From the outset of lockdown in march, social distancing was in place, which meant shops operated on a one-in-one-out basis, with no more than four people in a shop at any one time. Where premises were very small, only one person was allowed in the shop at a time.

Businesses offered delivery services to help those self-isolating. Arrangements in place in April were modified following the first release of the lockdown in May. As restrictions continued to be eased in June and July, fewer people depended on home deliveries. Those continuing to self-isolate still welcomed the service, however.

Food shopping

Co-op

The aisles on the Co-op were narrow,
so the Co-op operated a one-in-one-out policy
for both store and Post Office

Queues formed outside the shop

Orders and card payment by phone

Zone captains arranged delivery for those isolating

Revised opening hours in May: 7am–10pm, incl. Sunday

VIP hour for elderly, NHS and care staff, 9.30–10.30am

Eagles

Orders and card payment by phone

Only four people allowed in the shop at any one time,
hand sanitiser by the front door

Eagles delivered and orders were also collected by
zone captains

Foodies Café

Café closed, so switched to selling bread, eggs,
pasta, rice and flour

Takeaway hot drinks and sandwiches
were also available

Fenemore Farms Micro Farm Shop, Clifton

Open daily for fresh and frozen lamb, honey, eggs, milk, pasta,
various flours (including gluten-free) and yeast

Also bedding plants from UGM Nursery in Bloxham

Payment by cash or cheque

Farmers’ Market stallholders

Markets were cancelled, but several stallholders
offered online ordering and delivery:
Cornfield Bakery, Granary Oil, Curiosities Company,
Hook Norton Brewery, Cotswold Baking,
Tess’ Brilliant Bakes, Indian Orchard, Knife & Fork Bakery,
Little Oak Vineyard

Knife & Fork Bakery

Baked fresh gluten free breads for local collection
as well as UK delivery

For local collections orders were left in sealed bags
in enclosed boxes to keep everyone free from contact
with anyone else

Bengal Spice Indian Restaurant

Open 5.30pm every day except Tuesday

Last orders 9.30pm

Telephone orders could be collected
from a takeaway point

Rob Hill

The fish van from Grimsby returned at the end of April
to its pitch in the Market Place on Thursday afternoons

Rob wore mask and gloves, and customers respected
social distancing

Cash only. Orders could be placed in advance by phone
or email

Morrisons, Banbury

Delivered to elderly, vulnerable and
self-isolating people only

Sainsburys, Banbury

Open to NHS and social care staff Mon–Sat 7.30am
(30mins before public opening)

Priority shopping 8–9am Mon, Wed and Fri

Open 8am–10pm, 10–4 Sundays

Take-away services

Popular Chinese, Hempton Road, take-away Chinese, Wed–Sat, 6 -10.30pm
Pickled Ploughman, Aynho Road, Adderbury, take-away pub food
White Horse, Duns Tew, take-away food changing daily from 6pm

Foodbanks

Provided three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people referred in crisis. Part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by the Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK

Everyone who came to the foodbank for emergency food needed to have a valid foodbank voucher. Foodbanks worked with a range of local agencies (Citizens Advice, children’s centres and health visitors, etc.) to issue vouchers

Banbury Foodbank, The Church Centre, Horsefair, Banbury, Tue 10-12

Bicester Foodbank, 29a Market Square, Bicester, Mon–Fri 10–12

Non-food shopping

Flower Shop

Delivered locally

Orders and card payment
by phone or email

Order by 3pm

Johnsons Builders Merchant

Closed to trade and general public

Essential building supplies continued to be delivered
as many builders were still working

Telephone orders, payment by bank transfer or credit card,
collection in a timed slot only

Cyclogical

The bike shop remained open for all things
bicycle as exercise on
home territory was allowed

Open 9.30am–4pm Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri
9.30am–3pm Sat

Cotefield Nurseries, Bodicote

Plants, compost, etc. could be collected from an outside
collection point, or delivered

