UK Shopping Guide to the High Street - Where to Buy Day-to-Day Needs

Small, independent convenience stores in the UK are called off-licences because they can sell alcoholic beverages to drink "off" the premises. Like convenience stores all over the world, an off-licence usually sells a small selection of grocery products and newspapers. In the UK they are open very early and close late -- but the hours are up to the individual owners. Outside the big cities, a 24-hour off-licence like the one pictured above, would be rare.

Confusingly, liquor stores that sell only wine, beer and spirits, are also called off-licences.