Idyllic English village emerges as most popular shopping destination among Indians in UK

An idyllic English village on the outskirts of London has emerged as one of the most popular destinations among Indians living in the UK and tourists, attracted by the prospect of grabbing high-end luxury labels at discount prices.

An idyllic English village on the outskirts of London has emerged as one of the most popular destinations among Indians living in the UK and tourists, attracted by the prospect of grabbing high-end luxury labels at discount prices. Bicester Village in Oxfordshire, home to over 150 of the world's leading shopping brands, was a particular favourite starting with Diwali and into the Christmas and New Year season in recent months. The popular tourist attraction, which launched in April 1995, celebrated its 30th anniversary with a series of special events along with a steady spike of interest from a fast growing Indian market. ''The Indian market has always been intrinsic to our community here at Bicester Village and the continued visitation we've seen from the market is testament to this,'' said John Durnin, Group Retail Director at Bicester Village. ''As we continue to develop our brand and hospitality offering, in addition to over 150 of the world's most interesting brands we continue to evolve, with openings such as Fortnum and Mason, Tease and Arc'teryx, we hope to continue strengthening the tie between Bicester Village and the community in 2026 and beyond,'' he said. According to latest estimates, Bicester Village emerged as the second most visited site in the UK after Buckingham Palace, with India described as the fastest growing market registering a consistent growth rate in double digits. After a booming 2025, India ranks as the third-largest market after the Middle East and China. Among the regulars and enthusiastic shoppers include parents of Indian students looking to furnish their kids' new home in England or costume designers eyeing the latest trends for a new Bollywood film shoot in the UK. As a result, Bicester Village has incorporated several Indian touches to its offers including masala chai at its exclusive VIP hospitality space called ''The Apartment'', popular among Bollywood celebrities like Suniel Shetty, Sonam Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty and Akshay Kumar, and several members of the Indian cricket team. It's quite simply a nice day out and popular with celebrities because they have the privacy to explore all their favourite brands at leisure, personal shoppers who assist celebrities at Bicester Village shared. There is the option of four private suites for added privacy and ''relaxing retail therapy'', with all the latest trends on offer at attractive price tags. Gucci, Dior, Fendi, Valentino, Coach and Mulberry are among the most sought-after brands with Indian shoppers, drawn by massive discounts on retail prices elsewhere in the UK. As a result of this growing interest, Bicester Village has recently sought out Indian partnerships with the likes of Air India, Taj Group of hotels and the National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK. Talks are also ongoing with the High Commission of India in London to tap into the closer cooperation in the design and fashion sector unleashed with the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) clinched last year. An annual Diwali catalogue and a Punjabi food pop-up kicked off a trend to cater to Indian tastes, which is expected to lure even greater numbers to make the hour-long journey from London to the Oxfordshire village in 2026.

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