Bicester

Bicester (pronounced Bistur) is a market town located in the north-east of the English county of Oxfordshire, some miles north of the university town of Oxford. It has become a popular destination on account of its being the location of Bicester Village, a large factory and designer outlet shopping village (see below, #Buy).

Understand

Bicester has a traceable history of over a thousand years and was recorded in the Domesday Book. Like Banbury further north, it is experiencing growth and prosperity from its proximity to the M40 motorway linking London with Birmingham via Oxford.

The English writer Flora Thompson based her popular Lark Rise to Candleford trilogy on the area north-east of Bicester, encompassing the nearby villages of Juniper Hill, Cottisford, Fringford and Hethe.

Get in

Bicester is only a one-hour car or train journey from the cities of London and Birmingham. Exit Junction 9 of the M40 Motorway.

By car

For fastest access, take the M40 Motorway to Junction 9. Follow the A41 for 2 miles towards Bicester. If you've come for the shopping village, follow the signs to 'Village Retail Park' and 'Bicester Village Outlet Centre' Don't miss the excellent Bicester Avenue home and leisure shopping outlet.

Bicester can be reached from Oxford by following the A34 northwards out of the city (12 miles/18 km).

There is also a park and ride on the A41 from the A34 with regular service via the S5 bus to Bicester Village and Bicester town centre as well as a shuttle service during busy hours to Bicester Village.It is advised at busy times to use the park and ride for Bicester Village, which is advertised as being free.

Parking is available in the town centre, with it being mostly short stay(up to 3 hours).A long stay car park does exist at cattle market, which can be found on Victoria Road.

By train
  • 🌍 Bicester North station, Chiltern Approach, Buckingham Rd, Bicester OX26 6EF. Chiltern Railways runs daily service to Bicester North from London Marylebone (every 30 minutes) and Birmingham Moor Street (every hour). (updated May 2017)
  • 🌍 Bicester Village station, Station Approach, off London Rd, Bicester OX26 6HU. Bicester Village operates a direct shuttle bus to the outlet centre. (updated May 2017)

By coach

Stagecoach runs a regular and reliable bus service from Oxford to Bicester up to every 15 minutes with service number S5. The trip takes about 35 minutes from Oxford city centre and stops near Bicester Village(By the new section known as the mansion, the stop is about a 5-minute walk from Bicester Village) and in Manorsfield Road Bus Station in the town centre. Some buses are extended to the glory farm estate or go via Kingsmere(and does not stop at Bicester Village). Stagecoachs's X5 cross-county coach service from Oxford to Bedford also stops in Bicester. It's slightly faster, normally taking 25 minutes but can only be picked up at Gloucester Green in Oxford and only runs hourly, with half-hourly service at peak times.

Limited service also exists from Aylesbury(Red Rose 17) and Banbury via Brackley(Stagecoach 500).

By bicycle

Bicester is on National Cycle Route 51 running mostly E-W running Colchester to Oxford via Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge.

Get around

The town is small enough to get around on foot. Some local buses run between the suburban estates and villages.There are also taxis available at Market Square and both rail stations. Most buses leave from Manorsfield road in the town centre.

The town is friendly to walking with both rail stations being less than a 10-minute walk from the town centre.It is also only a 10-minute walk from the town centre to Bicester Village shopping centre.

There is also a shuttle bus between Bicester North rail station to Bicester Village shopping centre, avoiding the town centre.

See
  • 🌍 Bicester Heritage, Buckingham Road, Launton (A4421), ☏ +44 1869 327928. Business park for the restoration, storage and enjoyment of vintage and classic cars, motorcycles and aeroplanes. (updated Dec 2016)

Do

Buy
  • 🌍 Bicester Avenue, Oxford Road, OX25 2NY (take the A41 south out of Bicester towards Oxford; Bicester Avenue is off the A41 approximately half a mile outside Bicester). M-Sa 9AM-6PM; Th 9AM-8PM; Su 10:30AM-4:30PM. A 102,000 ft² (9,500 m2) home, garden and leisure shopping centre built around one of the biggest garden centres in the UK. Wyevale, Antler, Cotswold outdoor, Laura Ashley, Moshulu, Pets Corner, Cotton Trader, Craft Central, World Of Water, Lakeland, Marshalls, Hobbycraft, Greeen & Pleasant and Newitts butchers. 
  • 🌍 Bicester Village, 50 Pingle Drive, OX26 6WD (located on the south side of Bicester). Su-F 10AM–6PM, Sa 9:30AM-7PM; Bank Holidays 10AM-7PM; closed Christmas Day. Large outdoor outlet shopping centre. 

Eat
  • 🌍 Denis (Traditional Turkish cuisine), 92 Sheep St, Bicester OX26 6LP (from the town centre go north along Sheep Street; Denis is just beyond the end of the pedestrianised area on the right-hand side), ☏ +44 1869 324632, . Tu-Th 5PM-10PM; F Sa noon-3PM, 5PM-11PM; Su noon-10PM. Mains: £10-15. (updated May 2017)
  • 🌍 Jenny's Restaurant (Cafe), 13 Market Square, Bicester OX26 6AD, ☏ +44 1869 604605. (updated May 2017)
  • 🌍 Pizza Express (Pizza Restaurant), 29 Market Square, Bicester OX26 6AG, ☏ +44 1869 324941. M-Sa 11:30AM-11PM, Su 11:30AM-10:30PM. (updated May 2017)
  • 🌍 Shakil's (Indian restaurant & champagne bar), 94 Sheep St, Bicester OX26 6LP (from the town centre go north along Sheep Street; Shakil's is just beyond the end of the pedestrianised area on the right-hand side), ☏ +44 1869 328808. M-Th noon-2:30PM, 5:30-11:30PM; F Sa noon-2:30PM, 5:30PM-midnight; Su noon-2:30PM, 5:30-11:30PM. Mains: £7-14, excluding sides. (updated May 2017)

Those looking for a night out, the top venues are Yates in Sheep Street and G's Wine Lodge (which has a stripper in the week). There are a variety of pubs both on the estates and in the town centre.

Drink

Sleep

Go next
Routes through Bicester
Birmingham ← Banbury ←  NW  SE  → Thame → London
merges with ←  N  S  → Oxford → Southampton
merges with ←  W  E  → Aylesbury → London
merges with ←  SW  NE  → Brackley → Northampton


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