Aldi will be closing the doors to all its UK stores on Boxing Day this year to allow staff to“spend more time with their families”.
After what has been yet another jam-packed year for the retail industry, and with the run-up to Christmas known to be one of the busiest periods of them all, many workers have been left feeling like they could do with a little extra time off.
And this is why Aldi has announced it will be shutting up shop on a major festive bank holiday this year.
The popular supermarket retailer – which currently has over 1,000 stores across the UK, and employs around 36,000 people – has confirmed that it will close all of its stores on Boxing Day, just as it has done in several years prior – with the company saying it’s to once again say thank you to its tens of thousands of employees “for all their hard work”.
Britain’s fourth-largest supermarket will close on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day this year, before reopening as usual on Wednesday 27 December, so shoppers can pick up all the essentials they may need before New Year’s Day.
As well as the planned bank holiday closures, Aldi is also reminding customers that its opening hours will vary in the run-up to Christmas too – with the supermarket operating extended hours so that everyone has the chance to stock-up on festive food, drink, and more ahead of the big day.
“We recognise that Christmas is an important time for many of our colleagues, and keeping our stores closed on Boxing Day gives them more time to spend with their families,” explained Richard Thornton, the Communications Director at Aldi UK.
“Customers will have plenty to look forward to in the run-up to Christmas, with more of Aldi’s brand-new Christmas ranges arriving in stores over the next few weeks.”
Aldi’s confirmation that all UK stores will be shut on the Boxing Day bank holiday follows in the footsteps of fellow discount retailer Home Bargains, which was one of the first companies to announce back in mid-September that it’ll be closing all its stores across the UK on both Boxing Day and New Year’s Day to make sure staff get a “well deserved break”.
Several other retailers will also be closing doors on selected dates over the festive period for similar reasons cited by Aldi and Home Bargains.
The news that Aldi is closing this Boxing Day also comes after the company launched a massive festive recruitment drive, with the hopes of welcoming 3,000 new staff members, both temporary and permanent, to its teams at stores right across the UK ready for the busy Christmas period.
Some of the roles available include Store Assistants – with starting pay for this being an industry-leading £11.40 per hour nationally – managerial positions, cleaners, and more.
Featured Image – Aldi UK
News
Channel 4 needs people from Yorkshire who think they can survive the apocalypse for a new TV series
Have you always wondered how long you’d last in an apocalypse?
Well now's your chance, as Apocalypse is potentially coming back to Channel 4 for a second series, with producers having put out a nationwide casting call for contestants willing to take part.
The casting call simply reads: "Do you think you have what it takes to survive the end of the world?"
Described as a dystopian series designed to test the creativity, resourcefulness, and resilience of our nation, Apocalypse sees players are pushed out of their comfort zones and put to the ultimate test.
In the series, ordinary people are tasked with surviving for 28 days in an abandoned city - used previously only for the military to practice urban warfare - with no food, running water, electricity or heat.
Produced by The Garden - which is part of ITV Studios - for Channel 4, the show’s creators are now calling on people from Yorkshire with the 'courage and ingenuity' to compete, to get in touch and apply for the potential second series.
Does your mate always bang on after watching a post-apocalyptic film that they would’ve done things differently? Or is the news at the moment freaking you out and you want to give the end of the world a bit of a practice run? Either way, sign up, test that plan you’ve built in your head, and see if you’ve really got what it takes.
Applications are now open, and all you need to do is fill in a short application form and one of the production team will get back to you if they would like to proceed. Come on, let's prove what we're made of.
Applications close on Sunday 4 October 2026 at midnight, and you must be 18 or above, with a valid UK or ROI passport, to enter.
Leeds has been crowned the UK’s spiciest city, according to new research
Clementine Hall
With National Curry Week just around the corner, new research has revealed which UK cities like their food with a kick.
The outcome? Leeds has come out firmly on top.
The research, carried has been out by Britsuperstore, analysed TripAdvisor data to find the UK cities with the highest concentration of restaurants serving some of the world’s most flavour-packed cuisines, including Indian, Thai, Caribbean, Mexican, Korean and Ethiopian food.
And it seems us Leeds lot aren't afraid of a little bit of spice, with the city boasting 51.33 spicy-cuisine restaurants per 100,000 people. Now that's a lot of spice.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
That puts Leeds ahead of Bath and Oxford, which take second and third place respectively, as the cities with the highest concentration of restaurants serving cuisines known for their fiery flavours.
At the other end of the scale, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne has been named the UK’s mildest city, with just 7.14 spicy-cuisine restaurants per 100,000 people.
The top 10 spiciest cities in the UK are:
Leeds
Bath
Oxford
Edinburgh
Bristol
York
Cardiff
London
Swansea
Sheffield
And we can't say we're particularly surprised, as here in Leeds our diverse food scene is very impressive indeed. From iconic Indian street food at Bundobust to Kerala-inspired small plates at Kerala Canteen, there's a spicy dish for everyone to enjoy in and around the city.
So, whether you're someone who orders Extra Hot at Nandos or prefers to keep things firmly on the milder side, Leeds looks like the place to be when it comes to getting your spice fix.
Clementine Hall -
7th November 2023 
