Reading's Historic Pubs: Where to Bring a Group and Sleep Nearby

From 16th-century inns to Victorian back-street boozers, here's where to take a crowd in Reading — and which hotel to book within walking distance.

Oldest inns in the town centre

The George Hotel on King Street has been pulling pints since 1531, and its courtyard off the pedestrianised shopping strip still suits a group that wants one central base. It's a two-minute walk from Reading station's north exit and five from the Oracle. Book the snug at the back for six to ten people; the main bar gets loud after 6pm on Fridays. Expect £5–6 for a cask pint. For sleeping, the Premier Inn on Friar Street is 200 metres away and reliably has family rooms that take four.

The Rising Sun on Forbury Road, opposite the crown court, is a 17th-century coaching inn with a walled garden that holds twenty standing. It's quieter than the George and better for a daytime meet. For accommodation, the Novotel on Friar Street has triple rooms and a small pool — handy if you're travelling with children. Avoid the pubs immediately around the Oracle on weekend evenings; they're chain-heavy and packed.

Back-street boozers worth the detour

The Alehouse on Broad Street is a one-room free house with eight hand pumps and a no-music policy — ideal for a group that wants to talk. It's 400 metres from the station and a five-minute walk from the Ibis on Friar Street, which is the cheapest chain bed in the centre. Capacity is about thirty, but it fills by 7pm on Saturdays. The landlord will reserve the long table by the window if you call ahead. Expect £4.50–5.50 a pint.

The Retreat on St John's Street is a Victorian back-street pub with a conservatory that seats twelve and a garden used by the Reading Beer Festival crowd. It's ten minutes on foot from the Travelodge on Oxford Road — basic but clean, and the car park is free for guests. The pub doesn't serve food, so plan around the nearby Jackson's Corner. Skip the chains on Gun Street if you want character; the Retreat and the Alehouse are the two I'd book for a group.

Where to sleep within walking distance

For a group that wants one bill, the Malmaison on Station Road takes bookings for its meeting room and has doubles from around £89 midweek. It's a three-minute walk from the station and eight from the George. The hotel bar is expensive; drink at the Alehouse instead. If you need parking, the Pentahotel on Oxford Road charges £10 a night and is a fifteen-minute walk from the Retreat. Families should look at the Novotel's family rooms, which sleep four.

Book two to three months ahead for a Saturday in May, June or September — those are the busiest months because of the Reading Festival and the beer festival. Midweek rates drop by roughly a third. The Ibis on Friar Street is the best value for a group that just needs beds; the Malmaison is the one I'd choose if the hotel itself is part of the trip. None of these are more than a fifteen-minute walk from the pubs above.

What to skip and when to go

Skip the pubs on Friar Street between 5pm and 7pm on weekdays — they're full of office workers and the queues are long. Also avoid the Oracle's riverside bars on a sunny Saturday; they're fine but generic, and you'll pay £6.50 for a lager. Better to walk ten minutes to the Retreat or the Alehouse. The George is worth one drink for the building, but don't plan a whole evening there — it's a hotel bar first.

Best months are May, June and September: the gardens are open and the town isn't as crowded as during the festival in late August. Tuesday to Thursday is quieter and hotel rates are lower. If you're coming by train, all the pubs above are within a fifteen-minute walk of Reading station. For a group of six or more, call the pub a week ahead — the Alehouse and the Retreat will both reserve space, and the George has a snug that takes ten.

Questions, answered

Which Reading pub is best for a large group?

The Alehouse on Broad Street takes about thirty standing and has a long table you can reserve. The Retreat's conservatory seats twelve. Both are a ten-minute walk from Reading station and close to chain hotels on Friar Street.

Where should we stay near the historic pubs?

The Ibis and Premier Inn on Friar Street are within five minutes of the George and the Alehouse. For more character, the Malmaison on Station Road is a three-minute walk from the station and eight from the George; midweek doubles start around £89.

When is the best time to visit Reading for a pub trip?

May, June and September are best: gardens are open and the town is quieter than during the late-August festival. Tuesday to Thursday gives lower hotel rates and less crowded bars. Book two to three months ahead for a Saturday.

← Reading's page