iver Thames in Oxfordshire in 1911.
Compared to many other English towns and cities, Reading suffered little
physical damage during either of the two World Wars that afflicted the 20th
century, although many citizens were killed or injured in the conflicts. One
significant air raid occurred on 10 February 1943, when a single Luftwaffe
plane machine-gunned and bombed the town centre, resulting in 41 deaths and
over 100 injuries. The Lower Earley development, built in 1977, was one of the
largest private housing developments in Europe. It extended the urban area of
Reading as far as the M4 motorway, which acts as the southern boundary of the
town. Further housing developments have increased the number of modern houses
and hypermarkets in the outskirts of Reading. A major town-centre shopping
centre, The Oracle, opened in 1999, is named after the 17th century Oracle
workhouse, which once occupied a small part of the site. It provides three
storeys of shopping space and boosted the local economy by providing 4,000
jobs.
As one of the largest urban areas in the
United Kingdom to be without city status, Reading has bid for city status on
three recent occasions — in 2000 to celebrate the new millennium; in 2002
to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II; and 2012 to celebrate
the Diamond Jubilee. All three bids were unsuccessful
