The Anonymous Widower

Reading’s Style Before Substance Maps

On my trip today, I’d planned to have lunch in Carluccio’s, so before I left, I looked up the address and the walking route from Reading station.

So after taking the photos of the station, I walked into the town centre and traced the way my mind told me to go. I had hoped to get help from a map, but all I had were ones like this.

Reading’s Style Before Substance Maps

Stylish they may be, but they aren’t the best, if you want to find a street, you’ve looked up previously, as there isn’t enough detail and no street index.

Luckily in the end, I found a local who knew where Carluccio’s was and I walked there and had an excellent lunch.

Londoners like me, are very used to good maps, as I can always remember them from my childhood, when every Tube station had a local map. Now every bus stop does, like this one at the Angel.

Local Street Map At The Angel

At the Angel too, there are also informational maps of the area, with all of the major buildings and landmarks indicated.

informational Map At The Angel

Reading’s maps may be stylish, but they are useless if you’re not a local and don’t use a smart phone.

But say you want to find Carluccio’s at Islington, you would just say

The restaurant is by St. Mary’s Church, opposite the Almeida Theatre.

Both places are mentioned on Islington’s informational map.

Perhaps the maps in Reading, were designed, by trendy smart phone freaks, who don’t realise how a lot of people think and operate.

The problem was made worse at Reading, because there was no local information or map at the station.  This was probably due to the rebuilding. I didn’t even notice the finger posts, I saw the last time I was in the town.  Have they been replaced by the maps?

April 3, 2013 - Posted by AnonW | Food, Transport/Travel | Map, Walking