Boxing Day! Is anything open?
 

New poster here with a question. DH and I are arriving in U.K. on Dec. 26 and will be driving to see family in Bath. I need to know if some shops will be open for last min. Christmas shopping/ wrapping paper etc. DH is a Brit but hasn't been home for the holidays in awhile and feels everything will be closed. Any current information?

Small corner shops will be open. Supermarkets will be closed. Some large stores start their January Sale on Boxing Day, but most (like M&S) start on 27th. So to answer your questions, you should be able to get something, but choice of stores will be limited. Christmas stuff will be reduced from Boxing Day.

Most out of town and major suburban shopping centres aren't just open, but a heaving mass of bargain hunters.

Opening in city centres is patchy: the really bad news is that the chavshops (if you've been away too long to understand, google on chav) are open, places for tasteful prezzies and wrapping still closed. Motorway service stations sell wrapping paper.

Apart from motorways, opening might be delayed till 1000 or 1100. Finding anywhere to park close to most centres is traditionally a nightmare. When it's not beleaguered by the cabin-fevered, the McArthur Glen centre at Swindon is the most convenient centre to any journey involving the M4 near Bath.

How about staying in the airport (I assume you are arriving in Heathrow) Most shops should be open there I would imagine.

If any at all, you will find only the smallest of shops closed on Boxing day.

But your phrase "last minute Xmas shopping" suggests before 25th, your activity is actually "far too late xmas shopping".

;-)

Good luck and have a wonderul Christmas

Muck