The massive UK town which really should be a city but somehow isn’t
One UK town is larger than several cities offered a Royal Charter, but has not become incorporated despite decades of dedicated bids.
One huge UK town has long failed to be recognised as a city despite having a population and area several times larger than some of the country's most famous metropolitan communities.
Reading is less than half an hour outside London and, like the capital city, is an ancient settlement on the British Isles.
The town was a Danish encampment as early as 871AD, and has grown in the following millennia to occupy a 40.4 square kilometre area with 174,200 permanent residents.
Reading is, in some cases, up to four times larger than cities that have held city status for centuries.
Yet the town has missed every opportunity it has received to officially become a city.
Reading is a built up and multi-faceted community well-known for having several specialties.
These are set out in its "three B's", which include "biscuits, bulbs, and beers", thanks to Huntley Palmer Buscuits, Sutton Seeds and Broad Street's famous Simonds Brewery.
The town also specialises in printing, iron foundries, engineering works, and computing, making it a top competitor for business.
Reading would need a Royal Charter to become a city, something only a monarch can provide in a Letters Patent granted during significant events like a Jubilee or Coronation.
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The town has long competed for a charter of its own, and entered bids to receive one in 2000 and 2002 and 2012.
Reading was a favourite in 2012, but lost out to communities like Chelmsford in Essex and Perth, Scotland.
City leaders tried again in June 2022 for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee but again failed to receive the honour.
The decision left several local MP's disappointed, with the town having become a flagship stop on the Elizabeth Line earlier that year.
Alok Sharma, the Conservative MP for Reading West, and Matt Rodda, the Labour MP for Reading East, both voiced their regret but said they were proud of the town's rich history and modern achievements.
Mr Rodda said: "We have a rich history, a diverse culture and a bright future. I am incredibly proud of the place that is my home, the people who live here and I know we have so much to look forward to. I also want to take a moment to thank everyone who worked on Reading’s bid.”
