When we inquired about the glory days on the Old Reading Facebook page, users were overcome with nostalgia.
Everyone loves a trip down memory lane.
And when getreading asked users of the Old Reading Facebook group for their memories of “Old Reading” an epic nostalgia-fest developed.
As of right now, 399 people have commented on the thread, which features nostalgic memories of Reading from the group’s bygone era.
We’ve already discussed the requirements for being a true Readingite, or the rites of passage.
Now we look at what the town’s older generation fondly remember from the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s.
Long-lost pubs, shops and businesses all feature heavily.
Not in any specific order:
1. The pub at Target
The Butts Shopping Centre housed the pub.
The boozer played a significant role in Reading’s live music scene and was extremely well-liked there.
It’s obvious that Reading residents had a great time partying all night long.
The actual building is still standing, although being boarded up.
Here is another view of the ancient town that we had.
2. The Butts
It seems “Old Reading” people only refer to the Broad Street Mall by its “proper” name – The Butts.
The thread on Facebook is choc-full of memories of shops in the centre, before it smelt of popcorn and was populated by people trying to sell you Sky TV.
Everyone remembers the Food Circle.
Apparently it also had a waterfall in it at one point and a shop called Trents, which brought a wave of nostalgia over Linda (below).
Linda Grover: “Ooh yes I forgot Trents. There was a great little independent card shop out of side door of M&S too in the arcade.”
Beverley Endean: “wow! I’d totally forgotton the waterfall in the Butts!. as kids we went to see it before going to see father christmas in his grotto at the coop (now primark) upstairs past the furniture! Happy days.”
3. Existence prior to IDR
One of Reading’s most infamous characteristics, the IDR, didn’t exist at one point.
Diane Abery turned to gaze back (recalling a huge fish).
Diane Abery: “I lived on Lower Brook Street near to the IDR when it was being built. It was being destroyed to make room for it, and yes, for years, nothing happened.
“And the biggest fish I ever saw in that part of the Kennet was a 27lb female pike.”
4. When the pavements melted.
Roy remembers what is always referred to as the “long, hot, summer of 1976”
Roy Bloomfield: “Squidgy pavements in the town centre in the summer of 1976, when the Tarmac melted!”
Leave a Reply