Are Pubs Open on Boxing Day
Here’s the magic of the Boxing Day pub trip: it’s the only day of the year when you’re allowed to be a complete mess in public. Your hair looks like you’ve been through a hedge backwards, you’re still wearing the jumper your aunt gave you that says “Live, Laugh, Leftovers,” and nobody cares. In fact, they’re in the same boat. The pub becomes a sanctuary of shared, bleary-eyed camaraderie. You’ll find yourself having a deep conversation with a stranger about the ethics of eating a second mince pie. It’s beautiful.
But beware the return trip. After 4 PM, the pub transforms into a battlefield of queued-up coats and desperate phone calls to taxis that never come. The walk home is a comedy of errors: navigating icy pavements while holding a half-and-half shandy in a plastic glass. You’ll look like a penguin with a walking stick.
One local pub celebrates Boxing Day with all-day breakfast, soccer
The golden rule: call ahead or check social media
Before you don your damp coat and brave the elements, check the pub’s website or social media. Seriously, don’t rely on memory or what Dave from down the road said. Pub opening times on Boxing Day are more changeable than a toddler’s mood. I once walked a mile to my local, only to find a handwritten note on the door: “Closed. Watching the racing at home. Sorry.” I felt like I’d been ghosted by a beer tap.
But when you do find one open—and you will—it’s worth it. The fires are roaring, the beer is cold, and the conversation is beautifully pointless. It’s the one day when everyone agrees: the turkey can wait, the leftovers can wait, and your New Year’s resolutions? They’re on hold until January 2nd anyway.