Openings & Closings
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Cotswolds Distillery launches The Hidden Still bar and new Cotswolds Wild Spritz this May
Cotswolds Distillery has announced the launch of The Hidden Still, a new seasonal cocktail bar experience opening in Stourton this May, alongside the release of a Cotswolds-exclusive aperitivo, Wild Spritz. The new evening venue will run Friday and Saturday nights through the summer.
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LEGO store with immersive retail experience opened at Westgate Oxford
The LEGO Group has opened a new store in Oxford’s Westgate shopping centre, featuring immersive retail experiences, interactive play areas and exclusive LEGO sets.
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Eye health specialist David Clulow to open new store at Westgate Oxford this spring
Eye health specialist David Clulow is set to open a new store at Westgate Oxford this spring, bringing an enhanced eye care and retail experience featuring advanced testing facilities, designer eyewear and smart lens technology.
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M&S to open new Abingdon food hall creating 75 jobs
Marks & Spencer will open a new food hall in Abingdon on 22 April, creating 75 jobs and offering fresh produce, bakery items and hot food, as part of its wider plan to transform former Homebase sites into modern retail spaces.
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Award-Winning Oxfordshire pub The Swan Inn in Islip up for sale at £545k after closure
The Swan Inn in Islip, an award-winning Oxfordshire gastropub recognised in the Michelin Guide and for its AA rosettes, has closed following the departure of its head chef and is now on the market.
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East Oxford Community Centre to celebrate full reopening with community event
East Oxford Community Centre will host a community event to mark full reopening after a major redevelopment.
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Bros Barbers opens at Signal Yard as ninth retailer
Bros Barbers has opened at Signal Yard, adding another independent business to Milton Park’s growing retail destination.
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Swiss-born Bear St. Bakery to make UK debut at Bicester Village
Swiss bakery Bear St. Bakery will open its first UK site at Bicester Village this March, bringing cult cookies, speciality drinks and signature hot chocolate to Oxfordshire.
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Taylors opens flagship gourmet Deli & Café at Oxford North Innovation District
Taylors has launched its flagship café at Oxford North, offering £1.00 hot drinks to mark the opening. The 80-seater venue at The Red Hall becomes the company’s ninth Oxford location, strengthening the district’s growing retail and community offering.
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FunParx to open 50,000 sq ft indoor adventure park at Banbury’s Castle Quay in 2026
Castle Quay will welcome FunParx, a 50,000 sq ft indoor adventure park, in summer 2026. Featuring inflatables, obstacle courses, slides and arcade games, the park will create 50 jobs and add a major new family-friendly attraction to Banbury’s canalside leisure and retail destination.
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Asian-inspired restaurant itsu to reopen at Bicester Village after month-long refurbishment
Asian-inspired restaurant itsu is reopening at Bicester Village on 05 February following a month-long refurbishment, offering customers a refreshed dining experience and free gyoza for the first 100 visitors.
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Taylors to open flagship gourmet deli and café at Oxford North innovation district
Oxford deli company Taylors is set to open a flagship café at Oxford North in March 2026, bringing gourmet food, coffee and event catering to the innovation district’s Red Hall and expanding its city presence to nine locations.
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Hickory’s Smokehouse to open first Oxfordshire venue in Abingdon
Hickory’s Smokehouse has announced plans to open its first Oxfordshire venue in Abingdon. Replacing The Bystander in summer 2026, the Southern-style BBQ restaurant will bring significant investment and create around 100 new jobs.
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Oliver Bonas relocates to larger store at Westgate Oxford
Oliver Bonas has relocated to a new 2,954 sq ft store at Westgate Oxford, expanding its range of clothing, accessories and homeware just in time for the Christmas shopping season.
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T.H.Baker to open 17th store in Witney marking first Cotswolds location
T.H.Baker is opening its 17th store in Witney in January 2026, bringing fine jewellery, luxury watches and new retail jobs to the Cotswolds for the first time.
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First Look: The Double Red Duke now open at Bicester Village
Country Creatures has brought its signature Cotswold charm to Oxfordshire’s luxury shopping destination with the opening of The Double Red Duke at Bicester Village – offering shoppers and visitors a relaxed, stylish space to eat, drink, and unwind.