THIS IS what the spirit of Christmas is all about.
In a gesture of pure compassion and generosity, one Belfast restuarant is opening its doors to anyone who finds themselves alone on Christmas Day.
The Bengal Brasserie on Ormeau Road have announced that the restuarant will be open on Christmas Day of this year, where anyone who would otherwise be eating alone is invited to join the staff for a Christmas meal free of charge.
Writing on Facebook, owner of the Indian restaurant Luthfur Ahmed said he would "like to invite all those who find them self [sic] on their own at Christmas" to "join him and the staff at Bengal Brasserie Ormeau Road on Wednesday 25th December 2019 to share a Christmas meal.
"We look forward to seeing you."
The award-winning restaurant will be open from 12 - 8pm on the day, and anyone who would like to avail of the offer can contact the restaurant on 028 9064 7516, or reserve a space on the restaurant's Facebook page (here).
The offer has attracted a huge response online, with many praising the restaurant owners and staff for their "community spirit" and "incredible", "beautiful" and "amazing" gesture.
The restaurant holds a 4.5 star rating on Trip Advisor and caters to all types of dietary restrictions, and anyone who might need company on what can be the loneliest day of the year is encouraged to attend.
