The locality has no formal boundaries; the name is generally used to refer to the area within the borough boundaries to the east of the commercial centre, next to and to the south of the canalised River Kennet, north of Whitley, west of Earley and east of Katesgrove.

[1] The University of Reading's London Road Campus are narrowly within the locality's western boundary, whilst the university's main Whiteknights Campus is on the southern boundary.

The oldest building in the area is Watlington House, whilst the area includes other non-ecclesiastical buildings set among the rarest 0.1% nationally by listing at grade II* or above, such as Royal Berkshire Hospital and Albion Terrace.

Reading Buses operate frequent bus services along the London Road which transforms to Wokingham Road, including to the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

East Reading Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is a proposed elevated bus, cycle and pedestrian route.