ec1ten's Qype profile

This is quite a large branch of Waitrose, and has an instore bakery, deli, and fresh meat and fish counter, as well as a large range of fresh fruit, vegetables, and the usual selection of groceries. Their bakery in particular is really good, and whenever I have visited there has always been a wide selection of freshly baked breads and rolls, along with a delicious range of freshly made cakes and biscuits!
There is a salad bar in the fruit and vegetable section, which would be ideal for posh picnics, with lots of posh rice salads, couscous, olives, and coleslaw etc.
The staff here have always been really friendly and helpful, and are only to happy to point you in the right direction if you are unable to find what you are looking for.
The only downside is the price- it would be considerably dearer to do a weekly shop here rather than in the nearby Sainsburys. However, if you are looking for a few treats for a picnic or some quality ingredients for a special meal, then this is the shop for you.

Although a little on the small side this store has a big enough range of M&S food for a weekend but you wouldn’t be able to do your weekly shop here! You would be better off heading to Waitrose up the road or Tesco’s, towards Harefield, if you are on a budget.
Obviously M&S is pricey but the produce is very good quality with a limited range. For instance there are only 2 or 3 flavours of their ice cream wheras usually in an M&S you get 5 or 6. Fresh bread is available but not for very long as they don’t bake enough!
For picking up a picnic to impress your girlfriend or boyfriend then this store is perfect but if you are shopping for a family then you would be better off elsewhere!
The free car park fills up pretty quickly so you need to be persistant like the rest of their cliental!

This is a fairly small charity shop that manages to squeeze an awful lot in!
The staff here are very friendly, and it is always fun having a look here to try and find a hidden gem!
They sell ladies, mens and childrens clothing, glasswear, childrens toys and videos, jewellery, household items and lots more. Each item is clearly priced so you know exactly how much you’ll be paying.
Everything is in very good condition, and quite often items are new, still unopened and fully packaged.
At present they are also selling a very wide range of Christmas cards.
Definitely worth a look if you are on a budget and looking for good value presents, or clothes for yourself or your family, with the added feel-good factor of knowing you’ve helped out a really good charity.

The Herb Centre in Banbury is a lovely place. They have a small restaurant/ cafe, which is perfect for popping into for a piece of cake and a drink!
The cakes are homemade and are really special- as well as the usual chocolate, and coffee flavours, they also have some herb-flavoured ones- their lavender cake is delicious!
If you are planning on coming here with firends or family for a main meal then you really do need to book as there is a limited seating area and it can get very busy. It is worth cominghere earlier rather than later for lunch as popular items often sell out quickly!
The food is nicely prepared and well flavoured, and there are plainer options for those who are less keen on strong herb flavours!
They do a snack menu and also cater for children.
The waiters are friendly and helpful, and it is an enjoyable place to eat.
There is a little shop through the archway of the restaurant, selling jams, frozen homemade pies, fancy napkins, and posh pasta sauces and oils.
There is a much larger shop to the left of the cafe, which sells a wide variety of garden ornaments, hanging basket, small childrens toys, cards, wrapping paper, and other knick-knacks.
This is worth a visit if you are passing and fancy a break for a browse round the shop and a drink and slice of cake in the cafe. We have found the service to be a bit slow on our last few visits, purely due to the large number of people all arriving at the same time!
My Gran has limited mobility and loves the Herb Centre as it is very flat and she doesn’t have to contend with any stairs. There is ample parking, with disabled spaces right by the cafe, so only a few metres walk is required.
Would definitely recommend their cakes!

