The main markets in Reading Market Place in the early 19th century were held on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the latter being chiefly for corn. A toll of one pint out of each sack of corn sold was levied by the corporation. It was a busy market where the average quantity of wheat sold weekly was 100 loads. At Michaelmas (end of September) the number of farmers’ wagons to a single market often exceeded 200. On the west side is the Corn Exchange entrance, which opened on 23 June 1856 and was a major addition to the trading activities of the corporation. John Berry Clacy in conjunction with F. Hawkes drew up the designs and the entrance is in the form of a Renaissance clock tower, which later became a Victorian Arcade.
In 1837 Suttons moved shop to 7/8 Market Place on the east side where they remained doing business until 1973.