With a free Christmas dinner and vino to boot, alongside the warmth of proprietors Mick and Sarah Dore, Christmas at The Alexandra in Wimbledon is for anyone who would otherwise be alone on the Big Day.
Owners Mick and Sarah have been managing the pub for 14 years (!) and, 12 years ago, they started pouring free pints to anyone spending Christmas on their own. It was a simple, yet effective, method of bringing the community together. It was an act of kindness that ensured everyone had somewhere to go on Christmas. Cut to a handful of years later, when they got a bigger kitchen, they decided to extend the gesture to a slap up Christmas meal. And there is absolutely no catch.
All are welcome at the Alexandra
Dozens of people gather at the Alexandra each year. Among the guests are older people, those who are new to London, or people that have missed their flights/trains to get home for the holidays. This year, they hope to see even larger numbers visiting the pub on December 25. That’s Christmas Day, for those who haven’t been paying attention…
Previous years have seen the local community going all out as they get involved in the event. The day has often found shops and neighbouring residents donating gifts and food. The waiters and waitresses are volunteers, offering up their time to serve up joy and festivity to the punters.
And they even get people offering their time to help wrap presents for the guests. It’s the kind of thing that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside when you hear about it. A delightful reminder of the lovely people that are out there making the world a bit better every day.
So thank you, Mick and Sarah. The world needs more people like you.
Also published on Medium.