A HUGE new charity superstore hopes to create to a 'mini high street' under one roof now it is up and running in Bicester.

Crowds of people marked the grand opening of Sobell House's SO Bicester Superstore at the weekend - including Olympic cycling gold medalist Victoria Pendleton.

The new warehouse superstore in Murdoch Road, Launton Business Centre, is now four times the size of its former shop from which it moved earlier in the year in Station Approach.

It now includes much more stock and also 'retail pods' for community business to rent and sell their own stock.

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What's it all about?

The project is the brainchild of manager Nathan Carter who has worked with Sobell House for more than four years.

He said: "It is great to have such a big store now and means we can hopefully offer lots more whilst also taking lots more donations as we were having to often turn stuff down at the old place if we were full.

"This is the biggest Sobell shop there has ever been and on the open day we have our best ever days trading. That momentum has just continued from the first day."

He added: "People have been saying we have gone really up market but our pricing has stayed the same. We have changed everything but the customer service and the pricing.

"We are really lucky in Bicester to have built up such a rapport with our customers and lots of local business have been so supportive too."

The former shop in station approach was about 3,000 sq ft and the new store is up to 12,000 sq ft with nearly 100 clothes rails up from 26 in the former store.

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What can I get there?

Items on offer include books, CDs and DVDs, clothing, linen, electricals, furniture, toys and a cafe. Sales go towards supporting the charity in its work to provide specialist palliative care and support to families.

Customer Lawrence Webb, from Glory Farm, said: “This is the second time I have been in to the shop actually and the first time I popped in I managed to get a pair of Banana Republic chinos for £2 and an arm chair for £10.

“It is a great improvement on the old store and really handy for me as it is next door to my gym.

“It seems to have some excellent stock, I don’ know whether they’ll keep things at £2 but I am happy to support Sobell House as I have known a lot of people that have been through it."

What are retail pods?

These 'pods' have been created inside the warehouse for community business to rent and sell their own stock.

There are currently about 12 retail pods which are interchangeable and Mr Carter hopes to rent them out to businesses both retail and beauty companies.

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Where is it and when is it open?

The new store is in the industrial estate off the Launton Road and backs onto the Glory Farm housing estate.

It has extended its opening times and is now open longer in the week, offers late night shopping on Tuesdays and is now open on Sundays.

Mum of two Rachel Watts, from Bicester, said: “The new shop is great. It is full of stuff and it is so much easier to take the kids round.

“It is much better and much bigger, I couldn’t believe how massive it was compared to the old shop when I walked in.

“There could be a bit more signage to show people exactly where it is but I don’t think it will make a difference being a bit further away from the town centre."

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Mr Carter, 25, from Upper Heyford, added: "It has just been amazing opening the new store. This was my idea and I wanted to create a bit of the high street within a warehouse and after so much work has gone into it the nice comments have been great."