EDITOR'S NOTE
East Reading Festival is back at Palmer Park this Sunday — free entry, live music, a funfair, and food from noon to 6pm. It's the pick of the week. Also running: the final days of Secret Shakespeare's immersive Julius Caesar at the Abbey Ruins, and England take on Croatia in the World Cup on Wednesday. Good week to be in Reading.
⭐ This Week in Reading
FEATURED THIS WEEK
East Reading Festival, Sunday 21 June, Palmer Park
Free entry, noon–6pm. Live music, funfair, food from a range of cuisines, and community stalls. The annual festival returns to one of Reading's best outdoor spaces.
BEST FOR KIDS
East Reading Festival (Sun 21, Palmer Park, free). Funfair, food court, live music and community stalls. No tickets, just turn up.
NEW THIS WEEK
Forbidden Planet has confirmed it's coming to Reading — units 1B/1C in Queen's Walk, opening September. Comics, manga, collectibles, card games and more. Reading has never had a branch before.
HEADS UP
Reading Buses has announced route cuts from 20 July: the Pink 22 to Caversham Heights and Route 12 to Twyford are both being axed. Not this week — but plan ahead if you use either.
👨👩👧 Things To Do
Kids & Family
East Reading Festival — Sunday 21 June, Palmer Park (Wokingham Road, RG6 1LE), noon–6pm. Free. Live music, a funfair, food from a range of cuisines, and charity and community stalls. No booking needed.
Reading Climate Festival (final week) — Mon 16–Sat 20 June, various venues. Free. Nature walks, creative workshops, energy efficiency talks and community drop-ins close out the two-week programme.
Adults / Date Night
Secret Shakespeare: Julius Caesar — running until Saturday 20 June at Reading Abbey Ruins. An immersive promenade production — the audience moves through the ruins as Rome unravels. No props, no stage, no costume. Just the words and the space. Book tickets at tickettailor.com →
Progress Theatre: Playhouse Creatures — opens Monday 22 June (just after this week, but book now). Runs until Saturday 27 June. Five pioneering women of the Restoration stage — including Nell Gwyn — at Reading's oldest producing theatre. Saturday 27 June matinee is a Relaxed Performance. Tickets via progresstheatre.co.uk.
Weekend Events
Sat 20 June: Shinfield Players Theatre marks its 70th anniversary — a significant milestone for one of Reading's longest-running amateur companies.
Sat 20 June: South Street Arts Centre presents Without by Neil Redman.
Sun 21 June: East Reading Festival, Palmer Park — see Kids & Family above.
Looking ahead: The Mount at Wasing Estate — Mika, Friday 26 June; The Pixies, Saturday 27 June.
🏙️ What's New in Reading
Coming soon: Forbidden Planet, Queen's Walk. The sci-fi, comics and collectibles retailer — nearly 50 years old, stocking everything from Marvel and DC to Pokémon, Doctor Who, Warhammer, and Magic: The Gathering — has confirmed it will open units 1B and 1C in Queen's Walk in September 2026. Reading has never had a branch.
The Oracle: still waiting on the legal agreement. Planning permission for 436 new apartments on the former Debenhams and Vue Cinema sites has been granted to Hammerson. Construction can't start until a Section 106 agreement is signed — expected to include a £7m–£8.6m affordable housing contribution. Vue, Miller & Carter, and Cote Brasserie all remain open in the meantime.
🚧 Useful Reading Updates
Bus route cuts from 20 July — act now if affected. Pink 22 (Caversham Heights) and Route 12 (Twyford) cancelled from 20 July. Caversham Heights alternatives: Berry 23/24, Pink 25/25a, Aqua 28/28a, Thames Travel X40. Twyford corridor: Thames Valley Buses 127/128/129 and Carousel 127/850 continue. Details at reading-buses.co.uk.
Woodlands Avenue closure ends Friday. The road between Fairwater Drive and Howth Drive reopens Friday 19 June.
Rail: No confirmed GWR engineering works affecting Reading for the weekend of 21–22 June. Check gwr.com before travelling →
World Cup: England vs Croatia, Wednesday 17 June — kick-off ~8pm BST. Expect a busy town centre.
COMING UP THIS WEEK
Mon 16 — Reading Climate Festival free events all week
Tue–Sat 17–20 — Secret Shakespeare: Julius Caesar at Abbey Ruins (last chance)
Wed 17 — England vs Croatia (FIFA World Cup, ~8pm BST)
Sat 20 — Shinfield Players 70th anniversary; South Street: Without; Climate Festival closes
Sun 21 — East Reading Festival, Palmer Park (noon–6pm, free)
Planning Update
Hemdean House School, Caversham — refused. Plans (ref PL/26/0138) to demolish the school buildings and build 51 retirement apartments, 10 open-market apartments, and one gatehouse dwelling (62 homes total) on Hemdean Road, RG4 7SD were refused by the council. Reasons for refusal were not published at the time of writing.
Otherwise, last week's planning list was dominated by householder extensions, a change of use to residential care in Southcote Ward, and a pair of new semi-detached homes on Stone Street in Battle. Nothing further warranting a call-out.
HIDDEN GEM OF THE WEEK
Caversham Court Gardens. A formal riverside garden tucked just behind the village — flint walls, rose beds, topiary, and direct views over the Thames towards Caversham Bridge. Managed by Reading Borough Council and free to enter most days. Better known as an event venue than a garden to actually visit, which means it's reliably quiet. Well worth twenty minutes.
Got a tip or suggestion?
Spotted something we missed, or want to see more of something in Reading Brief? Drop us a line — we read everything.
Published by Getbrief, a trading name of RJP Group Ltd