Page 3 | Is Reading a nice place to live?

Samara26 · 24/09/2021 23:12

@stairway

I’ve lived there. I quite liked the high street as it’s pedestrian friendly but overall it’s quite deprived and quite a lot of drug use and violence. The river is nice.

Where would u live instead?

Samara26 · 24/09/2021 23:13

@partyatthepalace

I wasn’t a fan. Found it quiet and dull with little character. But it’s not awful and it’s handy/affordable for london.

It's the biggest or one of the biggest towns in England. Please could u say what u are pitching it against?

Samara26 · 24/09/2021 23:16

@Dazedandconfused10

I now find it a dull place to live, there some nice areas but lots of places I wouldn't live. House prices are ridiculous. Crime seems to be ever increasing especially knife crime. I am looking to move away from the area to some where with more buzz and atmosphere personally.

Although you're not far from the London the reality is its expansive and and pain to get to. The town itself doesn't offer too much aside from drinking locations or restaurants.

Where are u considering with more buzz that's affordable?

Samara26 · 24/09/2021 23:17

@CoronaIsWatching

I don't think it matters that it has no culture of its own when it's only 25 mins on the fast train to central london

I haven't spent much time in the city but some of the rural areas just outside by the river are nice.

25 mins from the station but u have to get there. If there's traffic that may take a while.

Dazedandconfused10 · 24/09/2021 23:22

@Samara26 literally anywhere that's not London. Most recently north. Nottingham, I could sell my house and buy outright.

Samara26 · 24/09/2021 23:28

@Rockettrain

There are some areas that are less safe than others, just avoid Whitley and some of the areas immediately around the town centre. Tilehurst, woodley, earley, lower Earley and caversham are all nice and so are the villages a bit further out although these can be expensive eg pangbourne. Lots to do, good rail links, good shopping, lots of stuff for kids.

I heard tilehurst also wasn't great? Cakcot seems ok though?

Samara26 · 24/09/2021 23:33

[quote Dazedandconfused10]@Samara26 literally anywhere that's not London. Most recently north. Nottingham, I could sell my house and buy outright.[/quote]
True but then u have to find work.. I contract and could not guarantee a steady flow of work in the midlands or up north

Dazedandconfused10 · 24/09/2021 23:39

@Samara26 I work remotely so it's not an issue, and even if it was to live mortgage free really opens up job opportunities, i don't have a huge bill to worry about every month.

PattyPan · 24/09/2021 23:51

@Samara26 there are nice and less nice areas of Tilehurst. Aside from the Meadway area I'd say it's overall nice. Calcot is quite nice.

I wouldn't say Reading is quiet. It has less culture than somewhere like Bristol, Edinburgh, Manchester etc but it has several arts venues, a street food market, a major football team, 3 cinemas, etc, and a very diverse population who obviously bring with them elements of lots of different cultures.

MrsFriskers · 25/09/2021 00:13

I live in Caversham near to one of the best primary schools in Berkshire. I can walk to the station - 24 mins to Paddington. Parks and allotments very close, and a sort of cafe culture here. You can get a cottage terrace or a 3 bed terrace or an Edwardian 5 bed villa detached here

Samara26 · 25/09/2021 01:05

@MrsFriskers

I live in Caversham near to one of the best primary schools in Berkshire. I can walk to the station - 24 mins to Paddington. Parks and allotments very close, and a sort of cafe culture here. You can get a cottage terrace or a 3 bed terrace or an Edwardian 5 bed villa detached here

Could u tell me what part of Caversham?

Autumngoldleaf · 25/09/2021 18:35

My ds lived there after uni so know it fairly well and other areas.
I honestly found it quite rough and not much to do.
However for cheapness I can't think of other places around there? Marlow, henely, Beaconsfield will all be very expensive.

Autumngoldleaf · 25/09/2021 18:37

As Sam said I find it's quite ugly sadly and no soul.

neeenor · 25/09/2021 18:49

No, frankly it's not. There's some nice areas and villages on the outskirts but otherwise I'd chose somewhere else.

Okigen · 25/09/2021 19:16

I used to live there - safe and handy enough, but rather boring. Very convenient for London and more affordable though, so there is that.

Samara26 · 25/09/2021 23:43

@Autumngoldleaf

My ds lived there after uni so know it fairly well and other areas. I honestly found it quite rough and not much to do. However for cheapness I can't think of other places around there? Marlow, henely, Beaconsfield will all be very expensive.

Where is your ideal place to live outside of Lomdon?

Samara26 · 25/09/2021 23:43

@neeenor

No, frankly it's not. There's some nice areas and villages on the outskirts but otherwise I'd chose somewhere else.

Where would u choose?

Samara26 · 25/09/2021 23:44

@Okigen

I used to live there - safe and handy enough, but rather boring. Very convenient for London and more affordable though, so there is that.

Not that affordable anymore! Where would u choose that's not boring, outsold London? 🤷‍♀️

Samara26 · 26/09/2021 00:04

@ZsaZsahurrah

If you live in Reading or know the area, would you recommend it as a place to live for a young couple who would eventually be looking to start a family in the more distant future?

Can everyone who has said Reading is boring or rough please suggest an alternative outside London?

So far every town I've come across people think is boring etc.
Croydon - definitely not!
Redhill- completely dull
Reigate- quaint but boring!
Swindon- definitely no buzz!
Milton Keynes - boring / rough / soulless
Witney, Oxfordshire- nothing there
Bicester - nothing there
Horsham - pretty but dull
Southampton- apparently rough
Portsmouth- apparently rough
Brighton - not my cup of tea - bit students/ alternative hippy vibe
Burgess hill - rough
Wokingham- nice but expensive
Woking - nice bit expensive

Where does everyone suggest then in South / midlands that is such an improvement on Reading???

PattyPan · 26/09/2021 00:16

Honestly ignore them and come and look around yourself. Reading is no more boring, soulless or rough than anywhere else and certainly less boring than South Oxfordshire, Henley and Wokingham. Crime is not high for its size, there are lots of facilities and I don’t think it’s ugly thanks to the large amount of Victorian buildings. I like living here and I live in what many posters would apparently consider a rough part of town.

IndecentCakes · 26/09/2021 00:39

I went to school there and the place is hideous. Lots of crime, drug use, homophobia and sexual assaults.

Samara26 · 26/09/2021 06:00

@IndecentCakes

I went to school there and the place is hideous. Lots of crime, drug use, homophobia and sexual assaults.

Ok so where do u live now?

PattyPan · 26/09/2021 10:58

High crime compared to what, Sylvania? Reading has a lower crime rate than much of the country, including other nearby towns/cities such as Oxford, Guildford, Swindon and a lot less than Brighton, Bristol etc. propstats.net/crime-map-by-local-authority-england/

FurierTransform · 26/09/2021 20:52

I'd take the nicer areas of Basingstoke/Newbury over anywhere in Reading.

Samara26 · 01/11/2021 01:20

@Dazedandconfused10

I now find it a dull place to live, there some nice areas but lots of places I wouldn't live. House prices are ridiculous. Crime seems to be ever increasing especially knife crime. I am looking to move away from the area to some where with more buzz and atmosphere personally.

Although you're not far from the London the reality is its expansive and and pain to get to. The town itself doesn't offer too much aside from drinking locations or restaurants.

Where did u have in mind that u might move to? I'm after some ideas