Reading may seem far, far away from the world of Luke Skywalker, but filming has commenced on the Star Wars TV spin-off The Acolyte at Shinfield Studios, on the southern fringes of the Berkshire town. The first production at this rival to Pinewood and Shepperton studios, it features a galaxy of rising talent.
The innovative force is certainly strong in Reading, a tech powerhouse at the heart of the so-called Silicon Corridor. Microsoft and Oracle are among the global giants with a base in Thames Valley Park. The £750 million Station Hill development is bringing 1,300 homes to the heart of the town, and direct Elizabeth line services to the West End and Canary Wharf have burnished Reading’s already formidable credentials as a regional rail
