Tripadvisor: M&S is top Reading attraction
I can’t help but feel that Reading deserves better on Tripadvisor. The town’s top-rated attraction is listed as Marks and Spencer, ahead of Silchester, Basildon Park and Mapledurham House (attractions that aren’t actually in Reading, but located just outside the town).
The M&S Broad St store has a TripAdvisor Traveler Rating of 4/5 and 3 reviews, including the following (possibly written by someone who works for them):
its an excellent store one of the best retail outlets i have ever shopped in it has just had a £10 million refit, and it certainly looks stunning, fabulous envirionment to shop in extremely friendly and helpful staff, nothing was to much for them, especially a few of them in homeware. nothing i asked was too much. just a totally amazing shopping experience definately reccomend it to everyone in the area.
The UK Wolf Centre, a place I’d not heard of located mid-way between Reading and Newbury, is ranked 6th ahead of genuine town centre attractions St. Mary’s Church, Kennet & Avon Canal and St. Laurence Church.
The Abbey Ruins lie further down the list. One traveller gave the attraction 4/5 and wrote in their review:
Sadly it hasn’t been exactly looked after
Less ruin-like ruins would be nice, I suppose. The same individual wrote scathingly:
There is also a plaque with a song which I think was the oldest song ever written down - though I’m not quite sure why they bothered since the song is pretty naff.
I’m tempted to share my knowledge about Reading on the site, but I guess that it wouldn’t be the right thing to do.
Matt Brady on March 25th 2008 in Culture
Email me: 
Joff responded on 25 Mar 2008 at 1:16 am #
You’ll be thinking of the UK Wolf Conservation Trust, in Beedon.
http://www.ukwolf.org/
gauly responded on 26 Mar 2008 at 10:05 pm #
Hey, I wrote those things about the Reading Abbey ruins (and added most of the other attractions - not the rather obscure UK Wolf Centre, though)!?! I thought 4/5 was a good mark. The first comment was meant to be funny. And you have to admit the song is rather disappointing … or is it just me?
Anyway, the point is I added all that stuff because I was annoyed that M&S is our top attraction. Reading isn’t a big tourist destination but it deserves better than a rather poor department store as top of it’s things to do.
The problem is it is still the top attraction because it has 3 good reviews, so I say adding your comments to the site is absolutely the “right thing to do” and hopefully M&S will drop down the list. There are no rules against reviewing your home town that I know of. Don’t make your review of M&S too insulting though or they won’t accept it (mine has never appeared!)
Matt Brady responded on 27 Mar 2008 at 5:22 am #
Joff: fur enough. Thanks!
Matt Brady responded on 27 Mar 2008 at 5:37 am #
gauly: Thanks for the comment! You’re right, 4/5 is pretty good. About the song, I had no idea how it sounded until I saw The Wicker Man and it was sung during the final, very dramatic scene of the film (out of interest, which is better - the original or the remake? I still can’t decide). It certainly wasn’t disappointing then, though it’s not something I’d stick on my iPod.
You’re right also about M&S rising to the top because of 3 good reviews. I’m still reluctant to add comments (choosing, I guess, to use this blog instead). I will ask some of my foreign (or whatever the PC term is) friends who have visited the town to do so instead
Mr Off Topic responded on 29 Mar 2008 at 4:24 pm #
Wagamamas has a free desert voucher online for the Reading branch. Wahey! Runs out 30th tho.
Matt Brady responded on 30 Mar 2008 at 12:06 am #
Desertification hits Reading! That’s climate change for you.
Joking aside, thanks for this. Will take a look