Sunday Trading laws srapped during Olympics

[Gromit]

// Chancellor George Osborne will risk a row with Church leaders in this week’s Budget by announcing plans to scrap Sunday trading laws for the summer.
The move – timed to coincide with the Olympics and Paralympics – means that large shops in England and Wales will be allowed to open around the clock for an eight-week period starting 22nd July. //

http://www.dailymail....x-rules-Olympics.html

Should this be permanent? Are the sunday trading rules archaic?

[anotheoldgit]

EvianBaby

/// Our local co-op is open until 10pm on a Sunday but after 5pm they have to close of a certain number of isles -usually the ones with the useful items in. I've never understood what the point of that is. Either tell them to close or let them be fully open, not half open. ///

I think that it was introduced by Labour because the big supermarkets wanted to open on Sundays, and wasn't Lord Sainsbury a very big financial supporter of the Labour Party at that time?

But instead of it having too much of a detrimental effect on the small shopkeeper's profit, (also mainly Labour supporters), they made a compromise, and let them 'part-open'.

[EDDIE51]

It won't generate many jobs if any , the shops will just pressure the exising staff to work overtime. Then the tube drivers will get in on it and demand yet more cash to compensate for the extra shopers in London on a Sunday.

[Ann]

Does anyone like shopping that much as to want to do it Sunday afternoons after 4pm too? I know I don't - I don't like shopping at the best of times, especially food shopping - its a real drag!

[FredPuli43]

Eactly so, aog, it was a compromise. Quite how Mr Singh in our village shop, and his colleagues across the country, benefit because the local Sainsbury, Tesco and Waitrose are shut before 10 am and after 4pm, is not immediately obvious. Their profit from that must be minimal.As in the rest of the week, they survive profitably because they are convenient, which doesn't change.

[ludwig]

I agree with Lazygun....

// Are Sunday trading laws archaic? Yep. Shops should be allowed to trade pretty much whenever they want, subject to the fair and appropriate working conditions for their staff. //

[webbo3]

i work in retail and sunday is the only day i finish early, its nice in the summer to get home and spend some time in the garden or maybe have a barbie for tea, ask anyone who works in retail, they will all say no, we would have people shopping at midnight if they could and we would be open 24-7 if they were allowed.


Dave.

[boxtops]

I agree with ludwig and lazygun - if people want to shop, let the shops be open.

[ludwig]

Webbo - // we would have people shopping at midnight if they could and we would be open 24-7 if they were allowed. //

They couldn't force you to work 24/7 though could they?

[tara20]

If owners of small shops want to open on Sundays, let them - but only they and/or their family members may work.

Let (only) the board of directors stand for ten hours in a supermarket on Sunday - they may rethink.

Staff stays at home ;-))