The centre contains 90 shops, including
department stores from
Next plc () and
House of Fraser () chains. A third and larger department store,
John Lewis & Partners (formerly
Heelas) is adjacent to the Minster Street entrance but not part of the centre itself. There are also 22 restaurants, cafés and bars along the riverside of the
Kennet, and an 11-screen
Vue cinema. The Oracle increases Reading's retail footage by one third, and it has attracted some retailers who would otherwise not have located in Reading. The Oracle Riverside area, with its restaurants and bars, spans
Brewery Gut, a particularly narrow stretch of the River Kennet. The layout allows space for outdoor tables, and there is granite stadium-style seating. Two bridges have been installed spanning the Kennet—Cooks Bridge, a straight footbridge which links The Riverside Car Park to
House of Fraser, and Delphi Bridge, an ellipse bridge providing access from the Vue cinema to
Debenhams. The
Free Form Arts Trust were appointed as the arts agency, with responsibility for the appointment and contractual arrangements with artists. Specially commissioned artworks include the Crystal Beacon, a reflective translucent prism by Welsh artist
John Gingell that tops off the multistorey car park. The overall centre design concept was created by
Haskoll & Co., London. They were called in to design a "retail for leisure" concept, linking the site to a heritage trail around the town. The Oracle also provides two large car parks providing 2,300 spaces. ==Awards==