Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi and Lidl are among the supermarket retailers to release adjusted operating hours at stores across the UK over the festive period.
As Christmas is fast approaching, many have already started to stock up on food and drink for the big day ahead of time, but with so much to prepare for, it’s pretty easy to forget something important, which usually leaves us running to the shops before 25th.
Despite many having opted for home deliveries or Click & Collect services this year, others still prefer to shop in-store.
And while some of big name chains are still yet to release statements – expected to do so in due course – a number of leading supermarket retailers have already begun releasing Christmas opening hours.
Here’s everything we know so far.
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Tesco
Tesco announced recently that a number of its stores across the UK will be open for extended hours a day in the lead-up to Christmas, with 300 branches set to open 24 hours a day – except for Sundays – from 14th December – 24th December.
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The rest of Tesco’s stores will also operate at extended trading hours from 5am – 11pm between those dates.
Although specific opening times have not yet been announced for Christmas Day this year, if previous years are to provide a reflection, stores will close on 25th December, and reopen on Boxing Day.
You can check opening times via the Tesco Store Locator here.
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Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s has also revealed that it will be introducing extended opening hours at its branches nationwide this Christmas, with most supermarkets set to be open from 6am until midnight on 21st, 22nd & 23rdDecember.
On top of this, the chain says that most of its shops will be open from 6am – 7pm on Christmas Eve too.
All Sainsbury’s stores will close on Christmas Day.
A message on Sainsbury’s website says: “Between 21st to 23rd December, 90% of Sainsbury’s supermarkets will extend their opening hours from 6am until midnight, to help customers buy everything they need for their Christmas celebrations this year.”
You can check opening times via the Sainsbury’s Store Locator here.
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Aldi
Aldi has published its operating hours at stores across the UK for the festive period in the run-up to the big day, which are as follows:
Saturday 19th December:7am – 11pm
Sunday 20th December:10am – 4pm
21st, 22nd & 23rd December:7am – 11pm
Christmas Eve:7am – 6pm
Christmas Day & Boxing Day:STORES CLOSED
Sunday 27th December:10am – 4pm
28th, 29th & 30th December:8am – 8pm
New Year’s Eve:8am – 6pm
New Year’s Day:STORES CLOSED
Saturday 2nd January 2021:Normal Hours Resume
You can find more information on your local branch via the Aldi Store Finder here.
Lidl
Lidl has also published a full list of operating hours at stores across the UK for the festive period, which are as follows:
Saturday 19th December:7am – 11pm
Sunday 20th December:Open as Normal
21st, 22nd, 23rd December:7am – 11pm
Christmas Eve:7am – 6pm
Christmas Day & Boxing Day: STORES CLOSED
27th, 28th, 29th & 30th December:Open as Normal
New Year’s Eve:8am – 6pm
New Year’s Day:STORES CLOSED
Saturday 2nd January 2021:Normal Hours Resume
You can find more information on your local branch via the Lidl Store Finder here.
Asda, Morrisons, M&S, Co-op & Iceland
For each of the above and remaining food retailers, a national schedule of Christmas opening hours is yet to be released and so it’s currently advised that you check the opening times of your local branch individually before making any trips to stores over the festive period.
Want to order your festive food to be delivered to your home, or take advantage of Click & Collect services this month instead?
You can find the final order dates before Christmas for each supermarket retailer here.
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One of the biggest and best new beer gardens in Manchester drops just in time for the World Cup
Danny Jones
You heard us right: what could very well be Manchester’s favourite new beer garden has just landed over in St John’s, and all can envision is non-stop sun, suds and sporting action all summer long.
This, my friends, is ‘The Green’.
Capturing a kind of mix between the simple combo of wide open space, booze and hopefully sun on the Stevenson Square we all know and love, with a bit of the Boxpark fanfare that will make it perfect come World Cup, we’re big fans of what they’ve put together here.
It’s also worth noting that this place is significantly bigger than you’ll find in most corners of central Manchester, complete with plenty of room to perch, from the rows of deckchairs to even tiered step seating that runs along the edge.
