Should they change the Sunday Opening Hours?

[Tilda77]

Just that really..DH and I were then pondering going to the supermarket but have no mood at the moment and time is running out as they shut at 4pm.
I was just wondering what others thought of this law that large shops are only allowed to open for 6 hours on a Sunday? We would probably have gone to the supermarket a little later if that was an option. Some people may like to work on a Sunday to be able to earn some extra wages? Does anyone think it's time to change the laws or do you think they should stay the same ?

It's stupid that smaller shops are shut. They're doing themselves out of business.

Why? What's so sacred about a Sunday?

People who don't work Sundays often don't have the benefit of time off during the week when everything is open and considerably less crowded because all the "twats" are at work.

I'm sure they have more than 1 day to do these things. Not just 30 mins before the shop closes

Have a heart, we only got rid of wartime pub opening hours in the 1980s.

Small shops can't afford to stay open all the time
They can't afford to pay staff so they need to be there the whole time the shop is open
And if custom is thin you also have the expense of heating band lights

I agree, they should be abolished. I needed to pop to The Range this morning and then DH suggested going out for breakfast. We couldn't do both as The Range didn't open till 10.30 so I couldn't pop there then go out for breakfast/brunch.

I just felt like I was hanging around wasting my morning waiting for the shops to open.

It's so outdated, why is Sunday anymore a day of rest than any other day off? Those that work on a Sunday will likely have days off in the week, probably 2 days. Why on their two days do they get to be as productive or as lazy as they desire but those of us who get Saturday and Sunday have half the hours available on one of our days?

Agree.

The ‘day of rest’ argument makes no sense in this day and age when we need people to work every day of the week for a variety of reasons and we have employment laws that ensure people have adequate rest days. Why is a Sunday better for resting than a Thursday if that’s your day off work?

Most breakfast places are open before 1030. Pull your shit together and get out earlier

Most breakfast places are open before 1030. Pull your shit together and get out earlier

Not just me who was puzzled why poster could do one but not both, then.

@Hellsmovie I don't. I work 8-5 Mon-Fri. I have Saturday and Sunday when I'm also in sole charge of my small children to do any in-person shopping, admin stuff, laundry, socialising, cleaning, sports clubs, birthday parties etc. I already struggle to get to places like libraries and banks that have limited weekend opening. I could do without supermarkets and other shops being closed as well.

Oh of course🙄. I work over 7 days i do not get extra pay for working on Saturday/Sunday or Bank Holidays. The only bonus of working Sunday is it is shorter hours i get to go home and spend time with my Ds.

The emergency services have to work shifts /nights is stupid also. The ambulance service is needed 24/7 . People do not need retail 24/7..

The fact you had 6 hours in which to go shopping but couldn't be bothered the mind boggles.

I definitely agree. It’s annoying notbhavi g them open for longer. I also dislike libraries and art galleries (any council run) being closed on a Sunday where I am.

I live in Scotland so it's normal trading. I absolutely agree.

I think it would be madness to go backwards and have all day closing. Imagine working all week, having plans for a Saturday with the kids and being unable to get the groceries in on the Sunday because the shops are no longer open.

I work all different days. Doesn't make a difference if it's a Monday, Thursday or a Sunday. Like everyone else, I'm still entitled to my days off. Opening on Sundays doesn't mean poor retail workers would be working all week long without breaks. There are countless jobs like carers, factory workers, NHS workers, dog walkers, call centres operatives, police and everywhere between who all work on Sundays.

I think that the shops should be shut on Sundays.

Seems like a mixed opinion. We were just having a conversation. We'd already decided we would wait and go another day when we have more time hence why I posted asking what other people thought. I haven't been home all day doing nothing waiting until it's almost time for the shops to close.

Day of Rest advocates...
Would you be happy with restaurants, theme parks, NT places, theatres, pubs, sports venues etc also closing? Or is it just shops?

Yes the rule should be dropped. It used to give the independent smaller shops a chance to make money but now with Tesco metros and sainsburys locals etc it seems pointless and just makes our lives more difficult.

We'd have to close MN down on Sundays too, can’t have MNHQ staff having to run the site when they should all be enjoying a day of rest.

I agree. I remember the days when supermarkets closed at 6pm, 7pm on a Friday and shut on Sunday. That was also back when supermarkets just sold food.
Bank Holidays closed, boxing day and new year's day closed. Never heard any wailing and gnashing of teeth like these days when shops have the temerity to shut for one day!!

You're not wrong.

I was working in retail when the Sunday hours came in and everyone in the shop hated it.

The first problem was that we were all on contracts that said we worked M - Saturday with one day off in the week. To be asked to work Sunday meant over time which was ok as a one off but not every week as it really did disrupt life.

So because we weren't eager to work on Sundays management started harrassing us and saying how we weren't team players and that we wouldn't get pay rises. That didn't really work so they started to hire new people on M - Sun contracts with no overtime but couldn't get any experienced people to "supervise" and none of the managers actually wanted to work it either.

So while things have moved on over the last couple of decades there is still this attitude of Sunday being a day off - office workers don't usually have to work so why should shop workers. I know that things are changing in a lot of industries - bank call centres open 24/7 etc but people work that because they have to, not because they want to.

It's only the "you and me"s who don't have to work on a Sunday that want to force others to do so for our convenience.

It's only the "you and me"s who don't have to work on a Sunday that want to force others to do so for our convenience.

You're right. And I don't work weekends. But it's not really fair to expect others to. So maybe the compromise is Sunday trading hours?

They might quite fancy picking up some groceries after a shift on a Sunday evening. Then they can go to a corner shop or Tesco Express which are likely to be far more convenient anyway than a huge supermarket.

I agree.