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.
March 25th, 2008 at 1:16 am
You’ll be thinking of the UK Wolf Conservation Trust, in Beedon.
http://www.ukwolf.org/
March 26th, 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!)
March 27th, 2008 at 5:22 am
Joff: fur enough. Thanks!
March 27th, 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
March 29th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Wagamamas has a free desert voucher online for the Reading branch. Wahey! Runs out 30th tho.
March 30th, 2008 at 12:06 am
Desertification hits Reading! That’s climate change for you.
Joking aside, thanks for this. Will take a look