Departures
MEETING IN...
Reading
The city of Reading is the hub of the Thames Valley area, a key driver of the national economy and a destination which has a significant historical involvement in the IT industry.
“Take a tour of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, one of the largest in the world. It's one of the most worthwhile cultural experiences in Abu Dhabi and visitors will be given the chance to gain a unique insight into the religion and culture of the Emirates. The Sheikh Zayed Mosque is open for guided educational tours commencing at 10am to 11.30am from Sunday to Thursday”
ANGELA BATES TRADE PROMOTIONS SENIOR EXECUTIVE, ABU DHABI TOURISM AUTHORITY
Once derided as a soulless commuter town, Reading is now a highly sought-after location, with close links to London and its international airports, and therefore on the map this summer as an alternative destination to central London during the Olympic Games. Reading is the UK headquarters for Microsoft as well as other household names providing infrastructure services, consulting, e-commerce and computer hardware. The speed with which Reading has grown to embrace its business community gives the city an aura of energy and ambition, with modern spaces constantly being created and regenerated for the needs of businesses.
Wow Factor The Town Hall Reading Address: Blagrave Street, Reading, RG1 1QH Tel: 0118 937 3400 Web:
www.readingarts.com/townhall Located in central Reading, the ornate Victorian architecture of the Town Hall makes for an elegant venue for doing business. There are six separate spaces, the largest of which is the Concert Hall, which includes full cinema projection and staging and can host up to 700 people in a theatre-style configuration. The Waterhouse Chamber contains a private bar, period fireplace and stained glass windows while the Silverthorne Room, Oscar Wilde and Jane Austen Rooms all overlook the Town Hall Square and come with full AV and technical equipment. Galleries at the Museum of Reading, housed within
The Town Hall, are also available for hire and are ideal for receptions. The Hexagon Theatre (catering for up to 1,200) and South Street Arts Centre (up to 150) are available in conjunction with the Town Hall and have conference and banqueting facilities.
Quirky Venue Wokingham Waterside Centre Address: Thames Valley Park Drive, Thames Valley Park, Wokingham, Reading Tel: 0118 926 8280 Web:
www.wokinghamwatersidecentre.com What makes this Thames-side venue quirky is not the design or theme, but its selection of team-building events, which include katakanuing (a double canoe), dragon boating, raft-building and land-based initiative games, all rounded off with a video review session. There is one main function room with views over the River Thames – accommodating up to 60 delegates theatre style – plus a breakout room for up to 12 people.
New Kid on the Block Penta Hotel Reading Address: Oxford Road, Reading, RG1 7RH Tel: 0118 958 6222 Web:
www.pentahotels.com/en/reading Following a £9million renovation, the Penta Hotel Reading claims to be the newest hotel in the town and
78
READ MORE MEETING IN... AT
WWW.THEBUSINESSTRAVELMAG.COM
©BRITAINONVIEW-SIMON WINNALL
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96