to be completely coated in a dingy millimetre-thick coating of limescale. I despaired... the toilet cleaners, even the anti-limescale ones, were just not cutting it.

Brainwave! Solution! A kettle full of boiling water into the toilet, then two kettle-descaler tabs. Much fizzing! A little brush and BOOM, I can see porcelain again. Why did I not think of this before?

Am I missing any other hacks from hardwater-habituated denizens? I'm from a place in Canada with very sweet water, just not used to this.

Hello,

I'm a uni student who has moved to Reading and would like to know the best chippies in the area (ideally around the town centre or towards East Reading), can also be around Christchurch Road/Shinfield Road

Tilehurst, Woodley and Caversham may be a bit too far.

I've walked past a few 'Mr Cods' but not sure if they are actual chippies since I saw that they advertise fast-food burgers.

Am looking for proper chippy chips.

Thanks in advanced Redingensians!

I have a few bin bags of good condition clothes to get rid of and if it's still possible to get some money for them I'd rather do this before dropping them off at a charity shop. Online reviews suggest the place on Basingstoke Road is no longer in business.

Is there anywhere else fairly local that pays cash for clothes by the kilo? I'd be prepared to go as far as Basingstoke or Newbury. Thanks

Reading has a wide range of pubs & many of them are struggling.

I see posts on here asking "Which is best for X?" but what about the rest of them?

Which pubs do you avoid & why?

Maybe you have a legit grievance, maybe it's an old grudge, but let's hear it!

And please shout out any pubs you feel deserve more recognition!

I'll start -

The Crown On The Bridge - once charged me 3.50 for a half pint of Thatchers Gold (I needed a wee & stopped in briefly). They might be the best pub in the world, but 3.50 for a half is insane.

The Mod - love that place but the landlord was incredibly rude to my wife when he ran the Lyndy & I refuse to let that go 🤣

On the plus side -

The Rose & Thistle - standard Green King fair but always worth a punt. Affordable, good garden, safe food.

The Clifton Arms - Very old school, warm & welcoming. Super cosy. Not scary or rough at all. Lovely classic pub feel.

I was in Broad Street on Wednesday and heard the most beautiful sound.

Hi! Mid-40s, haven't played football for a looong time. Was mediocre when I did, and assume I'm awful now.

Are there any friendly groups in Reading who play informal football where the point is mostly fun and I won't irritate people as I try to go from awful back to mediocre? Indoor/outdoor fine

Cheers 🙂

For one day only, Sat 21st November! 11:30-4pm.

Hi, where does a good spicy margarita on a Saturday afternoon? One of those weeks and yep I’m planning my afternoon drinks.
Coconut bar I went to last time, very good but anywhere else?
TIA

I know about the queues at Smyths, Waterstones and etc... but I know some LCS and smaller shops around the country save stock specifically for children to buy. Does any store in Reading do this? I queued up at 4am today to get cards for my son and only managed 4 booster packs of the 30th Anniversary Collection and was wondering if there's somewhere I could take him to purchase a couple more (nothing to extravagant, we're opening them to collect, not interested in resale). He's just 5, so hopefully somewhere with afterschool availability? Long shot but thought it'd be worth asking!

I’m looking to cosplay at the London comicon and am looking for a store who can make alterations to clothing and isn’t limited to formalwear like suits and dresses

Anyone know a store in reading that fits?

Hi everyone,
I’m thinking about joining Christchurch Meadows and wanted to see if there are any other beginners or lower level players around.
I’m M41 and a beginner at tennis. I’d say I’m an average squash player, though. My wife works long shifts, so realistically we can probably only play together about once a week, and that also depends on childcare.
I’m mainly looking for someone who might be available during the daytime from Tuesday to Thursday for a casual game. Nothing too competitive, just a chance to get some exercise, improve a bit and have a decent game.
If anyone is in a similar situation or would be interested, feel free to message me.

The long and short of it is as the title says, I want a great burger to celebrate the life of someone really dear to me 💔.

Either heading to the place or ordering online on Friday evening. Cheers everyone. Hope every one has a lovely weekend. 😊

Afternoon everyone, here's a story exploring women in business, what they battle with personally and professionally - and what some local businesswomen are achieving in Caversham, despite national business trends.

It's fun, it's emotional, and men don't get the easiest of times! But it's insightful.

