Fortnum & Mason Opens First Store Outside London at Bicester Village

Historic Piccadilly institution brings iconic teas, hampers, and handmade crumpets to Oxfordshire luxury shopping destination

London’s most famous luxury food retailer has ventured beyond the capital for the first time in its 318-year history, opening a new boutique and food kiosk at Bicester Village in Oxfordshire.

Fortnum & Mason, which has operated from its iconic Piccadilly location since 1707, launched its first UK store outside London on 1st October, offering shoppers a curated selection of the brand’s most beloved products alongside an innovative “On the Go” hospitality concept.

A Contemporary Take on Piccadilly Tradition

The new boutique reinterprets Fortnum’s flagship store aesthetic for a modern retail environment. Walls painted in the brand’s signature Eau de Nil green provide a backdrop for displays of renowned tea blends, biscuits, preserves, and sweet treats. Two solid walnut service desks featuring traditional Georgian beading anchor the space, where Fortnum’s distinctive Red Coats—the brand’s uniformed staff—offer regular sampling sessions and personalization services.

Shoppers can purchase bottles of Fortnum’s Blancs de Blancs champagne or Amalthea Gin and have them personalized on-site, creating bespoke gifts or mementos. The store also stocks the brand’s extraordinarily chocolatey Lossus biscuit range, Royal Blend Tea, Sparkling Tea, and a selection of curated hampers.

An exclusive Fortnum’s x Bicester Village gift box has been created for the location, containing chocolate pearl shortbread, Royal Blend tea, a Fortnum’s mug, and honey made from the blossoms of Banbury’s lime trees.

Crumpets Meet Creativity

Perhaps the most intriguing element of Fortnum’s Bicester Village debut is the launch of “Fortnum & Mason On the Go,” the brand’s first-ever hospitality kiosk. The concept centres on handmade sourdough crumpets created in collaboration with Chef Tom Moore of Moore’ish Crumpets, using a 60-year-old starter and artisanal fermentation techniques.

Fortnum’s Executive Chef Sam White has developed both classic and inventive toppings for the crumpets. Options range from traditional pairings like strawberry and champagne preserve with Ivy Farm butter to more adventurous combinations such as Coronation Chicken—featuring Devon white chicken, Coronation spice, cream cheese, and pickled cucumber.

The kiosk itself features playful branding inspired by the nearby Bicester Wetland Reserve, including a duck mascot enjoying a crumpet against a backdrop of colourful Eau de Nil and orange stripes designed to catch the eye of passing shoppers.

Royal Pedigree Comes to Oxfordshire

Fortnum & Mason’s history is inextricably linked with the British royal family. The business began when Queen Anne permitted her footman William Fortnum to sell discarded candles from St James’s Palace. The relationship has endured across three centuries, and the company currently holds two Royal Warrants—one from His Majesty The King and one from Her Majesty The Queen.

Beyond its royal connections, Fortnum’s has a reputation for innovation in the food world. The company claims credit for inventing the Scotch egg, supplied provisions for the 1922 Everest expedition, and maintains beehives on its Piccadilly rooftop.

Tom Athron, Fortnum & Mason’s CEO, said the Bicester Village location allows the brand to reach new customers while maintaining its commitment to extraordinary food and drink. He expressed particular interest in discovering which crumpet flavours prove most popular with Village visitors.

Strategic Expansion for Both Brands

For Bicester Village, the addition of Fortnum & Mason strengthens its position as a luxury shopping destination. Desiree Bollier, Chair and Global Chief Merchant at Value Retail, noted that Fortnum’s reputation for “transforming everyday moments into occasions” complements the Village’s curated mix of fashion and dining.

Located less than an hour by direct train from London Marylebone, Bicester Village houses more than 150 boutiques of British and international fashion and lifestyle brands in pedestrianised streets modelled on surrounding Oxfordshire villages.

The new Fortnum & Mason store and On the Go kiosk are open seven days a week. With millions visiting the Piccadilly flagship annually, the Oxfordshire expansion represents a significant milestone for the venerable British institution as it brings a taste of London luxury to the Home Counties.

Here’s a gallery of the new store: