The Oracle is a monstrosity of a shopping centre which somehow landed in the town of my birth while I was a young teenager. It contains a number of shops, and the shoppers seem to love it, with a capital L. These include shops as diverse as the Disney Store, Mango, H&M, HMV and the Perfume Shop.

There is also the River Kennet which runs through the Oracle, and alongside which many of the restaurants and cafes are located. Here you will find Pizza Hut, Nandos, Old Orleans, and the multiplex Vue cinema. Granted, this is a very nice sun trap in summer, and is very good for kids when the "beach" is set up by the river. This is basically a free giant sandpit with buckets and spades, but the kids seem to love it.

The Oracle is in the town centre, and can be accessed in a number of ways including from Broad Street, which is the main shopping street in town. There is quite a lot of parking in the Oracle, and also in Kings Street multi storey car park, just down the road. This isn't too cheap, but there is a flat fee of £2 after 6pm, which is really handy if you're popping out to the cinema.

All in all, I feel that the Oracle has very little in the way of soul, and it seems to appeal most to the younger generation. It is handy for some bits of shopping, but I still prefer the hustle of Broad Street, especially in the festive season. The Riverside is a nice place to sit and have lunch, so long as you aren't knocked over by a kid on a skateboard!