There’s new artificial turf laid down, complete with fresh wooden borders, lamp lighting, big benches perfect for squeezing plenty of mates on each side, as well as a decent number of small parasols. There are even QR codes to save time ordering at the bar.
Speaking of, the bar is already full up and running with a very solid lineup of summery drinks, for beers and fruity ciders to Aperol and plenty more. You are paying the expected St John’s prices, but when the rays hit just right, the footy’s on and you’re with your mates, you won’t hear us complaining.
Not just batch stuff being proud from the tap either – they’ve got cocktails, creative twists on frozen margs and lots of other stuff still in the pipeline.
But understandably, the instant start of the show is that large screen, which has already got us dreaming of the World Cup and tournament season year in year out, for that matter. And when we say large, we really mean it…
Just picture the scenes…
The lawn itself is plenty long, and the massive monitor is high up enough on the old studio wall that not a single soul will be missing a second of that action.
Be it the footy, Wimbledon, F1, rugby – whatever the discipline happens to be, we can’t wait to find any excuse to watch it all here (weather permitting). Only a short distance from Deansgate, Spinningfields, Castlefield and more, we feel like this spot is about to blow up.
You’ll also be glad to know that while you can’t take food and drink from other venues around the beer garden itself, they’ve got a food lineup all of their own coming very soon, centring around Manchester locals and regional indies. That’s what we like to hear.
It’s just what that Grape Street area needed, and regardless of whatever potential seasonal shifts it might need to make, we hope it stays here for a very long time. Good vibes all-round.
Stage and Radio issue defiant statement in response to concerning development plans
Danny Jones
Manchester centre bar, music venue, and nightlife institution, Stage and Radio, has shared an impassioned and defiant statement in the face of proposed plans to be built next to the venue.
And when we say next to, we mean next door – and by that we mean practically on their doorstep, not to mention that of other local businesses.
Situated within one of the city’s most important creative and cultural hubs, in the form of the Northern Quarter, the gig space, club and popular meeting place finds itself under serious threat.
Speaking in the accompanying caption, they said: “Comment below and we’ll DM you a link to take action (It’s also in our bio!).”
They go on to say, “We’re urgently asking for the public to support Stage & Radio by voicing concerns by 10th June 2026 about a future development going up within a few meters of the venue.”
Unsurprisingly, the post has been met with an outpouring of not only shared rage, frustration and confusion, but more importantly, they’ve received a huge amount of support in the comments, too.
Fellow Manc favourite nighttime venue, Hidden, added, “Sit tight @stageandradiomcr you’re not going anywhere; meanwhile, several people across multiple sites have simply written, ‘Stage and Radio 4 Life.”
New developments and residential ventures continue to pop up all over the city and surrounding regions, as they always will, but these potential additions don’t look to be very welcome under the current proposals – a similar case has been made for the regeneration of Chorlton Cross Shopping Centre.
Lots of people are excited by the idea, but not everyone is in total agreement that the prospect of adding new, much taller and likely expensive properties into the mix is what’s best for the area.
Demolition and regeneration plans for a former shopping centre in a popular Manchester suburb are set to begin next month. 🌆🔨
As for Stage and Radio, we’ve had the pleasure of spending a fair few late nights there (not to mention well into the early hours of the next morning) over the years.
Releasing a direct statement to The Manc and Audio North, they told us: “We are deeply concerned about whether residential flats positioned directly beside an established grassroots music venue can realistically provide appropriate residential amenity and conditions suitable for long-term human habitation, while also protecting an existing venue from future conflict.”
S&R also noted these circumstances are not entirely unlike those that have jeopardised the future of fellow NQ neighbours and live music venue, Night and Day Cafe, in recent times.
The countdown is now ticking away for Stage and Radio – quite literally, as you can see by the banner now showing on the homepage of their website.
If you want to help save not just this venue but the culture, community and artistic scene it stands for, you can sign the protest petition and get involved in the fight right HERE.
The Manc -
8th December 2020 
