With Christmas just around the corner, residents across Herefordshire and beyond should prepare for changes to both supermarket hours and bus services throughout the festive period.
The holiday season often prompts supermarkets to adjust their opening hours, and 2024 is no exception. Major retailers have announced their schedules for Christmas week, ensuring shoppers know when to stock up on last-minute festive essentials.
Aldi will operate from 8am to 10pm from December 16 to 23. On Christmas Eve, stores will close early at 6pm and remain closed on Christmas Day. Customers can return for their shopping on Boxing Day, but hours will be reduced, with doors reopening at 8am and closing at 6pm. Normal operating hours will resume on December 27, opening at 8am until 6pm.
Lidl similarly adjusts its hours, with operations running from 8am to 10pm from December 18 to 23. Christmas Eve sees the same early closure at 10pm, but the supermarket closes entirely on Christmas Day. Shoppers can expect Lidl to open on Boxing Day, though hours may vary by location.
Tesco states its hours may differ based on the size of its stores. Extra and superstores will be open until 7pm on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas Day. Boxing Day hours will run from 9am to 6pm, and varied hours will apply on December 27, with locals advised to check their specific store.
ASDA has also publicized its hours, with most stores open until 7pm on Christmas Eve, but closed on Christmas Day. On Boxing Day, customers can shop from 9am to 6pm. For those shopping at ASDA on December 27, select stores will return to normal hours.
Morrisons, meanwhile, will be open from 6am to 10pm on Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day, and resuming service on Boxing Day with hours from 9am to 6pm.
Lastly, Sainsbury’s will close early at 7pm on Christmas Eve, remain closed on Christmas Day, then open from 9am to 6pm on Boxing Day. The following day, Sainsbury's reopens with extended hours from 7am to 10pm.
It's worth noting the importance of checking individual store hours before making the trip, as variations may apply.
Turning to public transportation, Herefordshire Council has released its Christmas bus service modifications. Beginning December 23, services will be adjusted, running on limited schedules until January 3, 2025.
On December 23, residents can expect weekday school holiday services. Exceptions include Stagecoach South Wales offering Saturday services on routes T14 and X3, and Saturday service for Stagecoach West on routes 33, 35, and 746. Unfortunately, the Herefordshire section of the 32 service will not run.
Christmas Eve will also see modifications, retaining weekday school holiday timings, with notable early finishes for several services. Stagecoach South Wales again provides Saturday schedules on the T14 and X3 routes. Early finish times include the last Stagecoach 81B bus departing at 3:30pm and the G service's final run at 6pm.
During both Christmas Day and Boxing Day, no bus services will operate. Commuters can expect standard weekday school holiday schedules to resume on December 27, albeit with exceptions, including Lugg Valley Travel running Saturday services across all routes.
Normal Saturday service hours will return on December 28, with the exception of Sargeants — their A and B services will not run. Sunday service will resume on December 29, maintaining the A and B stands as exceptions.
The New Year promises additional changes, as no services will be available on January 1. Residents will again note limited schedules from January 2 through January 3, mirroring the adjustments made before the New Year.
It’s advised for those relying on public transport to keep abreast of these changes to avoid any inconvenience during the festive period. Using local government websites and visiting supermarket pages will provide the most accurate and current information. With the holiday rush upon us, awareness is key.
