Under plans being suggested by the Government, England could suspend Sunday trading laws for a year in a bid to boost the economy. However, the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) – who has added its support to the Keep Sunday Special campaign – is opposed to the proposals, saying it would not benefit small independent retailers.
“All stores opening normal hours on Sundays is not good for the high street in general, and for the smaller retailers,” stated Andrew Goodacre, ceo, Bira. “We already know retail parks are prospering by comparison and I do not see any good argument for making these changes.”
So what do independent gift retailers think? “As a destination site we have always been open on Sunday, though we operate slightly shorter hours,” Nic Stone, owner of The Bottle Kiln in West Hallam, told GiftsandHome.net. “Like many businesses with cafes currently on takeaway/delivery, we have gone down to five days to re-open so that we can operate with one small team, and the shop will follow, so ironically our business will be closed on Mondays for a while until trade normalises.”
Continued Nic: “What always surprised me in the past was that Sunday here was rarely a very busy day. Customers in general very much preferred Saturdays, and quite often Friday was also busier. I’m surprised that there needed to be changes to be honest, as most stores that want to open seem to do so already, though I am encouraged that the government finally seems to have woken up to the interests of small businesses and their vital role in the economy. My worry now is that shop owners will feel obliged to work seven days a week and may burn out. We must be careful to look after ourselves in these challenging times.”
At Jo Amor in Tiverton, owner Jo Webber says: “As we trade in a market town, with not all the businesses open for Sunday trading, I don’t feel this is the time for us to introduce it as it would put extra pressure on us and our staff. However, for retailers by the sea or in tourist areas, I’m sure it would be a benefit to try and catch up on lost revenue in a smaller window.”
On the south coast, Bob England, owner of England At Home in Brighton commented: “I don’t think that it will make any difference to us. We’re just keen to be able to re-open again.”
However, one gift shop who has already taken the decision not to open her shop on Sundays is Jo Williams, owner of Joco Interiors in Nuneaton. “The thought of going back to 8am-6pm six days a week and then opening on Sundays isn’t appealing, so things will be changing massively when we return. I want not only myself but my staff to have time with their families, so I will no longer be opening on Sundays, which could be an issue with the shopping centre, but I will deal with that when it happens.”
Sunday trading laws were first introduced in 1994, limiting shops with retail space over 280 square metres to a maximum of six hours trading. However, new legislation would allow bigger stores to open for longer on Sundays.
Top: Will relaxing Sunday trading laws benefit independent retailers?
