Town Hall
Reading Town Hall enjoys a long and illustrious history. It consists of four buildings built in the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1786 the oldest building - the Victoria Hall - opened as a purpose built town hall designed by Charles Poulton.
A new council chamber and a clock tower designed by Alfred Waterhouse opened in 1876 followed by the Museum, Library and a Concert Hall, designed by the architect Thomas Lanson.Art Gallery and Library Reading room were added and then in 1975 new civic offices were built to serve Reading Borough and the Town Hall ceased its administration function.
Reading Town Hall survived the threat of demolition in the 1970s and was comprehensively refurbished in the late 1980s. It has undergone further changes to meet modern requirements and now hosts a leading conference and banqueting venue, The Concert Hall, Reading Museum and the Berkshire Coroner's Office.
The Concert Hall
Centrally located within The Town Hall complex, The Concert Hall is one of the finest of its type in Britain.
Originally built in 1882 and refurbished in 2000, it also houses the restored Father Willis Organ, boasting superb acoustics.
The Concert Hall hosts a varied programme of classical music, organ recitals, blues, jazz, folk, acoustic pop & rock, stand-up comedy, and lectures to suite all tastes.
View the Reading Arts Autumn 2024 What's On Brochure HERE
Explore
Your Visit
Centrally located within The Town Hall complex (which includes Reading Museum), the Concert Hall is one of the finest of its type in Britain. Originally built in 1882 it was restored in 2000 and features traditional horseshoe seating with a surround balcony and thrust stage, which stimulates a feeling of participation and closeness between audience and performer. The Concert Hall also houses the restored Father Willis Organ, which boasts superb acoustics the rear of the stage.
The Concert Hall combines architectural elegance with near perfect acoustics to make it one of the South’s cultural gems. Its stage is as welcoming to keynote speakers as to some of the world’s leading musicians and comedians. Each year we host some of the greatest artists of the Classical world and recitals showcasing the famous Father Willis Organ.
The Father Willis organ is the centre-piece of the Town Hall’s beautifully restored Concert Hall. It was originally built for the Small Town Hall, now known as the Victoria Hall. It is significant as the most unaltered example of a Father Willis concert organ to survive in this country. The acoustics of the Concert Hall are regarded as the perfect complement to the organ.
You can find more information about visiting Reading Town Hall at www.readingtownhall.co.uk
'To me, Reading Concert Hall is one of the finest in the country. An acoustical jewel, it deserves to be properly discovered and recognised' Alfred Brendel
Box Office
Reading Arts Box Office Opening Times
Box Office 0118 960 6060* or boxoffice@reading.gov.uk
*Phone service available Mon-Fri 10am-4pm (availability may vary when shows are on), please email if you can.
The Box Office is currently very busy and there may be a delay in replying to your email. Please check the individual event page for the latest event and ticketing information as well as our COVID FAQ's
Tickets : e-tickets
We recommend selecting e-tickets when booking with Reading Arts Box office. You can check and download your e-tickets by logging on to your Reading Arts Account online. https://whatsonreading.com/my-account
If you are attending a show that has previously been rescheduled, please download updated e-tickets to ensure they include the correct date, information and scannable QR code.
To help prevent resales and to ensure the tickets include the latest event and covid information, your e-tickets will be emailed to you at least 7 days before the event. There is no need to contact us, e-tickets will be automatically emailed to the account holder and will be available to download from your account.
If you have not received your e-tickets within 7 days of the event and they are not available to download from your account please contact the Box Office.
E-tickets have a unique QR code and will be scanned on entry. When sharing tickets with members of your party please ensure you do not duplicate tickets as previously scanned QR codes may be refused entry.
Tickets : Postage & Collections
Tickets marked for collection are usually available to collect from the Box Office 1 hour before the advertised show time.
Tickets marked as postage will be posted to arrive at least 7 days before the event. if you have not received tickets within 7 days of the event please check the event page for the latest information on collections.
Please note that postage and collection is not currently available for all events and we recommend selecting e-tickets when booking.
Bookings for events that have been rescheduled remain valid however it may be necessary to re-issue or exchange the original paper ticket if it does not include a scannable bar code. Please see the individual event page for the latest information on ticketing and collections for rescheduled shows.
Tickets : Agent Tickets
If you have purchased tickets with an official ticket agent, the agent will specify delivery method and ticket details at the time of purchase.
Please note that Reading Arts are unable to offer refunds, exchanges or answer any queries relating to orders purchased through a ticket agent, please contact the ticket agent if you have any queries about your booking.
For some shows it may be necessary to exchange your agent ticket on arrival, please check the individual event page for the latest information before travelling to the venue.
Access
We are committed to making The Concert Hall welcome to everyone. We will always endeavour to support all our patrons to access and enjoy our events. Below are some links to give you more information to about the accessibility of our venue and our Access List.
More information on the accessibility of our venue can be found here
More information on our Access List can be found here
Please note, Wheelchair seats can only be booked through the Box Office - 0118 960 6060. Box Office are also available to help recommend seating for specific needs and requirements.
