Reading’s economy agency has launched a slick new promotional film to sell the town’s conference venues to event organisers, especially those currently booking in London. REDA, the Reading Economy and Destination Agency, unveiled the Meet Reading showcase on 29 May 2026, in partnership with industry publication Conference News. The film spotlights a dozen venues able to handle gatherings of up to 700 delegates, underlining the town’s fast rail links into London and the 2,500 hotel rooms available for overnight stays.
Alex Brannen, REDA’s lead on business and leisure tourism, said the town has a really strong offer for the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions market. He added that for London-based organisers in particular, Reading’s proximity to the capital and great value delegate rates make it a really attractive alternative. The film will be one of the tools used to raise awareness of what the destination’s fantastic venues have to offer.
The dozen sites shown on screen range from the Victorian splendour of Reading Town Hall and the modern Green Park Conference Centre to hotels such as the Hilton Reading, Malmaison Reading and the Novotel Reading Centre. Also featured are De Vere Wokefield Estate, Holiday Inn Reading South, Penta Hotel Reading, The Roseate Reading, the University of Reading’s Venue Reading, a Thames River Cruise option and the Village Hotel Reading. Conference News, which has covered the UK meetings industry since 2003, helped produce the film to show that Reading can deliver serious conference firepower without central London costs.
REDA hopes the investment will translate into more event bookings that fill hotel beds, restaurant tables and shops, boosting the town centre through business tourism. The launch follows the September 2025 ‘Meet Reading 2026’ printed guide and the town’s award of national tourism status earlier last year.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