Orders and card payment by phone

Reopened 18 May, open daily 9–4, Sun 10–4. Card only

Nicholsons Nurseries, North Aston

The trees, plants and hedging side
of the nursery stayed open The plant centre and shop reopened 18 May

Crofts, Banbury

Weekly pet food delivery service by the volunteers

Orders and card payment by phone

Food shopping
Co-op The aisles on the Co-op were narrow, so the Co-op operated a one-in-one-out policy for both store and Post Office Queues formed outside the shop Orders and card payment by phone Zone captains arranged delivery for those isolating Revised opening hours in May: 7am–10pm, incl. Sunday VIP hour for elderly, NHS and care staff, 9.30–10.30am
	Eagles Orders and card payment by phone Only four people allowed in the shop at any one time, hand sanitiser by the front door Eagles delivered and orders were also collected by zone captains
Foodies Café Café closed, so switched to selling bread, eggs, pasta, rice and flour Takeaway hot drinks and sandwiches were also available
	Fenemore Farms Micro Farm Shop, Clifton Open daily for fresh and frozen lamb, honey, eggs, milk, pasta, various flours (including gluten-free) and yeast Also bedding plants from UGM Nursery in Bloxham Payment by cash or cheque
Farmers’ Market stallholders Markets were cancelled, but several stallholders offered online ordering and delivery: Cornfield Bakery, Granary Oil, Curiosities Company, Hook Norton Brewery, Cotswold Baking, Tess’ Brilliant Bakes, Indian Orchard, Knife & Fork Bakery, Little Oak Vineyard
	Knife & Fork Bakery Baked fresh gluten free breads for local collection as well as UK delivery For local collections orders were left in sealed bags in enclosed boxes to keep everyone free from contact with anyone else
Bengal Spice Indian Restaurant Open 5.30pm every day except Tuesday Last orders 9.30pm Telephone orders could be collected from a takeaway point
	Rob Hill The fish van from Grimsby returned at the end of April to its pitch in the Market Place on Thursday afternoons Rob wore mask and gloves, and customers respected social distancing Cash only. Orders could be placed in advance by phone or email
Morrisons, Banbury Delivered to elderly, vulnerable and self-isolating people only
	Sainsburys, Banbury Open to NHS and social care staff Mon–Sat 7.30am (30mins before public opening) Priority shopping 8–9am Mon, Wed and Fri Open 8am–10pm, 10–4 Sundays
Take-away services	Popular Chinese, Hempton Road, take-away Chinese, Wed–Sat, 6 -10.30pm Pickled Ploughman, Aynho Road, Adderbury, take-away pub food White Horse, Duns Tew, take-away food changing daily from 6pm
Foodbanks	Provided three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people referred in crisis. Part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by the Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK Everyone who came to the foodbank for emergency food needed to have a valid foodbank voucher. Foodbanks worked with a range of local agencies (Citizens Advice, children’s centres and health visitors, etc.) to issue vouchers Banbury Foodbank, The Church Centre, Horsefair, Banbury, Tue 10-12 Bicester Foodbank, 29a Market Square, Bicester, Mon–Fri 10–12
Non-food shopping Flower Shop Delivered locally Orders and card payment by phone or email Order by 3pm
	Johnsons Builders Merchant Closed to trade and general public Essential building supplies continued to be delivered as many builders were still working Telephone orders, payment by bank transfer or credit card, collection in a timed slot only
Cyclogical The bike shop remained open for all things bicycle as exercise on home territory was allowed Open 9.30am–4pm Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri 9.30am–3pm Sat
	Cotefield Nurseries, Bodicote Plants, compost, etc. could be collected from an outside collection point, or delivered Orders and card payment by phone Reopened 18 May, open daily 9–4, Sun 10–4. Card only
Nicholsons Nurseries, North Aston The trees, plants and hedging side of the nursery stayed open The plant centre and shop reopened 18 May
	Crofts, Banbury Weekly pet food delivery service by the volunteers Orders and card payment by phone