Reading an urban area of Berkshire county is located on the confluence of the River Thames and the River Kennet and was an important centre in the medieval period. Today, it is still an important commercial centre with its Thames Valley Business Park being home to many major companies. These include, Microsoft, Yell.com, Xansa and Oracle. Reading School is the tenth oldest school in England and is housed in Victorian buildings designed by Alfred Waterhouse. The University of Reading is the an affiliate of Oxford University and is among the UKs top institutions for food biotechnology research. the Universiry also runs various museums - the museum of English Rural Life, the Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology,the Cole Museum of Zoology and the Harris Gardens.
Microsoft and Oracle are two of the major employers based at TVP Thames Valley Business Park on the M4
Reading has its own subregional catchment area, incorporating the towns of Wokingham, Bracknell and Twyford, plus large villages such as Pangbourne, Theale, Winnersh, Burghfield and Shiplake. Suburbs include Caversham, Coley, Katesgrove, Whitley, Calcot, Earley, Woodley and Purley on Thames
Reading is also a major shopping centre with the Oracle shopping mall being the most recent addition. The town plays host to two important annual festivals. WOMAD came to the city in 1990 while the Reading Festival has been running since 1971. Other notable musical links include homegrowns artists such as Mike Oldfield (Tubular Bells) and the Cooper Temple Clause
Reading Hotel, Reading Bed and Breakfast, Reading Cheap Hotel accommodation suitable for a Reading Weekend Break, a Reading City Break, Reading Wedding Accommodation, Reading Guys Night out, Reading Girls Night out or even a Reading Stag Night or a Reading Hen Night