Aldi has become the latest retailer to announce that it’ll be closing all its stores across the UK on Boxing Day this year.
Christmas is always known to be one of the busiest periods of the year for the retail industry, and Boxing Day has a reputation for being the ultimate day for shopping deals and discounts in the UK, but this year, Aldi has made the decision to close all of its stores nationwide on this bank holiday.
The supermarket retailer says it wants to thank its colleagues colleagues, once again, “for all their hard work” throughout the year.
This means that all Aldi stores will be closed on 25 and 26 December.
Aldi is closing all its UK stores on Boxing Day again this year / Credit: Aldi
All stores will then reopen as usual on Friday 27 December, so customers can pick up all the essentials for their New Year celebrations.
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Opening hours at different Aldi stores across the UK will vary in the lead-up to Christmas, so it’s important to check the times for your local store, but the company has confirmed that most branches will be operating extended hours to “ensure customers can stock up ahead of the big day”.
Speaking on the decision to shut up shop on Boxing Day this year, Richard Thornton, who is the Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: “Christmas is such a special period for many of our colleagues, and by keeping our stores closed on Boxing Day, Aldi gives them more time to spend with their loved ones.”
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Stores will reopen as normal on Friday 27 December, in time for grabbing New Year essentials / Credit: Aldi
Mr Thornton said that, despite the Boxing Day closure, Aldi customers will have “plenty to look forward to” in the run-up to Christmas.
He said the retailer has some “exciting Christmas ranges” hitting the shelves very soon.
Aldi’s announcement of its Boxing Day closures comes after fellow retailer, Home Bargains, confirmed a couple of weeks back that it would, once again, be shutting UK stores on both Boxing Day and New Year’s Day again in 2024, just as it has done for several other years prior.
It’s expected that a handful of other retailers will make similar announcements over the coming weeks, so keep your eyes peeled.
Featured Image – Aldi UK
Shopping
Lidl are offering a reward for their Liam Gallagher plaque to be safely returned
Danny Jones
Supermarket chain Lidl are desperate and in dire need of our help: they’re offering a reward to whoever safely returns one of their most treasured possessions – a Liam Gallagher plaque.
If you don’t remember the rather silly story from earlier this year, Oasis’ soon-to-return lead singer did plenty of poking fun at the Co-op Live‘s opening date being pushed back and multiple cancellations.
The iconic frontman ultimately ended up playing his four nights at the state-of-the-art arena with no issues, but as a tongue-in-cheek testament to his joke that’d he play a “gig in Lidl” if the venue wasn’t ready in time, the German-founded group erected a plaque in memory of the gag.
However, Lidl’s beloved Liam Gallagher plaque has since gone missing but rather than launch a full-scale manhunt, they’re trying to keep up the festive spirit and instead offering a pretty significant reward to the person that brings it back to them.
Don’t look plaque in anger – we need your help! 🚨
Our Liam Gallagher plaque in Manchester, honouring the gig that almost happened, has gone missing! 📷 Can you help us bring it home in time for Christmas?🎄We've got a £500 Lidl voucher ready and waiting in exchange for its safe… pic.twitter.com/VYr5RygttT
Although leads on the missing bit of royal blue metal are scarce, the plaque that was hung outside their Newton Heath store back in June disappeared this month.
Not only was it an amusing bit of history for the brand but the sign itself actually became a bit of an ironic but nevertheless genuine tourist attraction, with people grabbing snaps next to it and it even featured on the Manchester Taxi Tour itineraries.
This little plaque was actually just the start of a weird love affair between the two; back in October, Lidl also dropped an absolutely perfectly placed advert right in front of a giant poster of Liam Gallagher’s Berghaus ad campaign in the centre of Manchester.
Very good indeed.
All that being said, they really would love to be reunited with the memento of their relationship, so much so that they’re offering a whopping £500 to spend in Lidl vouchers for its safe return.
Credit: James Speakman/PA Media Assignments (supplied via Lidl GB)
Just think of all the nonsense you could buy in the ‘Middle of Lidl’ aisle, a.k.a. the best part of the whole shop.
Those who have any information on the whereabouts of the Liam Gallagher plaque should email the following address: [email protected]. The Burnage brothers aren’t holding grudges anymore and neither are Lidl.
Let’s bring Liam home for Christmas. As you were x
The Trafford Centre launches Premium Parking service where shoppers pay up to £217
Daisy Jackson
For the first time ever, the Trafford Centre is charging for parking – but it’s not quite what it seems.
While all of us are used to forking out a small fortune to park in the city centre, Trafford Centre has always been free.
Now, the huge shopping centre has launched a Premium Parking service, with guaranteed spaces right near the shops and plenty of other perks.
Shoppers will pay from £4 an hour for the privilege of having access to bigger bays in a newly resurfaced section of the car park, just outside Selfridges.
But prices will go all the way up to £217 for valet parking, where your car is taken from you at the entrance to be deep-cleaned and then parked back in a bay.
That Ultra Valet service even includes a clean of your engine compartment.
Premium valet parking, without the deep clean, is a £25 flat rate.
The Premium Parking at Trafford Centre gets you a space as close as possible to the shops. Credit: The Manc Group
Once you’re done shopping, you can summon your vehicle back at the touch of a button on your phone, and it will be brought straight back to the entrance for you.
No need to trudge for miles in the rain battling against thousands of other Christmas shoppers.
The Premium Parking service is aimed at those looking for an elevated service and an enhanced shopping experience.
Shoppers have never had to pay for parking at The Trafford Centre before but if you’ve ever experienced the stress that is finding a decent space during the Christmas shopping rush, maybe it’s money well spent?
How much is Premium Parking at the Trafford Centre?
Emily Sergeant -
19th September 2024 
