Home Bargains has announced that it will be closing all of its stores across the UK on Boxing Day to give staff time to “recover”.
2021 has been yet another unprecedented year for the retail industry, and one that may have left many workers feeling like they could do with a little extra off, and so, discounter retailer has confirmed that it will close on both Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
The retailer said it wants to give workers more time to spend with their family and friends over Christmas and the festive season this year.
On top of that, the retailer will be shutting shops at the earlier time of 5pm on Christmas Eve.
“We recognise how incredibly hard all of our colleagues have worked over the last year, to continue to serve the local communities that rely on them so much,” a spokesperson for Home Bargains explained of the decision to close.
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“In light of this, we felt it was only right to reward store teams by taking the decision to close all of our stores on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
“And also close stores early at 5pm on Christmas Eve.”
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Explaining a little more about the decision, Home Bargains said: “As a family-run business, we know the importance of being together at Christmas with those we care about most, now more than ever.
“This is our way of saying thank you to all of our colleagues for their continued hard work and dedication.”
The decision taken by Home Bargains to close all stores on the two Bank Holidays this year has been met with a lot of praise by customers online.
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The retailer’s posts on social media have racked up tens of thousands of interactions.
This isn’t the first time Home Bargains has kept its doors shut on Boxing Day though, after it made the same decision to give its hardworking staff the day off in 2019 and 2020 too – but it’s perhaps most needed this year for a break from the hectic working environments and schedules brought on by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Home Bargains has more than 500 stores, and employs over than 22,000 staff in the UK.
Manchester Storm’s ‘own and loan’ scheme returns for 2026/27
Danny Jones
Manchester Storm have relaunched their much-loved ‘own and loan’ programme once again ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Having gone from a cult favourite option for die-hards to an increasingly popular choice among their growing number of supporters, it’s a great way for fans to get their hands on what could go on to be priceless collectables.
Set up over a decade and a half ago, the initiative has gone on to be replicated by multiple clubs in the Elite Ice Hockey League, across the country, and indeed beyond.
For anyone unclear on what exactly this scheme means for them, here’s all you need to know.
The own and loan sponsorship is essentially an opportunity not only to support the club and your favourite player, but to essentially reserve a valuable piece of match-worn memorabilia.
Put simply, fans can buy a squad member’s jersey and then loan it back to them for the season.
The shirt – be it home, away, created for cup tournaments or a special limited-edition sweater (of which MCR Storm have designed many over the years) – will then be worn throughout the course of the campaign before being given back to the owner, i.e. you.
Not just simply buying the shirt, but helping back the team’s talent, it’s one of the most direct ways people can contribute to the club.
The Greater Manchester side pioneered the push for this initiative here in the UK in the early 2010s, and with the local side now set to return to the AO Arena, where their journey began way back in 1995, you can expect plenty to mark the comeback with a special sponsored jersey.
Anyone who purchases an away strip will have their name featured throughout home games for the duration of the season – not a bad gift or way to secure a potential future collectors’ item.
You can see every player available to sponsor and find out all the information you need right HERE.
For regular matchgoers at the ‘Storm Shelter’, we’re sure it’ll be bittersweet to say goodbye to Planet Ice Altrincham, but just how excited are you about heading home to the AO Arena later this year?
Emily Sergeant -
21st December 2021 
