Shops for Sale in Reading
6 properties found within 15 miles
About Shops in Reading
Reading is the main shopping town for the Thames Valley, with a compact centre built around two schemes. The Oracle, opened in 1999 on the River Kennet, has 108 stores on three floors with around 76,000 sq m of space and the Riverside restaurants and cinema, and reports occupancy above 97%. Broad Street is the pedestrianised prime pitch, with John Lewis, Primark, Santander and Clarks among the trading names, and Broad Street Mall, opened in 1971 with 77 stores, has TK Maxx and the Reading Biscuit Factory cinema as anchors. Friar Street, Market Place and the streets towards the station carry the secondary and independent trade, and the suburban centres at Caversham, Tilehurst, Woodley and Earley support local food, drink and service businesses. Retail warehousing runs along the A33 south of the centre, at Reading Gate Retail Park and Brunel Retail Park.
Business character
Technology sets the tone. The business parks around the M4 hold campuses for Microsoft, Oracle and Hewlett-Packard at Thames Valley Park, Huawei, Cisco and CrowdStrike at Green Park, Nokia and Willis Towers Watson at Arlington Business Park in Theale, and over 60 companies employing more than 5,500 people at Winnersh Triangle. Professional services have moved into the town centre behind them: PwC and PepsiCo took the first floors at One Station Hill alongside the flexible operator NewFlex, and EY, Bayer and SSE are all major local employers. Utilities and insurance are the other large occupiers, with Thames Water's head office at Clearwater Court in the town centre. The public sector is substantial too: the Royal Berkshire Hospital employs around 7,500 people, the University of Reading around 3,900, and Reading Borough Council is one of the larger office employers. Retail draws shoppers from across the Thames Valley through The Oracle's 108 stores and Broad Street, while distribution and trade businesses cluster at Suttons Business Park, where Brakes, Royal Mail and Hitachi are among the occupiers, and around Theale at Junction 12.
Transport & connectivity
- Motorway: M4 (Junction M4 J11, 2 miles)
- Nearest rail: Reading (22 min to London)
- Airport: London Heathrow (27 miles)
- Key A-roads: A4 (Bath Road), A33, A329, A329(M), A3290, A327, A4074
Market context
Reading is a market with a wide spread between the top and the rest. The prime headline rent is £56 per sq ft, set at One Station Hill in 2025 and holding firm into 2026, and new builds and major refurbishments are achieving strong terms as competition for prime space grows. Refurbished town centre floors and the business parks let for considerably less, and small serviced rooms are usually priced by the room per month. Industrial space is tightly supplied. Vail Williams reported rents of around £13.50 per sq ft on refurbished space and £14.50 under offer at Suttons Business Park in late 2024, and Haslams expects prime space to pass £20 as better stock arrives, and current asking rents on listing sites run from about £9 per sq ft for smaller units up to £14 in Woodley and £18.50 for new space at Theale Lakes. Retail is concentrated in the town centre, where The Oracle reports occupancy above 97%. Freehold interest is unusually strong for a town of this size, with offices, shops and investment properties coming up for sale as well as to let.
Looking to rent? View shops to let in Reading →
Commercial Property in Reading
Where are the main retail locations in Reading?
What is the typical shop rent in Reading?
Can a retail unit in Reading be used for a cafe or other business?
How many commercial properties are available for sale in Reading?
What types of commercial property are available in Reading?
What is the price range for commercial property for sale in Reading?
How do I contact a landlord about a commercial property in Reading?
How do I list a commercial property for sale in Reading on Boxpod?
Got more questions?
