BUSINESS in Bicester is beating the recession with new firms opening and a 40 per cent sales boost at Bicester Village.

Sales at Bicester’s world-famous designer outlet centre are reportedly booming despite the economic downturn. A weak pound and increasingly price-conscious British shoppers are among the reasons credited for Bicester Village’s remarkable success, as well as wealthy tourists deserting high street boutiques in favour of out-of-town designer malls.

While Bicester has lost some firms to the economic downturn, new jobs are still being created. Swiss engineering firm Burckhardt Compression has just opened a new 7,500sq ft facility in the Arena 14 industrial estate off Charbridge Lane, and is already employing a number of local people. Colin Webb, managing director of Burckhardt Compression UK, said he was delighted to open the new high-tech facility in Bicester this week.

And the new Formula One team Manor Grand Prix Racing is due to begin designing and building cars for the 2010 season at the base of its Bicester partner, Wirth Research. As many as 100 jobs could be created. Another exciting development is the possibility of a factory in Bicester to build houses for the new North West Bicester eco-town, which could create up to 700 jobs. The scheme was mentioned by eco-town developers P3Eco at a recent press briefing.

Ben Jackson, president of Bicester Chamber of Commerce, said the town centre had proved more durable than many because it offered a good choice of independent shops. He said: "If you look at the main shopping street, you’ve only got one empty unit, and that’s been empty for many years. "Deans Court is starting to fill up nicely now, and Bicester is showing resistance to the current economic climate. "It shouldn’t belie the difficulties people have got. It’s not as easy as it was two years ago, and the challenge is to find new ways of getting customers over the threshold." Mr Jackson said the kind of customers visiting Bicester Village were not the same as the town centre, but said the town chamber tries to work with Bicester Village to promote the town as a whole. "But the key to unlocking that is getting the town centre redeveloped as soon as possible," Mr Jackson added.

Source: www.buckinghamtoday.co.uk, 04 August 2009