Hi everyone! It’s been a while since I posted on my blog. In that time, I’ve been on three very different but wonderful trips – to England, Kashmir and Bihar. If you want to stay updated on my trips, don’t forget to follow me on Instagram. Today, I’m here to share my experience of Bicester Village, an outlet shopping centre located about an hour away from London. It is considered the discount shopping haven of England, and if you are keen to visit it, prepare for it in advance so that you can make the most of your trip! So, here are my tips to make the most of your trip to Bicester Village, England.
WHAT IS BICESTER VILLAGE, ENGLAND?
Located in Oxfordshire, near Oxford University, this unique village is a mecca for shopaholics. It is the first village that was opened under the Bicester Collection, which now includes 11 similar outlets across the globe. Bicester Village, England is no ordinary shopping destination. It houses the world’s leading fashion and lifestyle brands and everything sold here is discounted. This doesn’t mean, however, that you’ll get a Gucci bag for Rs 500 (it’s not Sarojini Nagar market!). All the merchandise sold here is 100% original and brand new, though it may be from a previous fashion season. So, the merchandise is still very expensive but it’s cheaper than its original price.
Though the shopping is definitely the highlight of this village, its pretty and pedestrian open-air setting is lovely just for a visit, even if you are not keen to spend too much money. There are restaurants, kiosks and picturesque corners to rest at along with the stores.
One can also get a membership of Bicester Village and avail extra offers. The village is open every day, and offers exclusive services like a multilingual concierge, personal shopping assistance, virtual shopping and more.
THE LOCATION OF BICESTER VILLAGE, ENGLAND:
Bicester Village is located very close to London. You can either drive there or take a direct train from London Marylebone station to Bicester Village Station.
TIPS TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TRIP TO BICESTER VILLAGE, ENGLAND AND GET THE BEST DISCOUNTS:
🛍️ Plan your trip in advance. Trains ply every 30 minutes from Marylebone Station in London starting at 9 am on most days (and 10 am on Sundays). Try to catch the earliest train so you can make the most of your time at Bicester Village.
🛍️There are over 150 outlets in this village! To save time, you should identify the brands you want to merely browse through and distinguish them from those that you want to actually buy products from. This selection will obviously depend on your budget and your personal preferences but I’m highlighting this point because, if you waste all your time browsing through the most expensive brands, you may miss out on some good deals that may be within your budget.
🛍️ I highly recommend that you put aside a fixed amount you are willing to spend beforehand. This little bit of preparedness will help you to avoid #shopaholic guilt!
🛍️ Another little tip is to visit the Bicester Village website before you visit, to see if there are any special deals on at any of the brands. To save time, you could even add the items you are keen to buy, into your shopping cart. On the day of your visit, you can just try on the items you have already selected or simply pick them up from the counter. I didn’t do this though, because half the fun is browsing through the collections!
🛍️ Don’t start shopping the minute you reach Bicester Village! You may regret your early purchases later. It’s best to see all the stores and then decide which pieces you would like to invest in.
🛍️ Something I noticed was that when you start browsing from the most expensive of your preferred brands and work your way down, it helps put things in perspective and stops you from overspending.
🛍️ Whichever store you visit, always ask for the ‘deal of the day’ at the counter. These change frequently and sometimes you can score unbelievable deals.
🛍️ Some of the bigger brands like Gucci and Prada have a waiting list for entry, so put your name down for those as soon as you arrive in the village, and then browse the other stores while you wait for your number to come.
🛍️ Carry a wheelie suitcase along with you to Bicester Village so you can stow your purchases away and don’t have to carry them around (bags and shoes can be quite heavy).
🛍️ Take frequent breaks from shopping – food and champagne are easily available!
🛍️ Don’t be disheartened if you don’t score good deals – there’s always next time!
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Have you been to #bicestervillage ? Tell me about your experience at this lovely brand outlet shopping centre in the comments below!
Here’s a mini vlog of my experience at Bicester Village:
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This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.
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*This is not a sponsored post.
**Copyright in pictures and content belongs to nooranandchawla.com and cannot be republished or repurposed without express permission of the author. As I am a copyright lawyer by profession, infringement of any kind will invite strict legal action.