Didcot Wanderings Celebrating Didcot’s Independent Shops

Broadway, Didcot

Since the Orchard Centre opened in 2005, bringing many of the big-name chain stores to Didcot, the town has become a shopping destination for people from nearby towns and villages in South Oxfordshire and even further afield. While I am really happy to have an M&S Food Hall and a Waterstones in Didcot, it is quite noticeable that, with the exception of one or two independent shops, the Orchard Centre is dominated by chain stores, which in turn has had a negative effect on Broadway, the former main shopping street of Didcot. Despite this, Broadway has still managed to retain a high street vibe, despite the fact that it was never intended to be a shopping street at the time it was built!

Broadway was first developed as a residential street in the 1860s when terraced houses were built on the area of Broadway to the east of Station Road to house the growing number of railway workers and their families (interestingly, a road called High Street dates back to 1897, but that was also originally built as a residential street!). Shops were added to this area of Broadway in the 1920s and ’30s when it became Didcot’s main shopping centre (before then all shops had been centred around the station). The area of Broadway to the west of Station Road was a residential area until the 1950s and ’60s when the houses on the north side of this end of Broadway were replaced with shops, giving it the much-criticised appearance it now has of houses on one side of the road and shops on the other. Even as far back as 1934 the haphazard development of Didcot meant that there was a general dissatisfaction about Didcot’s lack of uniformity and a letter to a local newspaper called it ‘a place without a centre or a soul’. It was not until the Orchard Centre opened in 2005 that Didcot got the centre it so desperately needed, but it was at the expense of the shops on Broadway.

However, all is not lost in terms of independent shops, as Broadway and small shopping parades in other parts of the town, still have a variety of independent shops, cafés and restaurants (among the plethora of charity shops, estate agents, bookmakers, hairdressers, barbers, nail salons and take-aways) which offer an alternative to the chain stores in the Orchard Centre. Many of these shops and cafés cater for the growing multi-cultural population of Didcot, with shops specializing in Eastern European, Asian, Middle Eastern and Afro-Caribbean products. Along with these newer shops are some family-run businesses that have been around for decades. Here is my list of the independent shops, cafés and restaurants in Didcot as of June 2026.

Grocery shops and off-licences

· Harry’s, Broadway — Didcot’s only independent off-licence, with a big selection including local and craft beers. · Broadway Butchers, Broadway — The only surviving butcher’s shop in Didcot. It has been in operation since 1985. A lot of its meat is locally produced. · Balbinka Supermarket, Broadway — A food shop specialising in Polish and Eastern European produce. · Your Own Market (YOM), Broadway — A food store selling Asian, Middle Eastern and Afro-Caribbean products. · OX11 Express, Broadway — A general convenience store. · A Taste of Africa, Broadway — An independent African grocery selling speciality foods and produce from a variety of African countries. · Broadway Local, Broadway — A food store specialising in Indian produce. · Cashmere Market and Cashmere Cosmetics, Broadway — These are two shops run by the same proprietor. One shop specialises in Afro-Caribbean groceries and the shop next door sells cosmetics for Afro-Caribbean hair and skin. · Kasia Polish Market, Cockcroft Road — A food store specializing in Polish products located on a shopping parade away from the town centre.

Didcot Farmers’ Market

· This monthly market is held in Market Place on the second Saturday of every month from 8.30am to 1.30pm. The produce on offer ranges from local meats, artisan bread and samosas to (not so local!) seafood.

Florist

· Freemans Flowers, Brasenose Road — Didcot’s only florist based on a small parade of shops away from the town centre.

Angling supplies

· Didcot Angling Centre, Wantage Road — A family-run business since in 1988 which sells all things related to fishing, including tackle and bait, plus day fishing permits.

Pet shop

· Didcot Pet Store, Cockcroft Road — Didcot’s only independent pet shop. A family-run shop since 2013 which sells pet food and accessories for pets as well as some live animals. It also offers a self-service dog wash (The Dog House).

