| General Details, | Inspections |
| Regimes | Visits and getting there |
| Work and Education | Local News |
Key Contact Details
| Name of Prison | HMP Bullingdon |
| Address: | PO Box 50 Patrick Haugh Road Bicester OXON OX25 1PZ |
| Other contact details: | |
| Web Site: | |
| Email: | |
| Main switchboard: | 01869 353100 |
| At Risk hotline: | |
| Fax: | 01869 353101 |
| Visits booking number: | 01869 353 176 |
| Visits booking email: | socialvisits.bullingdon@hmps.gsi.gov.uk |
| Visits booking web site: | www.gov.uk/prison-visits |
| Visiting centre number: | 01869 353 437 |
| Type of Prison: | Male Cat B/C |
The prison is run by HMPS as part of the South Central region. It has a capacity of 1114 and the #1 governor is Laura Sapwell, who has been in charge since March 2020.
Bullingdon, near Bicester in Oxfordshire, opened in 1992 with a newer house block added in 2008, and now holds over 1,100 adult men across six residential blocks. It is a Category B/C establishment combining a local, reception role for the courts of Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley with a resettlement function for men nearing release.
The most recent inspection, in April 2026, described progress since the previous visit as “disappointing”. Inspectors recorded a rise in assaults between prisoners and frequent use of force, and found illicit drug use — including deliveries by drone — remained unacceptably high, with drug-test positivity among the highest recorded for this type of prison. Staffing shortfalls were found to be affecting nearly every area of the regime, with more than half the population locked in cells during the day and education, skills and work provision judged inadequate. The Chief Inspector called for urgent, sustained national attention to drugs, violence and staff recruitment at Bullingdon.
Given this, families and friends of anyone at Bullingdon may want to check in regularly about safety and access to activities, alongside using the practical visiting and contact details above.