Banbury

Culture and Events  

The Mill Arts Centre is a lively cultural hub for Banbury and the surrounding areas which supports local artists. The Artweeks event takes place every May for three weeks and is the country’s oldest and biggest open studio event. It is also a busy venue, hosting theatre productions and comedy nights as well as a variety of workshops including music and dance.  

The Banbury Folk Festival is a full weekend event which attracts big artists and folk enthusiasts from across the country.  

Set in Spiceball Park, the Banbury and District Show is an event filled with fun and entertainment with funfairs, BMX riders and skateboarders, farm animals and dog shows, food stalls, climbing walls, zip wires, go-karts and much more! A great day out for the whole family which is not to be missed. 

Banbury hosts a number of local markets which provide a great chance to explore fresh local produce and artisan products. There are monthly farmers’ markets where fresh bread, quality meat, pies and pastries and a selection of various sauces and snacks are available. The lively Banbury Charter market runs every Thursday and Saturday from 9am to 4:30pm in town centre near Castle Quay.  

Banbury hosts many markets, including a farmer’s market which provides a fabulous selection of local produce and artisan products.  

Outdoor Space and Leisure Centres 

Banbury has ample green and outdoors space for its residents to enjoy. The Spiceball Country Park offers lots of greenspace to explore with woodland and wildflower meadows. There are footpaths and cycle lanes, and both a canal and river run through the park. A children’s playground, two skateboard ramps and picnic areas make it a great place for families.   

The People’s Park is a well-kept, 3-acre park, which has offered relaxation for generations of Banbury families. The park has beautiful flower beds and a rose garden, a children’s play area, an aviary, tennis courts, a bowling green and a war memorial.  

Other parks in Banbury include Browning Road Park, Bankside Park and Orchard Park. Of course, you also have easy access to the beautiful Cotswolds.  

The Spiceball Leisure Centre has a great selection of facilities with a spacious gym, a swimming pool and a sports hall where you can play 5-a-side football, badminton and basketball. The centre also offers a range of exercise classes.  

The Woodgreen Leisure Centre has a 50m outdoor swimming pool, fitness studios, a 50-station gym and an indoor bowls hall.  

History of Banbury

Although an excavation in 2002 uncovered remains of a settlement dating back to the Iron Age, it wasn’t until the 14^th century that Banbury gained prominence as a trading hub. During this time, weekly markets attracted visitors from surrounding Oxfordshire and a wool industry flourished.

Despite the damage suffered during the Civil War and the devastating fire of 1628, the town proved resilient, with ongoing improvements to infrastructure. During the Victorian period, gas-powered lighting was installed and both the Horton Infirmary and railway station were opened.

Today Banbury is best-known for its namesake cake and the nursery rhyme “Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross”. The latter is commemorated in the town with a statue depicting a “Fyne lade upon a White Horse”, while the fruity Banbury cake is still served at the many cafes.

It may have developed into a modern town with 21^st century luxuries, but Banbury still retains the old-world charm of its market town past.

Commercial Space in Banbury

We see a lot of demand for commercial space in and around Banbury. One of the most in-demand locations is Pembroke House at Banbury Business Park, which offers an array of suites varying in size from 5,000 to 16,514 sq ft.

With its open-plan layout, abundant on-site car parking and easy access to the M40, Pembroke House is an ideal location for a wide variety of businesses.

As a commercial estate agent in Banbury, we also see a lot of interest in retail space close to the historic Market Place. A host of retailers can be found in the area, including the likes of Claire’s, Sports Direct, Miss Selfridge and The Body Shop.

Major Industries and Businesses in Banbury

Traditionally, Banbury’s economy revolved around its cattle market, which closed in 1998. A key facet of Victorian life in the town, it was once the largest cattle market in Western Europe, with cattle driven to the town on the hoof from as far away as Scotland to feed the growing population of London and other towns.

Banbury is home to a host of big employers, which helps to give the town one of the lowest rates of unemployment in the UK. Major employers include Jacobs Douwe Egberts, the multinational owner of beverage brands such as Jacobs, Kenco and Tassimo.

The town also has a proud engineering heritage, with several well-known motorsports operations having been based in the area. Arden Motorsport – owned by Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner – is still located on the Thorpe Way Industrial Estate, while the likes of Manor Racing and Simtek have also been situated in the town.