Bicester Village

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Posted 2012-01-17 by Sandra Lawson ⇒ follow

, close to historic Blenheim House in Oxfordshire, provides an opportunity to shop and save money without having to wait for the sales. The shopping village offers fashion and accessories, home and beauty shopping at prices discounted by up to 60%. The retail units are laid out like a pedestrianised high street, with shops facing one another, and interspersed with restaurants and snack bars.

You can spend your money on a variety of goods ranging from high street brands such as French Connection and Jigsaw through to upmarket labels Paul Smith, Versace and Yves St Laurent. You can complete your outfits with underwear from Agent Provocateur and La Perla, shoes from Tod's, Jimmy Choo and Sergio Rossi and accessories from Mulberry and Radley, and jewellery and watches from Links of London and Tag Heuer. Cosmetics and toiletries are available from Molton Brown and Penhaligon's and spectacles can be purchased from David Clulow.

Once you feel you've spent enough on your wardrobe, you can buy clothes for your children at one of the kids' clothing shops. If you still have money left you can turn your attention to your home. You can't buy furniture at Bicester, but you can purchase soft furnishings from Ralph Lauren, china and glassware from Villeroy and Boch and Waterford Wedgwood, kitchenware from Bodum and Le Creuset and hi fi from Bose.

If you feel the need to refresh yourself after or during this orgy of consumer spending, you can take your pick from a sandwich at Pret a Manger, a coffee at Starbucks, Italian food from Carluccio's or Thai dishes from Busaba Eathai.

If you're visiting by car, it is easily reached from Exit 9 of the M40. Alternatively you can book a seat on the Shopping Express Luxury Coach from various points in London, or you can travel by train from either London Marylebone or Birmingham Moor Street to Bicester North Station, where you will find a waiting shuttle bus. Finally you could visit Bicester from nearby Oxford and catch the S5 Stagecoach from the Randolph Hotel.

is open seven days a week and its numerous labels range from Allsaints to Zegna. Tax free shopping is available for foreign visitors and Wi Fi is supplied if you have time to take a break from shopping and go online. Last, but not least, there are a children's play area, a cashpoint and even a prayer room if you need to absolve yourself from spending too much money.