From Bicester to Blue Badge guides, Britain caters to Chinese tourists

For Chen Jie, a 46-year-old visitor from eastern China's city of Hangzhou, shopping at Bicester Village feels almost like home. A long queue stretches outside the Burberry store, with many Asian faces. A restaurant called Shan Shui recently opened for business, with interiors recalling the ambience of old Shanghai. Mandarin chatter fills the air.

"The sales assistant who speaks Mandarin gave me good recommendation and helped me a lot," says Chen, accompanied by his wife and son, who were clutching five shopping bags.

Chinese visitors like Chen have become Bicester's number one non-EU customers, generating 40 percent of all non-EU tax refunded sales in 2017, according to a spokesperson.