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good dryday

Here are the other countries where it's hard to buy alcohol today

While these countries take measures on Good Friday – they’re not quite as restrictive as here.

IT MAY HAVE slipped your mind to make a visit to the off licence yesterday.

Unless you are willing to take some creative measures – like taking a long train journey somewhere – it looks like you’re not going to have an easy time finding alcohol on Good Friday.

This is thanks to laws that date back to 1927 that prohibit its sale.

Well, while other countries might not come down as hard, there are quite a few places where it isn’t the free for all that it might be on any other Friday in the year.

Here are a few other countries that are feeling the pain today…

Northern Ireland

Our brethren in ‘Norn Iron’ aren’t exactly facing a shut out – but there are a number of restrictions in place. Today, pubs and restaurants have a six-hour window between 5pm and 11pm in which they are able to serve alcohol.

Bars are also compelled to stop serving at 12am on Easter Thursday and Saturday and 10pm on Easter Sunday.

These laws have come in for some criticism previously and business owners have described them as “archaic”.

Australia

It might not be such a ‘g’day’, depending on what your plans for later on are. The land of Neighbours, kangaroos and Shane Warne also takes something of a restrictive view towards boozing on ‘Good Dryday’, but once again, it isn’t quite a closed shop.

In Queensland, pubs are prevented from selling spirits and ‘bottle shops’ are closed. Patrons of restaurants are restricted to boozing for one hour before and after dining.

In New South Wales the pubs open at noon and close again at 10pm.

The United States Virgin Islands

One place that takes things pretty seriously when it comes to putting a lid on the sauce bottle for one day a year is the US Virgin Islands – an island nation in the Caribbean. Laws are in place that prohibit the sale of alcohol between 9am and 4pm.

And while that might not seem too harsh – breaking the law could land you in jail or with a fine (to be fair they probably don’t hand out too many prison sentences).

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Pakistan, Iran, etc.

You can’t buy alcohol in these countries on any other day of the year because they’re dry States, ergo, you’re not going to be able to buy it today either.

Been anywhere else with Easter related alcohol laws? Let us know in the comments. 

Read: No drink? No problem – here are some Good Friday events for all

Also: 9 telltale signs it’s Holy Thursday in Ireland

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