School clothing

· Trutex Schoolwear, Cockcroft Road — Didcot’s only independent shop selling school clothes for all the local schools. A family-run shop that has been around since 1993.

Travel agent

· Triangle Travel, Broadway — An independent travel agent founded in 2001 with six stores across Berkshire and Oxfordshire. They pride themselves on the travel experience and knowledge of their sales team.

Cycling

· Mountain Mania, Wantage Road — Part of a small independent chain which sells bicycles and cycling clothes and accessories.

Services & Repair Shops

· Didcot Electrical Wholesalers, Broadway — A family-run business since 1961 selling lighting, electrical supplies and installation materials. · Kate’s Alterations, Broadway — An independent seamstress offering alterations, remodelling, restyling and repairs on formal gowns, wedding dresses, bridesmaids dresses, prom dresses and evening gowns. · Phone Master Repair Centre, Broadway — A shop offering repairs for mobile phones and tablets, as well as selling accessories for phones and tablets. · Neater Dry Cleaners — Didcot’s only dry-cleaner, it has been in operation for 35 years. They also do repairs and alterations. · Re Vamp Multiserve — This shop is a hidden gem located on lower Broadway. It is a family-run shop which has been offering shoe repairs, key cutting and engraving since 1978. They also sell gifts and jewellery. · Galaxy TecnO, Broadway — Part of a small local chain offering repairs of smartphones, PCs, laptops and gaming consoles · County Plumbing Supplies, Hagbourne Road — An independent shop selling plumbing supplies. It also has a showroom displaying fitted bathrooms. · Truvalue Plumbing Supplies, Brasenose Road — Suppliers of plumbing and heating products including boilers and radiators, as well as fitted bathrooms. They also offer plumbing and gas heating installations, repairs and servicing through their parent company A1 Services, which has been around since 1967.

Cafés

· Wrap n Shake, Broadway — A small café serving wraps, crepes, panini, baguettes, milkshakes and smoothies. · Salinas 2, Broadway — A popular café that has been going for over 20 years, serving Lebanese cuisine, including mezze and wraps. · Snack@Teas, Broadway — A halal café and grill serving burgers, grilled meats, waffles and milkshakes. · The Sandwich Shop, Market Place — Not a café as such, but worth a mention as it’s been around since 1996 serving freshly made-to-order baguettes, paninis and salads. · Nourish Café at the Cornerstone Arts Centre — Serving lunches, cakes, tea and coffee with ingredients from local suppliers. · Lusso, Orchard Centre — An Italian café serving artisan pizzas and gelato. It is one of two branches (the other branch is in Newbury). · № 33, Greenwood Way — A café located on Great Western Park, away from the town centre, serving café staples including all-day breakfast and loaded flatbreads. · Global Flavours Café, Cockcroft Road — A café serving English-style breakfasts and burgers alongside African dishes.

Restaurants

· Gurkha Sun Koshi, Broadway — One of three Indian restaurants which are all very close to each other at the western end of Broadway. The Gurkha Sun Koshi is a small restaurant specialising in Indian and Nepalese cuisine. · Kolkata, Broadway — The second of the three Indian restaurants, serving traditional Indian dishes plus some original ones created by the chef. · Little India, Broadway — The third Indian restaurant, serving traditional Indian dishes. · Saporii, Market Place — An Italian restaurant serving pizzas and pasta dishes. · Meisaku, Broadway — A restaurant serving Japanese cuisine including traditional dishes such as sushi, sashimi, ramen, tempura and teppanyaki. · Djangos Smokehouse, Broadway — A restaurant serving food described as American fusion barbecue. · Ziganas, Wantage Road — The only restaurant in Didcot that is away from the town centre, Ziganas is a Turkish restaurant serving Anatolian recipes from around Türkiye, including mezze platters.

I would love to know if you have shopped or eaten in any of these places and also if I have omitted any that you think are local hidden gems.