Wimbledon pub is serving turkey dinner to people who are alone on Christmas Day

The Alexandra pub in Wimbledon is hoping to spread cheer and joy to locals by offering a free turkey dinner to those who would otherwise be alone.

Owners Mick and Sarah Dore started serving free drinks to anyone spending Christmas on their own 12 years ago.

But after they noticed an older gentleman lingering on after they closed the bar one year, they decided to start serving Christmas dinner as well.

Since 2014, dozens of people have shown up every year for the Wimbledon Hill Road pub’s Don’t Be On Your Own Christmas dinner.

This might include older people, stranded international students and anyone who happens to find themselves alone on December 25.

“It’s quite a hard thing to admit that you’re on your own and to sign up to go to a pub that you don’t normally go to for a meal for people on their own,” Sarah told LondonWorld.

“But people trust us to do it in a way that’s welcoming and non-judgemental.

“It’s growing steadily every year, and the last time we did it in 2019 we had over 149 people.”

The entire initiative is funded completely by customers donating to change boxes behind the bar.

The local community also comes together to buy and wrap gifts so everyone can receive a Christmas present as well.

“All our suppliers have been amazing in donating vegetables and turkeys and drinks as well,” Mrs Dore continues.

“I’m not sure how the pandemic will impact this year’s numbers, whether there will be more people on their own because they don’t want to travel or if people are concerned about mixing in bigger groups and decide to stay home.

“We will cater for roughly a similar number as we had in 2019.

“If you turn up and we have run out of turkey we’ll figure out something else.”

For anyone wanting to go along, all you need to do is show up between 12noon to 3pm on Christmas Day, no booking is required.