Many people across the UK are busy answering the questions “Why Should your town be a City”? On the eve of the deadline for submissions, we have been asking ourselves the same question and trying to put it down on paper.
There are so many great things about the town of Reading that to try and priorities them or narrow them down to just 10 could almost do it an injustice…but we shall have a go anyway.
With the City Status Guidelines Published by the Government firmly in mind…here we go…
- Close links to Royalty, with Kate Middleton, now married to Prince William being born and lived in Reading.
- One of the lowest unemployment rates in the whole of Europe and a high concentration of skilled worked.
- Largest urban area of the Thames Valley with a catchment area of over 1.7 Million people.
- Commercial Centre of the Thames Valley and recently voted in the Top 5 of the “Centre for Cities” in City Outlook and marked as a “City to watch”.
- World Class Education Facilities with Reading University, which is a research intense University.
- Location chosen by top International Brands such as Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, and Logica CMG due to great transport links and a “Hub of Transport” in the South of England.
- Diverse Community and rich heritage and culture with Children in local schools speaking over 120 different languages.
- Home to top sporting teams such as Reading Football Club (The Royals), London Irish, Reading Hockey Club, Reading Rockets (Basketball) and also host to one of the biggest Music Festivals in the UK, The Reading Festival.
- Investing heavily in the future and infrastructure with the £860 Million revamp of Reading Train Station, The construction of “Reading Gateway”, and many large Brownfield urban regeneration projects not forgetting the Oracle and Reading as the choice shopping destination in the region.
- Reading is the “Capital” of the Royal County of Berkshire, in which there is not 1 City at this time!
So there you have it, just a few reasons why The City of Reading feel that Reading is worthy of City Status in the 2012 Competition.
As we have stated, this “Competition” should not be seen as an opportunity to compare one town with another, but to celebrate the town in which you live, work or were born in, and take pride in your town.
To Help Reading, register as a writer (by clicking here) and share your positive memories, stories and events to show our town off to the world
Well here we are on the eve of the the submission day. Let’s hope Reading’s bid is strong and portrays our town in the best possible way, highlighting our points of outstsanding historical interest such as Forbury Gardens to the cutting edge regeneration of the Reading train station. So come on People of Reading let’s feels positive that the people making the decisions fully understand what a great ‘city’ in waiting Reading and its people are.