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The Queen's funeral: Which businesses are open and closed?

Asda An Asda staff member helps a customerAsda

Major shops and businesses across the UK shut their doors as a mark of respect for Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her funeral.

King Charles III approved a bank holiday on Monday for the state funeral at Westminster Abbey.

It was up to employers to decide whether to give staff the day off to observe the national day of mourning.

Many supermarkets and shop chains decided to close their doors, while others limited opening hours.

Here's an at-a-glance guide to what was open and closed on the day of the Queen's funeral.

Supermarkets

It is thought more than a million people travelled to London for the state funeral so some convenience stores stayed open to give them access to food and drink.

  • Aldi, Lidl and Morrisons closed all of their stores
  • Asda stores were closed until 17:00 BST. Online deliveries are not being offered either
  • Sainsbury's shut large stores. Sainsbury's Local and petrol stations opened from 17:00 until 22:00 BST. Some central London shops are open
  • Large Tesco shops were shut. Tesco Express stores opened at 17:00 BST. Some stores in central London and Windsor are open
  • Waitrose shut all of its stores apart from a small number in London along the route of the procession

Shops

Getty Images John Lewis storeGetty Images
John Lewis is among the stores that will close in order to mark the Queen's funeral

Department stores Harrods, Selfridges, John Lewis and House of Fraser have shut their doors, while some shopping centres were showing the funeral on big screens.

Other shops that closed include:

  • Apple
  • Argos
  • B&Q
  • Blue Diamond Garden Centres
  • Clinton's Cards
  • Currys
  • David Clulow Opticians, Sunglass Hut and Ray-Ban
  • Game
  • Holland & Barrett
  • Homebase
  • Ikea
  • Jack Wills
  • Lakeland
  • Pets at Home
  • Primark
  • Specsavers
  • Sports Direct
  • The White Company
  • Wilko

Leisure

Center Parcs Sherwood Forest
Center Parcs backtracked on its plan to ask guests to leave on Monday after complaints from angry holidaymakers

Holiday resort Center Parcs backtracked over a decision to ask guests to leave its sites on the day of the Queen's funeral. Guests have been allowed to stay but on-site facilities including restaurants are shut. Butlin's holiday resort stayed open on Monday, with some changes to arrival times. Some leisure operators decided to close their doors as a mark of respect.

  • Cinema chains Odeon, Cineworld and Showcase were closed
  • Vue Cinemas were not showing films, but screening the funeral for free at some sites
  • Better which runs gyms, libraries and other venues for local authorities closed all of its sites

Pubs

Linda Carter, played by Kellie Bright
EastEnders fictional pub the Queen Vic played tribute to the Queen in a special scene

Some of the UK's largest pub and restaurant chains stayed open as a place for communities to come together to remember the Queen.

  • Wetherspoon said its pubs in central London, rail stations and airports and all of its hotels for residents would stay open as normal but the majority of its pubs will open later than usual, after the state funeral
  • Greene King said all of its pubs in central London and most of those with televisions across the country would be open throughout Monday showing Her Majesty's funeral service
  • Fullers Group - which has over 400 pubs - told the BBC it expected the majority of its pubs to be open "to join with their communities and celebrate the life of an amazing and inspirational leader"
  • JW Lees said pubs were "hubs of their communities" and its 44 pubs will stay open

Restaurants and takeaways

Getty Images Woman stood outside a McDonaldsGetty Images
  • McDonalds closed its 1,300 UK restaurants from midnight until 17:00 and with no food deliveries during this time
  • Greggs shops are closed, although the company said a small number of shops operated by its franchise partners may remain open

Other aspects of daily life have also been put on hold on the day of the state funeral.

Post offices were closed after Royal Mail announced its services would be suspended. Some of the UK's biggest strikes by postal workers and rail staff have also been put on hold.

Major London train stations will be open and hundreds of extra train services have been scheduled with some running through the night.

Pharmacies such as Lloyds and Well Pharmacy were shut all day.

Some funerals that were scheduled for Monday have been postponed, in some cases at the request of the bereaved families and others because cemeteries and crematoria are closed for the day.

The government advised on its website that the additional bank holiday "will allow individuals, businesses and other organisations to pay their respects to Her Majesty and commemorate Her reign, while marking the final day of the period of national mourning".

Although it says that some businesses "may wish to consider closing or postponing events", there is no statutory entitlement to time off for workers.