This is my favourite hairdressers in Oxford! The stylists are all very talented and always listen to what you want done, and offer very helpful and constructive advice on the types of haircut that would suit your face shape and hair type.
As well as cuts and colours, they can also style your hair for a special occasion and/ or blow dry it for you.
My hair is very frizzy and flyaway, and this hairdressers is the only place who can make it silky and smooth and perfectly straight just by blow-drying it!
They use some gorgeous-smelling shampoos and conditioners, and alwasy make you feel special.
It can be costly- depending on the seniority of the person who cuts your hair, it can cost anything from £40 to have it washes, cut and blown dry. Colours are more expensive, but they have a clear price structure, so you know exactly how much you will be charged. They also cater for wedding parties.
I would definitely recommend booking an appointment rather than just turning up as it can get busy during peak times.
It is worth putting your details on their mailing list if you are asked as they regularly send me vouchers for 10% off a treatment or £5 off any cut.
This salon also sells a wide range of Toni and Guy hair care products.
I would thoroughly recommend coming here if you fancy a new hairstyle, or if you are having a special night out and want your hair style to be perfect then this is the place for you.

This is a relatively small branch of Superdrug. However it is well stocked and sells a good range of products, from toiletries to medicines, and from nappies to sweets. They also stock a fairly wide range of makeup, from L’oreal to Miss Sporty. Their own brand goods are usually high quality and are good value for money. They are competetively priced and always have a good range of special offers, such as “buy one get one free”, or will have selected goods at half price.
This Superdrug also stocks magazines and newspapers. The staff are friendly and cheerful, and will always help you find what you are looking for.
This branch has the added bonus of being inside the Templars Square shopping centre, so you have the added bonus of being warm and dry while you wander between shops!

This is a good-sized branch of the Body Shop, and is well stocked with all of their usual essentials- the vitamin e facial care range, a large choice of fruity flavoured shower gels, body butters, soaps and lip balms, and a very extensive range of makeup. This includes both everyday wear as well as lots of sparkly eyeshows and glosses for the evening.
The store also sells oil burners and stocks a variety of different oils. They have a very good selection of ready boxed gifts, which take the hassle out of deciding what to buy.
Their staff are really knowledgable about their products and are always on hand to listen to your needs and recommend something suitable. They will often give you samples of products to test before you commit to buying a full-sized product.
The shop itself smells heavenly! The products are environmentally friendly and not tested on animals. Many of them are also fair trade goods, however this is reflected in the prices, which are quite high. This is a great place to visit if you are buying a gift for an environmentally conscious friend, or if you simply fancy treating yourself to some yummy smelling bath products.

Coast is a beautiful store, which sells some truly stunning clothes. They specialise in dresses, but also sell two piece outfits. There dresses are of superb quality, and really well made. The designs are original and the cut of the fabric is really good.
The staff are really friendly and helpful, and will always offer advice on what styles and colours best suit you.
They stock a good range of matching accessories- everything you could need from coats and cardigans to handbags and earrings!
The dresses themselves are breathtaking. I’ve bought several from Coast for balls and parties, and have never received so many compliments about my outfit! I felt like a princess! I really cannot recommend this shop highly enough. The clothes are expensive- a dress can cost between £120-£200, but they are absolutely worth it. The perfect place if you are looking for a special outfit for a ball or a wedding.

This is a lovely Pizza Express. The food is really good quality and the is a wide menu with lots of choice ofr vegetarians.
Pizza Express are very helpful and eager to meet your needs- if you want a pizza with less cheese, or without the olive oil, then they will happily do this for you.
The puddings are amazing- especially the sundaes!
The service has always been fast and efficient every time I’ve been there, and the waiters and waitresses are very friendly.
If you sit downstairs, you can even watch the chefs prepare your food in the open-style kitchen.
The food is very good value for money and the prices are very reasonable. Definitely worth a visit- the food is truly yummy!

This dentist surgery is in a convenient location, with ample off street parking. The receptionists are friendly and helpful, and do their best to put you at your ease. The surgery has just been refurbished, and now has a much larger waiting room (the fish tank has been upgraded also and is now most impressive!).
Dr Nagi is very friendly and a superb dentist- my whole family have been patients of his for many years and have all received very good treatment.
He will always give advice on ways to improve or maintain your dental health, and is a very friendly and approachable dentist. He does his best to put patients at ease, and makes the whole experience of visiting a dentist a lot less scary! I would definitely recommend this dental surgery.