Gail's, the upmarket bakery chain, has announced that 10 of its London outlets will be open on Christmas Day, a decision that has ignited controversy online. The company, established in 2005 with branches nationwide, shared the news via Instagram on Thursday.
The post stated: 'If you're out and about on Christmas Day, a few of our bakeries will be open. A place for a coffee, a loaf or a familiar face on a quiet morning. And if you stop by, we'll be giving away a mince pie on us – a small gesture of thanks to anyone spending part of the day with us.'
Consumer journalist Harry Wallop criticised the move on X, posting: 'Don't worry, chaps. Gail's is open on Christmas Day! For those who cannot survive one sodding day without a matcha latte and expensive cinnamon bun.' On Instagram, users expressed dismay, with stef1sal commenting: 'Wow, lovely gesture for the public, but poor staff working a full day.' Another user, Jo, said: 'This is absolutely shameful. Give your staff the day off!'
However, some supported the decision. User Andrew Baldwin called it 'a wonderful thing to look forward to,' while houseundertheoak shared: 'This is lovely.' A spokesperson for Gail's explained: 'We’re proud to open a limited number of London bakeries in key locations on Christmas Day, to give people who might need it, somewhere warm and welcoming to go. This was a voluntary decision made by individual staff members. We recognise that not everyone celebrates Christmas and these teams wanted to be there for their communities.'
