The Christmas tree at Trafalgar Square has attracted scores of revellers, but this might not be the case on Sunday amid festive celebrations indoors
(Picture: Getty Images)London is set to appear eerily silent on Christmas Day because many shops, restaurants, and transportation services will be closed.
Planning is therefore essential if you need to buy something or eat in the capital.
However, all royal parks (which include the majority of the big ones in London) are open, affording the ideal opportunity for a brisk winter stroll.
Here is our guide to everything we know that is open on Christmas Day.
Restaurants
Restaurants open on Christmas Day will likely have limited opening hours, so it's worth double-checking with them directly. Here are a list of a handful of places that will be open:
- Sofra, Turkish, various locations
- Strada, Italian, various locations
- Bella Italia, Italian, various locations
- Cinnamon Club, Indian, Westminster
- Tayyabs, Indian, Whitechapel
- Le Vacherin, French, Chiswick
- Gaby’s Deli on Charing Cross Road, Middle Eastern, open from 12pm for lunch
- Orrery, French, Marylebone
Pubs
- The Owl and Pussycat, Shoreditch
- The Pilot, North Greenwich
- The Abbeville, Clapham
- The AnchorBankside, Southwark
- Audley, Mayfair
- The Bull’s Head, Barnes
- The Canonbury Tavern, Islington
- The Flask, Hampstead (12-4pm)
- The Swan, Hammersmith
- Wetherspoon pubs, Various locations
- Founders Arms, Southwark (12-5pm)
- The Hope Pub, Wandsworth
- Horniman at Hays, London Bridge
- The Queens Pub and Dining Room, Crouch End
- The Roebuck, Richmond
- Spaniard’s Inn, Hampstead Heath
- Spread Eagle, Camden Town (until 4pm)
Transportation
The tube, buses, TfL Rail, DLR, Overground, trams, river buses, Emirates Air Line, and National Rail are all not running on Christmas Day.
Taxis, private hires, and Dial-a-Ride will be the only modes of transportation available.
Christmas markets
Unfortunately, these are unlikely to be open anywhere in the capital.
Supermarkets
Major supermarkets including Tesco, Morrisons, Aldi, Co-op, M&S, Asda, Lidl and Sainsbury’s are all closed on Christmas Day.
However, smaller shops may be open to help those in need of last-minute items.
Deliveroo
The online food delivery service is running throughout the Christmas period.
Post offices
Christmas occurs on a Sunday this year, which means that all post office outlets in the UK will be closed.
Some branches will open on Tuesday, December 27.
Hospitals
Here are a list of the main hospitals in London that are open 24 hours, but hours might differ:
- Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel Road
- University College Hospital, 235 Euston Road
- St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road
- Guy’s Hospital, Great Maze Pond
- Homerton University Hospital, Homerton Row
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, 162 City Rd
- St Bartholomew’s Hospital, W Smithfield
GP appointments
You can get an urgent appointment with a GP in north-east London from 8am to 8pm on Christmas Day. This includes practices in Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Hackney and the City of London.
If you have an urgent but non-life-threatening medical need, visit NHS 111 online at https://111.nhs.uk/ or call 111.
Church
Christmas Day services will be held at a large number of churches and cathedrals in the London area, including St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.
Additionally, St Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square hosts a Christmas Day service.
Hampton Pool
The heated pool will be open to daring souls who want to take a plunge. Make sure to reserve your tickets in advance.
Take a Thames boat ride
Book yourself in for a classic river Thames sightseeing tour.
