Business · Reading
River Island to close at The Oracle shopping centre in Reading
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
The fashion retailer River Island is set to vacate its long-standing unit at The Oracle in Reading this October as the centre continues its ongoing transformation.
Shoppers in Reading will see another change to the retail landscape at The Oracle later this year, as high-street fashion brand River Island is set to close its doors. The store, which has occupied a prominent position within the centre since 2018, is scheduled to cease trading on Friday, 16 October.
The departure marks the latest shift for the shopping destination, which has undergone significant structural and commercial changes over the past few years. Hammerson, the owner of The Oracle, has described the closure as part of a wider strategy to redevelop the site and attract new brands to the centre.
A spokesperson for the company stated: "The Oracle continues to perform strongly and attract significant retailer interest alongside rising customer visits. River Island's closure forms part of our proactive strategy to further enhance the destination, and we have exciting plans for the space which we look forward to announcing in due course."
The centre has seen a marked turnover in its major tenants recently. The departure of long-standing anchors such as Debenhams and House of Fraser—which closed in 2023—left significant gaps that developers have been working to fill. Recent additions to the centre have included Zara, which relocated to a larger unit, as well as the opening of TK Maxx, Hollywood Bowl, and various hospitality venues such as Shake Shack and Cosy Club.
Looking ahead, the former Debenhams site is currently earmarked for a large-scale redevelopment project, with plans approved by Reading Borough Council to convert the space into 218 flats alongside new leisure units and co-working office facilities. For regular visitors to The Oracle, the closure of River Island signifies the next step in this long-term repositioning of the shopping centre, with further updates regarding new tenants expected in the coming months.
Source: Reading Chronicle · View original