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
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How to Find Us
The Concert Hall (Located within the Town Hall)
Blagrave Street
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 1QH
WHAT3WORDS location PENNY.BRAVO.DINNER
Reading Arts Box Office Opening Times
Box Office 0118 960 6060* or boxoffice@reading.gov.uk
*Limited phone service available (12-3pm, Mon-Fri), please email if you can.
How to get here
On Foot from Reading Station
At the station, walk down the new concourse to the Heathrow Airbus exit and cross over the road to Blagrave Street, where you will see The Town Hall on the left.
By train
From London to Reading: trains run from London Paddington to Reading at least every 15 minutes throughout the day and late into the night. The journey takes just 25 minutes, if you get a direct train.
From Oxford to Reading: trains run every 15 - 30 minutes and the journey takes 30 minutes.
From Newbury to Reading: trains run every 15 minutes and the journey takes between 20 - 30 minutes
Reading Station GWR
Trainline
By Car
From the M4, leave the motorway at Junction 11 and head onto the A33 into Reading town centre. Follow signs to the train station and turn into Blagrave Street, which is opposite the Reading Airbus terminal at the station's side entrance.
Parking is available at The Oracle, Queen's Road, Garrard Street and Reading Station Car Parks.
