Not glamorous, but genuinely useful. The M&S Food hall in Chipping Norton is where we tend to grab breakfast bits on arrival and a bottle of something decent for the first evening. It's a ten-minute drive from the cottage, right on the high street.
There's a particular comfort in knowing exactly what you're getting, and the M&S Food in Chippy delivers on that front reliably. The deli counter is solid for picnic supplies (their sourdough and charcuterie selection punches above what you'd expect from a market-town branch), and the ready meals are a genuine lifesaver on that first night when you've spent the afternoon unpacking and exploring and nobody feels like cooking. The wine range leans predictable, but the mid-tier bottles are honestly good, and they often have seasonal bits that surprise.
We'd pair it with a trip to the Co-op across the road for anything M&S doesn't cover (bin bags, basics, that sort of thing). Between the two, you can stock the cottage kitchen without needing to venture further. If you're after something more artisanal, Daylesford is only a few miles on, but for everyday quality without the price tag, M&S is hard to beat.
“First stop on arrival, every time. Grab a roast chicken, a decent red and some of those Colin the Caterpillar bites for the kids. Sorted.”
All of this on the doorstep, and your own thatched cottage to come home to. Sleeps seven, less than a mile from Soho Farmhouse.