Some festive shoppers will be keen to spend any gift cards, vouchers and cash after Christmas Day
Christmas often sees our favourite shops switch up their opening hours and days. Most people will have put their out of office on, with work not something they plan to think about until 2026 rolls around.
Those who ended up with cash and gift cards on Christmas Day may be eager to spend while they have time off work and school. But, some shops won’t be in a major rush to welcome customers back through the front doors just yet.
Instead, a few big brands will be letting staff take a well-earned break following the Christmas season that comes each December, when people prepare for the festivities. Here, we’ve compiled information on some of the most popular shops that Brits love to visit.
Home Bargains
All Home Bargains stores in the UK will be closed on Boxing Day. The discount store announced earlier this year that it would be closed for three days over the festive period, including Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
The store did the exact same last Christmas (2024), so it should come as no surprise to shoppers who have been fans of the brand for a while now. Bosses made the call to shut shops across the country “so that employees can spend the festive season with their loved ones.”
A spokesperson for Home Bargains said: “Our colleagues work incredibly hard throughout the year, and we want to recognise that commitment. As a family-run business, we understand the importance of spending time with family and friends, particularly over the holidays.”
All Home Bargains stores in the UK will close at 5pm on Christmas Eve. Shoppers will be able to return during Christmas week, between December 27 and 31, for normal shopping. There will be another closure on New Year’s Day (January 1), and then, on January 2, normal service will resume.
B&M
According to its website, B&M stores will open on Boxing Day as well as New Year’s Day. The only day you won’t be able to shop is Christmas Day and closing hours drop back from 11pm to 10pm from December 27.
Checking your local store online would give you the best information about opening times, but the majority appear to be opening at 8am and closing at 6pm on Boxing Day. The same applies to both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
Primark
Clothing and homeware store Primark will be open on Boxing Day – but with reduced hours. A Primark spokesperson said: “The opening hours of our UK stores will vary by store over the festive period, so shoppers should check their local store times on our website to plan their visits.” You can find the full details for local Primark stores’ opening hours here.
The Range
The Range has announced it will close all branches on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. It confirmed people will have to wait until December 27 to shop in their stores as they’ll be shut on Boxing Day to give their staff a break.
Sharing a post to Instagram, The Range wrote: “Quick heads up! Our stores will be closed on Boxing Day because even we need a little break from all the festive fun.” It told shoppers they could still buy Boxing Day bargains on its website if they wanted to shop on December 26.
