Now for the good (or slightly less bad) news. Costa Coffee and Starbucks—especially the ones in train stations or airports—might be open. But they’ll be staffed by one very tired barista who’s already had three customers ask for "the usual" while juggling a crying toddler. Expect a long queue and a coffee that tastes faintly of desperation.
Petition launched to keep shops closed on Boxing Day | Metro News
McDonald’s is your actual hero here. Many branches are open, but only for limited hours. You can get a McFlurry, but the machine will definitely be broken. It’s a Boxing Day law, I swear. They just turn it off out of spite.
WHSmith at airports and train stations? They’re usually open because travel never stops. You can buy a crinkly copy of a newspaper and a pack of stale chocolate biscuits. Romantic, right? Very festive.
The Exceptions That Prove the Rule
Here’s where it gets chaotic. Primark? Closed. They’re not letting you buy sequin tops at 10am. Boots? Most branches are shut, but some in hospitals or big city centres might be open for really urgent medicine. Like, if you’ve run out of paracetamol because you argued with your uncle about politics.
TK Maxx is a total lottery. Some stores open, some don’t. It’s like they decide based on the phase of the moon. Check their website, but don’t trust it. Just show up and be ready to see a "Sorry We’re Closed" sign that haunts your dreams.
