Reading services
M4 between J11 and J12
Signposted from the road.
RG30 3UQ
map and directions
Two sites located between junctions, with no public connection between them..
Once one the M4's big retailing services, Reading retains its atriums on either side of the road.
Facilities
Catering: on both sides: Template:Arlo's, Burger King, Chow, Costa Coffee, Greggs, West Cornwall Pasty Co., Costa Express, Krispy Kreme, Costa Drive Thru
plus westbound only: El Mexicana, KFC, M&S Coffee
Shops: M&S Simply Food, WHSmith
Amenities: on both sides: Dog Walking Area, Template:Ecotricity, Full Hou$e, Lucky Coin, Showers
plus westbound only: Children's Play Area
and eastbound only: Template:Moto Meetings
: Travelodge
Forecourt: BP, Shop, Wild Bean Café, Air1 AdBlue
Parking Prices
First two hours free for all vehicles, after which cars must pay £15 and HGVs, caravans and motorhomes £30.50. HGVs can pay £32.50 to include a £10 food voucher.
Prices are paid using PayByPhone - more details. The location code is 2457 (westbound) and 2456 (eastbound).
The fees are strictly enforced by CP Plus.
Contact Details
🏢 Address:
Reading Motorway Service Area
Burghfield
Reading
Berkshire
RG30 3UQ
- 🌍 Official Moto/Reading Westbound Website
- Official Moto/Reading Eastbound Website
- Foursquare Page
- 📞 Telephone number: 0118 956 6966
Trivia and History
The original core of the building was the atrium - it's now all extended outwards.
Following the failure of the planned Warren Copse services, in the late 1970s attention turned to a service area "in the Reading area", which would open in 1980. It eventually opened in 1995, with the chosen site being an old landfill site.
In planning it was referred to as 'Field Farm services'.
In the 1990s there were vague plans to widen the M4. As a result, the services deliberately left a 67 metre gap between the motorway and any construction, to allow space for whatever new road layout would be chosen. The sliproads were positioned so that they could easily be realigned to meet a new motorway. This space is best seen in an aerial photo.
BP Express operate the filling stations here. In summer 2016, along with Stafford (North), BP refurbished the Wild Bean Cafés to its latest fascia, closing the M&S stores in the process.
In Spring 2017, Transport Focus calculated a 100% satisfaction score for the westbound services and 96% for the eastbound services. This made the westbound services one of the country's top two. By 2019, westbound had fallen to 84%, with eastbound on 90%.
Extensions and Branding
The original plans for the services had the westbound amenity building further from the road, with both car parks being west of their respective amenity buildings and the motel to the west of that. In around 2001 a drive-thru Burger King was going to be added to the petrol station, like at Stafford (North) and Leigh Delamere, but the plans were withdrawn.
A series of extensions were applied to the atrium area of the services in the late 1990s, particularly to the eastbound side, which saw the Travelodge become interconnected. A BT Workspace was opened, designed to attract passing business people with contemporary perks of the time such as a phone and internet connection. The westbound side was given an extension to gain M&S, and an additional entrance.
In 2006 there were plans for the Fresh Express to be branded 'Real Food Company'. A change of owners meant that was halted, and EDC was launched instead.
In 2016 the westbound services were refurbished, and now include a refit WHSmith and a modernised M&S Simply Food, as well as a larger Costa Express machine. The former Upper Crust was replaced by an extended Costa and Arlo's, Chow and El Mexicana replaced the westbound EDC, and a refurbished entrance has been provided.
At the start of April 2017, the eastbound side gained Moto’s first Costa Drive Thru. In December 2017, a new Chow opened within a former part of EDC’s servery. EDC is now a lot smaller with a smaller menu.
In May 2019, the Arlo's in the westbound services closed to make way for a new KFC unit which opened on 1 July 2019. The Chow unit now opens as Breakfast @ Arlo's at 6am and begins to serve the Chow menu at lunchtime.
Alternatives
| Previous: | Next: | |
| Heston (32 miles) South Mimms (M25 north, 51 miles) Cobham (M25 south, 45 miles) Toddington (M1 north, 59 miles) | Services on the M4 | Chieveley (12 miles) |
| Heston (32 miles) Toddington (M1 north, 59 miles) | Moto services | Chieveley (12 miles) |
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