24 hours opening for shops and town centres...?

[joko]

This is not about the pubs etc.

I was just wondering what people thought of 24 hour opening for shops, shopping centres, restaurants, factories, offices, stations, etc, like they have in the usa?

would this bring more jobs - people doing late shifts etc, and more profit for the businesses? increased productivity etc?

most people work 9-5 type hours and this is the time that shops are open, so the majority of people can only go shopping in snatched hours, lunchtimes, in passing, sundays, or the few extra hours some places stay open. they don't get the chance to just stroll around much.
i know some places are open all night, but most places shut at 6, especially out of london.

this would likely only be possible in town centres, but what do people think - would you like to see this happen, would it open up a whole new way of life to you?
would you stay open 24 hours?

cheers

[Octavius]

With the advent of online shopping 24/7 � is this really necessary?

If Bluewater was open 24 hours a day, I don�t think you would see me there in then late hours.

24 hour shopping centres? Couldn�t think of anything worse.

[lafrancaise]

In France, they're still debating whether Sunday opening should be legal! For the moment, the shops which do open pay a fine (mostly DIY shops) but the trade compensates this. Surveys show that about 55% of the population are for this.
A lot of people are concerned that this would mean people who work for these shops wouldn't have a choice wether they worked or not on a Sunday as would extra staff be taken on? In the UK for the time being everybody manages to get to the shops in opening hours so it would just mean if they were open 24/7 there'd be less people in the shops so wouldn't need as much staff!

[dot.hawkes]

Modern retail is very understaffed, if hours were extended, it would create a poorer level of service, as departments would be stretched staff wise and companies would expect the hours used to cover a store to be kept to the bare minimum , sometimes one person can be left on their own on a department fcor up to 4 hours and this is a very demoralising and unproductive way of using staff, i would not expect 24 hour shopping generally to be the way forward.

[Postdog]

And if shops are open 24 hours, why do they still have locks?

(sorry, it's Saturday night, I don't thave the money to go out, and I think I'm getting a little internet doolally)

[dot.hawkes]

well if you are geting a little internet doolally i want one too, are they free when we log on to ab? i shall email the ed for one asap, can i have a silver one with sparkles on please?

[missyR]

I don't work in retail anymore but when i did (for about 3 months) we were fine in terms of staffing. But i think this would create more jobs for people and it's far more convinient. If i need something its a mad panic to get to the shops before closing!

[joko]

i agree missy, though perhaps 24 hr is unnecessary - perhaps just up to midnight or something would work, more jobs, more revenue, more convenience, i personally would rather work from say 2pm to 10pm or midnight, than 8am to 6pm.

i am sure there are many who would be happy to do those hours.

also in factories and offices, where customers are not really an issue, i mean how many offices phone their customers during the day to discuss their accounts - only to find, surprise their is noone in because they are at work.
many companies do now stay open until 8,9,10 o'clock because they have realised that everyone has different routines and lives.
i would love to go on a wander down my local high st at 10, 11 at night, a leisurely stroll, perhaps buy a few things, stop in a cafe for a cuppa, i'd just like the choice

some shops would say they are not busy enough to warrant the extra staff and hours - but i say, that that is because a huge pecentage of your potential customers are at work when you are open, and therefore cannot come in!

[Postdog]

Serious post this time. The only snag with extended hours - and I know this from experience because we have had both large and small shops open late round our way - are the undesirables who tend to use it as a meeting point. It's all very well thinking at 8 O'clock at night "oh I need some milk" only to be put off from actually getting any because you have to run the gauntlet of bored schoolkids.

[jollygreen]

joko - where do I begin??? I think you are absolutely nuts! There is more to life than shopping. Have you considered that many of these offices that are open 24 hours are call centres in India. Also what about the poor sods who work in retail? Isn't it enough that they get (if they are lucky) one day off over xmas (having worked until the early hours setting up the sales for all thoses saddos who didn't get enough shopping done in the run up to xmas). Many retail staff don't get a choice about shifts or days worked either. Nearly every retailer is short staffed, increasingly relying on part-timers, which ends up creating more jobs yes, but then people have to take on 2 or 3 of them to make ends meet. Most big cities have a late night for shopping (usually a thursday) as well as being open all weekend, I should think thats enough opportunity for the biggest shopaholic.

[joko]

jolly green - yes i am aware that there is more to life than shopping, but thanks for bringing it to my attention (!)

so xmas is bad...so when isn't it?
just because it will make things more difficult at xmas is no reason to cut it out for the rest of the year.

i am aware of call centres.
not all businesses use them and so what anyway? the point is - it works, because people want to make those call late night.

you points, whilst relevant , don't really make much difference to the benefits.

[TML1112]

joko. I live in Canada. Over the Christmas season many of our shops were open 24 hours. I must say I really enjoyed it and did not think I would. I am not a shopaholic, nor do I even like shopping! However, During this time when the shops were open 24 hours I took advantage, I was finished work for the day, my boys were in bed I had my sister come sit with them and I went shopping. It was great!

[Reverandfunk]

Think it's a sad state of affairs with the current opening hours we have. Big shopping centres already open upwards of 12 hours a day six days a week, so any arguement about not having time to go shopping is rubbish. The people who suffer are those who work in shops, minimum wage, family life suffers etc etc. What happened to Sundays with the family lol