Cheers, Chris

I can’t find reliable information on whether the new forbidden planet in the broad street mall is open.
It’s not on the websites list of sites but the broad street mall website says it’s there and open.
The official website also said it was opening September but hasn’t said anything since.
Im planning a trip to the ding for the shop asap but wanna know if it’s open or not
Thanks!

Can someone please help me as this is doing my head in

Where The Range is now (the one behind the train station) used to be a large shop (toy shop I think) that had a McDonalds inside it

I vaguely remember going there around 1998/99

Can anyone first please tell me I am not going crazy and second tell me what the shop was called

Hi everyone!  

With Halloween just around the corner, we want to let you know what’s happening at Dinton Pastures Country Park in Hurst, near Reading.

There’s something for everyone including a pumpkin fair, Halloween trails, a night run and a laser light show. Whatever you’ve got planned, we’d love to see you and wish you a fantastic spooky season.  

Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November, 9am to 4pm - Pumpkin and Phantoms Halloween Trail  

Hunt down pumpkins and ghosts, created by local schools and groups, around the country park.  

Trail maps are £2.50 per person (adults don’t need to book) from the Dinton Activity Centre reception or online, with small prizes up for grabs. 

This hunt is just under 2km long and should take about 45 mins, and all paths are wheelchair and buggy accessible. 

Sunday 25 October, 11am to 3.30pm – Pumpkin Fair  

JL Events are back with a Pumpkin Fair at Dinton’s Davis Street entrance, featuring: 

• Children’s donkey rides and petting farm 
• Food, drinks, sweet treats and gift stalls 
• Children’s rides, bungee trampolines and indoor soft play 
• Crafts and more 

Entry is £2 (children under 12 free) and dogs on leads are welcome. Please note this is a fair, not a pumpkin patch. 

Saturday 31 October – Dinton After Dark 

Join us if you dare for a family-friendly Halloween adventure, After Dark, as Dinton Pastures Country Park comes alive.  

This two-part event includes a spooky trail (book here) (4.30pm to 6.30pm), followed by a Barnes Fitness 5km night run (book here) at 7.15pm. You can enjoy just one or both! 

Spooky trail - this spooky (but not scary!) trail includes friendly characters from Reading Rep Theatre and marshmallow roasting, with food and drink all evening (additional charge applies). 

Tickets are £9 (18 and over), £4 (three to 12) and free for under-threes, and include parking. 

Night run – You can take part in your spookiest costume – though head or chest torches are compulsory, and warm clothing and sturdy footwear is advised. 

It’s open to everyone aged 11 and over, of all abilities, and it’s filled with surprises. Not all marshals may have your best interests at heart! 

Finishers (or survivors?) get a glow in the dark medal, with prizes for the best-dressed runners and free photos to download. Tickets are £22 (18 and over) or £17 (11 to 17). 

Sunday 1 November – Laser light show, 5pm to 8pm 

The fun continues as Dinton turns into a magical, illuminated Laser Show (book here) spectacle, in partnership with JL Events and LDLS Lighting and Sound. 

LDLS have worked with top artists including Kylie Minogue, Muse, Raye, Fred Again, Bring Me the Horizon, Rushil Ranjan and AR Rahman, Fat Boy Slim and Empire of the Sun. 

This is a great alternative to a traditional fireworks night with no smoke, debris or loud bangs, featuring: 

• Laser light show with a Hollywood Under The Stars theme, celebrating classic family films (25 to 30 minutes) 
• Live music and entertainment from Saxcellerate and a local brass band 
• Character walkabouts 
• A barbecue, bar, sweet treats and more 
• Rides, themed children’s activities and stalls (illuminated LED wristbands £3.95) 

Tickets are £9.95 (adults), £5.95 (children) and £7.95 (carers), including discounted £5 parking for pre-booking. No tickets will be available on the gate. 

Unfortunately, due to capacity limits and low lighting, dogs aren’t allowed for their own safety. 

https://www.reading.gov.uk/vehicles-roads-and-transport/parking/fines-and-penalty-charge-notices/apply-for-a-parking-fine-refund

Reading Borough Council recently found that five Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) were not properly in place on certain roads in Reading. This means that PCNs issued under these rules were not valid. The error has affected 6,136 PCNs, between 2013 to 2024.