Family Weekend in Reading
The trip around Mum's 80th 🎉
Fri 10 – Sun 12 July 2026
Portsmouth for Mum's 80th on the Saturday, wrapped in a family weekend — Friday down to the grandparents', Saturday night in Reading, an easy Sunday home. Forecast: hot — Sat ~30.5°C ☀️, Sun ~28.8°C ⛅.
Michael's home ~3:45, so wheels roll ~3:50pm. The two journeys converge at Reading ~5:55pm, then down together — Paul joins the 7pm call ~15 min late (all fine). The M25's the variable.
| ~3:45pm | Michael home from school |
| ~3:50pm | Leave Bishop's Stortford (CM23 3QU) |
| ↓ | M25 / M4 — ~2h06 in Friday traffic |
| ~5:55pm | Reading — collect Wendy 🤝 |
| ~6:10pm | Leave Reading |
| ↓ | ~1h03 to Ludgershall |
| ~7:15pm | Arrive Mum & Dad's, Ludgershall |
| 7:00pm | 📞 Call — join ~15 min late (or dial in from the car) |
| ~5:00pm | Leave work (Abingdon / Oxford) |
| ↓ | To Didcot Parkway (~20 min) |
| ~5:30pm | Train Didcot → Reading (~15 min, frequent) |
| ~5:50pm | Arrive Reading 🤝 |
| ~5:55pm | Meet Paul → ride down together |
Straight into central Reading isn't needed — dinner's by the hotel, the escape room's a short hop. Play it in this order:
| ~6:00pm | Arrive Reading, check into Parkside International Hotel (72 Bath Rd, RG30 2BE) — 2 rooms |
| ~6:15–7:30 | Rest & a light bite at/near the hotel — your ~2hr window before the game (grill's 2 min away; keep food light after the picnic) |
| ~7:45pm | Uber to Friar Street (~9 min; walking's 34 min so cab it) |
| 8:00pm | 🔐 Escape room — Mary's Curse (90 min) ✅ Booked & paid |
| ~9:40pm | Back to hotel |
| 10:00pm | ⚽ Football in the bigger room (Norway) — all together |
✅ Booked & paid Sat 8pm 3 players 90 min
Escape Reading, 106A Friar Street, RG1 1EP. Playing: Paul, Michael & daughter (wife relaxing back at the hotel). Newest room, family-friendly (3/5), the one James raved about. Owner Tamas charged it at the 2-player minimum (fair, to cover his staff) — paid Thu afternoon. 🙏
Alternatives if needed: Age of Magic / Ram Raid (Audley St, RG30 1BS — 5 min from the hotel). No train to Ringwood note aside — all central Reading.
Saturday — light & near the hotel. Beefeater or Harvester (grill + salad suits Paul's keto and Michael's pescatarian). Sunday — Osaka lunch at The Oracle.
The Southcote Beefeater (Southcote Ln) or Harvester — Mansion House (Prospect Park, ~2 min). Both: grill + salad bar = light, flexible, keto-able.
💷 Offer watch Best discounts are app/email only. Beefeater (you're signed up): 40%-off-mains reissues ~weekly — watch for one valid Sat 11th. Harvester: grab the app / Flavour Fan Club for a personal code (usually 25% off £30+, sometimes 40–50% off mains). "Kids Eat Free" won't apply — Michael's 17, Wendy older (only if your daughter counts as a child, usually under 12).
Open Sunday 11am–9pm — lunch is fine, no booking needed (arrive ~12 for an easy table). Reading's top-rated Japanese, and it suits the whole table:
Sashimi, grilled fish, edamame, miso, tofu — skip rice & tempura.
Sushi & sashimi, veg + fish dishes, no meat.
Katsu (pork), grilled fish, ramen.
Small plates — gyoza, edamame, a few nigiri.
Guide price ~£25–35pp (sashimi-heavy climbs). Browse the menu:
Osaka menu → Menu & prices (Deliveroo) →IMDb 7.8 RT 93% Metacritic 78 Cert 15 ~2h Dark marriage comedy (Wilde, Rogen, Cruz, Norton) — same building as Osaka, zero travel. Rated 15 (all fine). Ends ~4:15 → home ~6:30 — the only catch is it nudges the getaway later. Confirm the 2:15 on the Vue Reading app.
Shape: check out ~9:45 → MERL ~10 → Osaka lunch ~12 → either head off after lunch or catch The Invite at 2:15 (home ~6:30 if you do).
72 Bath Road, Reading RG30 2BE. 2 rooms — one double, one double + single (sleeps 5). West Reading, near Prospect Park. Football on Saturday: in the bigger room.
After the 7pm call (see the Friday travel breakdown above): dinner at Mum & Dad's in Ludgershall, then Paul nips out to meet a mate for a drink.