WE MIGHT have been snubbed for city status, but Reading is still a fairly cultured place.
In fact, the town has just been judged the fourth top cultural hotspot in the country. Others in the top five are Manchester, Oxford and Nottingham.
One of the reasons for the Ding’s top rating is its variety of languages: 10% of every 100,000 residents speaking one or more of the 12 languages analysed.
Reading also boasts the sixth best choice of native amenities per capita (166).
The high score is also owed to good language learning facilities. The town ranks in 12th for its language schools, with 23 on offer, all of which secure an average rating of 4.71.
Notably absent from the top five is London, which still ranks respectably in seventh place, as it boasts the second highest amount of foreign language speakers (16% of every 100,000 residents).
However, the UK capital is lacking where native amenities are concerned, placing in 18th, with only 108 native amenities per 100,000 residents.
Delving into each language, Reading is revealed as top hub for four of them. The city is a top three recommendation for those looking to learn and mingle with French, German, Hindi and Portuguese communities.
The most prominent top foreign language speakers in Reading are those speaking Italian, Mandarin and Hindi, respectively making up for 4.4%, 1.4% and 1.2% of the population (per capita).
The research was conducted by global language learning marketplace Preply, which connects 140,000 tutors with tens of thousands of students from all over the world.
The company says that being in a multicultural environment can be a great way to enrich language learning and cultural education, with the bonus of becoming part of a new community.
A spokesperson said: “Preply’s research proves that you don’t just have to stick to London alone to be among the UK’s top cultural hotspots.
“Whether you’re seeking a community and environment that feels more familiar or exploring a culture or language that is new to you, this study can help towards putting those new language skills to good use.”
The survey can be seen at: https://preply.com/en/blog/uk-cultural-hotspots/
