UK retail giant set to open new store in Oxfordshire

The cards, gifts and celebration retailer has applied for planning permission to install signage at the old Claire’s Accessories store at Banbury Gateway.

Both of the Claire’s Accesories shops shut down last year in Banbury, with one at Castle Quay Shopping Centre and the other at Banbury Gateway Shopping Park.

Card Factory already has stores at Banbury Cross Retail Park and the one in the Castle Quay Shopping Centre.

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Card Factory store in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. (Image: Barrington Coombs, PA Wire)

The gift retailer has shops also has shops in Headington, Cowley, Kidlington, Abingdon, Bicester, Witney, Didcot and Wantage.

The gift shop has over 200 shops across the UK, with the first Cardfactory store opening in Wakefield in 1997.

Last year Card Factory acquired personalised greetings card business Funky Pigeon from WH Smith for £24m.

Claire’s permanently closed in April after the major UK fashion brand collapsed into administration.

The high street chain was put into administration back in January 2026 alongside The Original Factory Shop (TOFS).

The two retailers had already undergone restructuring and were bought by investment firm Modella Capital last year.

Oxford Mail has asked the retailer if they have an opening date for the Banbury Gateway site and whether the opening will affect either of their other two Banbury stores.