Which parts of Reading did Hammerson build?

The Oracle shopping and leisure complex, which gets its name from one of the earliest workhouses in the country.

It was built in 1628 and pulled down in 1850.

Part of the site was formerly owned by Simmonds Brewery (now Scottish Courage) and had been lying disused for some time.

Another area was used as the bus depot.

When did the redevelopment take place?

The Oracle opened in September 1999 and won the British Council of Shopping Centres' best new centre award in 2000 and the International Council of Shopping Centres best new large centre in Europe award in 2001.

How long did the building project take?

Building of the Oracle began in 1996 but planning for such a large development took place some time before.

Why did the council choose Hammerson for the project?

The council had spoken to a number of developers but it chose Hammerson because it came up with plans to open up the riverside through the centre of the development.

Before that it was not open up to the public.

How much did the projects cost?

The Oracle shopping and leisure complex was a £250million project.

In what ways has Hammerson changed Reading both good and bad?

The Oracle has brought a host of new retail names to Reading as well as a new 10-screen cinema, bars and restaurants. Together with investment elsewhere in the centre, it pushed Reading up the national retail rankings from 26th into the top 10.

How did people react to Hammerson's plans before the centre was built?

People were very keen to see the River Kennet opened up to public access.

There had been plans for this site to be developed for some time so there was a lot of excitement once people saw the development starting to grow.

How did people react after it was built?

The overall quality of the development at the Oracle with its opening up of the riverside as a new destination and its effective integration into the existing town centre has been a real boost to Reading.