EDITOR'S NOTE
Waterfest is back on Saturday — free, along the Kennet and Thames from Forbury Gardens to the Abbey Ruins and Riverside Walk, for its 37th year. Also this week: England play twice in the World Cup (Ghana on Tuesday night, Panama on Saturday night), the new Central Library opened and is worth a visit, and The Mount at Wasing opens its summer concert season with Mika on Friday and The Pixies on Saturday.
⭐ This Week in Reading
FEATURED THIS WEEK
Waterfest, Saturday 27 June — Forbury Gardens, Abbey Ruins & Riverside Walk
Free, 11am–5pm. Boats, stalls, canal-side food and family activities along the towpath for the 37th annual festival celebrating the Kennet and Avon Canal. No tickets needed.
BEST FOR FAMILIES
Waterfest (Sat 27, Forbury Gardens/Riverside Walk, free). Boats, stalls, canal-side food and family activities. No tickets, just turn up.
NEW THIS WEEK
Reading's new Central Library opened at the Civic Centre, Bridge Street — bigger, better, and finally in a purpose-built space. Double-sized children's library and almost 100 free study/work spots with wifi.
HEADS UP
England play two World Cup group stage games this week: vs Ghana, Tuesday 23 June at 9pm BST; vs Panama, Saturday 27 June at 10pm. Town and pubs will be busy both evenings. A win in both puts England into the knockouts.
👨👩👧 Things To Do
Kids & Family
Waterfest — Saturday 27 June, 11am–5pm. Forbury Gardens, Reading Abbey Ruins, Chestnut Walk and Riverside Walk. Free. The 37th annual festival celebrating the Kennet and Avon Canal — boats, stalls, family activities and waterside food and drink along the towpath. No tickets needed.
Reading Central Library (new) — now open at the Civic Centre, Bridge Street, RG1 2LU. The new children's library is more than double the size of the previous one. Open Mon/Fri 9am–5pm, Tue/Thu 9am–7pm, Sat 10am–3pm. Free.
Adults / Date Night
Progress Theatre: Playhouse Creatures — final week, until Saturday 27 June. Five pioneering actresses of the Restoration stage — Nell Gwyn among them — brought to life at Reading's oldest producing theatre. Saturday matinee is a Relaxed Performance. Book at progresstheatre.co.uk →
Sheer Madness, The Mill at Sonning — from Thursday 25 June. The classic comedy whodunit returns to the intimate dinner-theatre on the Thames island at Sonning. Riverside setting, dinner included. Details at millatsonning.com.
Weekend Events
Fri 26 June: Mika at The Mount, Wasing Estate. The summer concert season opens.
Fri 26 June: Hawkwind at The Hexagon, Reading.
Sat 27 June: The Pixies at The Mount, Wasing Estate.
Sat 27 June: Waterfest, Forbury Gardens — see above.
Sat 27 June: Progress Theatre: Playhouse Creatures final performance (matinee, Relaxed Performance).
🏙️ What's New in Reading
Reading Central Library — now open at the Civic Centre. Reading's new Central Library opened Thursday 18 June at Bridge Street, RG1 2LU. Double-sized children's library, almost 100 study/work spots with free wifi, and a new community events space called The Square on the ground floor.
Dr Martens has closed in Reading town centre. The boots and footwear retailer has shut its Reading store.
Caversham Bridge Restaurant under new ownership. The restaurant at the foot of Caversham Bridge has changed hands. No further details on changes confirmed yet.
🚧 Useful Reading Updates
Bus cuts: now four weeks away. Pink 22 (Caversham Heights) and Route 12 (Twyford) cancelled from Monday 20 July. If you use either route and haven't made alternative plans, time to do so. Details at reading-buses.co.uk.
Reading West bus stop temporarily out of use. The Tilehurst Road stop towards town closed Wednesday 24–Friday 26 June due to Network Rail works. Use Maitland Road or Southcote Road stops instead.
Rail: GWR engineering works between Tilehurst and Didcot Parkway start Monday 29 June evening — replacement buses between Tilehurst and Pangbourne for some late services. Check gwr.com before travelling →
World Cup: England vs Ghana, Tuesday 23 June, 9pm BST. England vs Panama, Saturday 27 June, 10pm BST. Both likely to make town and pubs busy in the evenings.
COMING UP THIS WEEK
Tue 23 — England vs Ghana (World Cup, 9pm BST); Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at The Hexagon
Wed–Fri 24–26 — Reading West bus stop (Tilehurst Rd towards town) out of use
Thu 25 — Sheer Madness opens at The Mill at Sonning
Fri 26 — Mika at The Mount, Wasing Estate; Hawkwind at The Hexagon
Sat 27 — Waterfest, Forbury Gardens (11am–5pm, free); The Pixies at The Mount; Playhouse Creatures final matinee; England vs Panama (10pm BST)
Planning Update
Regents Gate, 25–41 Crown Street — 29 flats approved. Prior approval granted for office-to-residential conversion of the Crown Street office building to 29 residential flats (ref PL/26/0539, Katesgrove Ward). Adds to the ongoing pattern of town-centre office conversions.
2–4 Church Street, Caversham — 4 flats approved. Partial demolition of the rear of the restaurant to make way for a 2-storey block of 4 flats behind the existing building (ref PL/19/1530).
Otherwise, last week's list was dominated by householder extensions, loft conversions, and condition discharges.
HIDDEN GEM OF THE WEEK
Blake's Lock Museum, Kenavon Drive, RG1 3DS. A small, free museum housed in a Victorian pumping station right on the Kennet & Avon Canal. Open Saturday and Sunday afternoons. It covers Reading's water and drainage history — the setting alone, in a working industrial building on the canal, is worth it. With Waterfest running along the towpath on Saturday, it makes a natural pairing.
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