As the cost of living crisis deepens, the kindness of The Alexandra Wimbledon is to be saluted; they are offering free Christmas lunches with wine on 25th December for all lonely single people
Proof that kindness and generosity of spirit still does exist comes with news that a south-west London pub, Young’s & Co. Brewery PLC owned The Alexandra Wimbledon, is offering on-the-house Christmas lunches including wine for anyone who is by themselves on Christmas Day this year.
Rather like Bill and Cath Mullarkey – a pair of chefs turned EuroMillions winners who featured in The Steeple Times in January last year after they provided free Caribbean food to the homeless and pensioners – the staff and management of this Victorian boozer have been providing this service since 2014, but in 2022 when the cost of living crisis has well and truly hit, it will no doubt be especially welcomed.
Open to not only locals of the Wimbledon, SW19 area but to anyone who can get themselves to this public house on 25th December between 12 noon and 3pm, of the initiative Square Meal shared: “The only rule is you have be on your own.”
Single diners will be seated on tables of four, six or eight people and given a three-course roast Christmas dinner with wine or beer and will also thereby get the opportunity to make friends with others in a similar boat to themselves.
We say: Cheers to that and well done to The Alexandra; one Wimbledon ‘regular’ who sadly won’t be free to make it though is Boris Becker. Fresh out of the clink, this tennis legend skedaddled out of Biggin Hill on a chum’s ‘PJ’ just days ago and will unlikely be back anytime before 2032 given he’s banned from entry to the UK until then.
The Alexandra is situated at 33 Wimbledon Hill Road, London, SW19 7NE. Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8947 7691.
Editor’s Note – Unlike as is the case in many publications, this article was NOT sponsored or supported by a third-party.
This weekend on Instagram, the kind-hearted team at this south-west London public house announced that the offer would run from 12 noon until 3pm and is “completely free.” They did ask for support from those with the ability and for food contributions and volunteers also. “Every bit counts and we appreciate it all so much,” they added alongside a photograph of volunteers from when they did this in a previous year.The “free Christmas Day dinner and booze thing” was thought up to support “anyone who’s otherwise on their own this year.” Of it, the pub’s Twitter account recently shared: “Don’t be on your own on Christmas Day, come to us instead. We’ll give you free dinner and vino. I 100% promise you there’s no catch. Just come.” According to ‘Square Meal’: “So, how does it work? Guests who take up The Alex’s offer will be seated on tables of four, six or eight people where they’ll be served a three-course Christmas dinner along with wine. As much as it’s about the festive feast, the idea behind the tradition is to ensure no one has to spend Christmas alone. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to meet new people!”
The fact that this pub also has its own book exchange provides definite proof that it is very much run with community spirit and kindness in mind. In a winter where cold weather has most definitely come to accompany empty pockets due to the cost of living crisis, this kind of initiative is something that other establishments should most definitely also adopt.Elsewhere in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, Scotland, a pub named The Kittoch is also offering a free nosh-up for “lonely local residents who would otherwise be spending the festivities on their own.” According to ‘Heart.co.uk,’ the pub will provide a table for up to ten people who will each receive a “complimentary drink on arrival and a three-course Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.” Who knows what Santa will bring as extras for the guests there – in May 2017, “a shocked motorist found a bag containing £30,000 worth of cocaine in the footwell of his [unlocked] car after he left it parked behind a pub overnight. He handed in the stash to police, who are trying to establish who dumped the drugs in the Citroën C1.”
A graduate of the London School of Economics, Matthew Steeples is a writer and marketing consultant. He conceived The Steeple Times as a media arena to fill the void between the Mail Online, The Huffington Post and such organs as the New York Social Diary in 2012.
As Prince Harry brings Pizza Express up in legal proceedings against Mirror Group Newspapers, shouldn’t the chain be given a royal warrant given Prince Andrew used it as an alibi also?
As the Duchess of Sussex gets busy with ‘lemon olive oil cake’ for a new cookery book and revives ‘The Tig’ also, one is left wondering if she’ll collaborate with Elizabeth Arden and promote ‘todger cream’ as well.
As McDonald’s attracts mockery for placing a “darkly comical” advert for their McCrispy sandwich next to a crematorium sign in Cornwall, we discover a journalist enthusiast for the processed chicken product who even wears McDonald’s branded leisurewear.
‘The Steeple Times’ counters ‘Dry January’ by selecting five drinking delights that those on a variety of budgets will say cheers to in this anything but actually maudlin month.
Matthew Steeples samples petrolhead and television chef James Martin’s London Dry Gin and finds tradition with a twist dominates in his punchy 44% ABV tipple.
£1 per week Supports The Steeple
Times
Help journalism to remain honest & independent. You can make a difference to the world today.
Please subscribe, like and share this unique site, it helps us tremendously. The Steeple Times in return will send you an email at noon each and everyday, that we sincerely hope you will enjoy & look forward to seeing in your inbox.
As Kevin Spacey’s eccentric ‘friend’ Geoffrey Mark claims the “exonerated” actor will now “leave the nonsense behind” and begin his comeback, we remind of his friendships with ‘curious sorts’ including Prince Andrew, Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Harvey Weinstein.
As the grubby groper Chris Pincher resigns as an MP, this sex pest bizarrely pens a crass column in which he laments times passed when “life was to be lived and not loathed.”
Matthew Steeples highlights the stories he’s been following during the ‘silly season’ summer of 2023 – amongst them matters Ghislaine Maxwell and Rudy Giuliani and podcasts about ‘true crime’ as a genre.
Phillip Schofield filmed smoking shisha with his alleged ex-lover Matt McGreevy (and pictured in bed thereafter); another image shows the pair together in photograph...
‘Politicalite’ suggest Phillip Schofield orchestrated his ‘mass coming out’ after a former ‘This Morning’ runner had gone to the press about a supposed relationship...
As author Kirby Sommers suggests that the then Meghan Markle likely spent time with Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein before she met Prince Harry, we again highlight the mucky, murkiness and mendacious manner of this alleged “yacht girl.”
Expose interview with Matthew Steeples by Shaun Attwood and Jennifer Hopkins about the former Meghan Markle watched over 73,000 times in 16 hours since it aired; Steeples condemns hapless Prince Harry and his meddling menace wife.
Power of social media proven after senseless killing of James Scurlock in Omaha, Nebraska allegedly by a controversial bar owner named Jake Gardner who has been photographed with Donald Trump.
Oldham born divorcee and former glamour model Ampika Pickston describes herself as “feisty, fun loving and warm hearted”. Now based in Hale Barns, Cheshire...
A rapper and grime MC turned TV star of ‘Big Zuu’s Big Eats,’ Zuhair Hassan is an example of a youngster with infectious positivity and great talent. A modern-day Keith Floyd in the making.
Entitled Hamptons brat Jonathan Davis exposed for allegedly squatting in Sag Harbor during the coronavirus lockdown; it turns out he’s a realtor with NestSeekers.
As the grubby groper Chris Pincher resigns as an MP, this sex pest bizarrely pens a crass column in which he laments times passed when “life was to be lived and not loathed.”
As Kevin Spacey’s eccentric ‘friend’ Geoffrey Mark claims the “exonerated” actor will now “leave the nonsense behind” and begin his comeback, we remind of his friendships with ‘curious sorts’ including Prince Andrew, Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Harvey Weinstein.
Oldham born divorcee and former glamour model Ampika Pickston describes herself as “feisty, fun loving and warm hearted”. Now based in Hale Barns, Cheshire...