shopping
Reading is a major regional shopping centre, with most of its shops clustered in a fairly compact downtown area. Shops are split between those on outdoor pedestrianised shopping streets, of which the principal is Broad Street, and those in indoor shopping malls such as the Oracle Centre (http://www.oracle-shoppin...) and the Broad Street Mall.
There are three major department stores, John Lewis (http://www.johnlewis.com/...) on Broad Street often still known locally by its old name of Heelas, Debenhams (http://www.debenhams.com/...) and House of Fraser (http://www.houseoffraser....) both in the Oracle Centre.
One store that should definitely be visited is Waterstones in Broad Street, if only to see the way this old United Reformed Church has been reused as a good bookstore. This store stocks a good selection of local maps and guides.
Jackson's Corner is an old-fashioned department store with the original wooden shelves and an Are You Being Served vibe - there is only one card payment machine in the whole store. It is an excellent place to shop for knitting wool or handicrafts as it carries several lines that John Lewis does not.
Eclectic Games on Butter Market is a specialised hobby board-gaming store that does regular game nights. It stocks a wide range of Magic and role-playing materials as well as eurogames.
In general stores open M-Sa 9:30AM-5:30PM and Su 11AM-4PM although many stay open longer on some days and some do not open on a Sunday. The stores in the Oracle Centre are open M-F 9.30AM-8PM; Sa 9AM-7PM; Su 11AM-5PM. The John Lewis department store has now discontinued Heelas's reputation for benign eccentricity and is now open on Mondays and Sundays.
If it's pampering you're after Reading has a great town centre option. Ayurveda Retreat on Friar Street is a medispa offering health and wellbeing consultations as well as theraputic massage treatments, facials, manicures and pedicures.
money
Nearly all major British banks and building societies have branches situated in Reading, and most of them are based around the eastern end of Broad Street or around the adjacent Market Place which is also where most of the major financial institutions that make the town their home are based. These branches normally open M-F 9AM-4PM and Sa 9AM-noon.
Most bank and building society branches have 'through the wall' type ATM's that are open 24x7. There are also clusters of stand alone ATM's in the Oracle Shopping Centre see above and the Rail Station.