to think the government has no grounds to control when shops are open and for how long

[Objection]

Like many people, I'm always thrown by shop closures at Easter. I really don't understand WHY the government deems it necessary to restrict or ban shops from opening - surely that should be at the owners descretion?
Unless I'm missing some crucial point, surely Easter is optimum time for shopping and the economy would benefit from it?

imho and then wonder why we have fractured families.

A lot of us have fractured families because certain family members are arseholes not because they didn't get enough "family time"

Sorry meant to say further competition from online retail outlets!

well it sort of is deprivation if you forget to buy a chicken. forgot totally, luckily coop is open

littledrummergirl What is an essential worker?

To quote ItsaFuckingVase -

restaurant, cafe, hotel, kiosk, cinema, fair, soft play, local shop, petrol station, services, McDonald's

Which of those are essential on any Sunday?

Of course, those people who cannot cope with the shops being closed on Easter Sunday could just move to Scotland. Our local Tesco had. Poster up with its opening hours for the holiday weekend and every day read, "Midnight to midnight" - no closing at all up here, no holiday for Scottish retail workers.

We have our own business and are only closed 4 days a year. My dh usually works 7 days a week, I look forward to knowing nothing is going to stop us having those 4 definite family days! People can use our services 361 days a year, I think that should suffice!

SDTG sounds tempting - I've got my own type of Tartan (family clan colours). Scotland sounds like the place to be.

Not everyone has family or kids. Not everyone is put out working either.

Plus when I worked in retail it was written into the contract that all staff had to work bank holidays. Obviously, this put your holiday allowance up but not very good if your partner has a typical mon-fri job.

There is much more to life than shopping, and for essentials the smaller local shops are still open.

Well yes 24/7 - lets do it for everything, GPs, solicitors, banks, schools, MPs, nurseries, childminders , local govt, civil service, accountants..... FFS - grow up, some services are essential - most are not.

To quote ItsaFuckingVase -

restaurant, cafe, hotel, kiosk, cinema, fair, soft play, local shop, petrol station, services, McDonald's

Yes obviously fucking essential

Ah So if you are childless you should just suck it up eh Elsea.

Everything that is usually open in Scotland on a Sunday is open, which basically means everything except small independent shops will be open. John Lewis, Waitrose, HMV, Hobbs,Waterstones, Zara,M&S French Connection, Primark, etc, etc, etc will be open until at least 5. Waitrose, Sainsburys etc will be open until at least 8.

Not everyone who is childless minds working that is my point darkesteyes. Of course they shouldn't have to suck it up but I'm sure loads of people (with or without children) work or have shifts that they dont want.

The company i work for ban all leave over Easter, no holidays allowed at all.
You can request Easter Monday off but if they want you to work it you must. Easter sunday is a normal trading day, as is good friday.

popcornpaws do you think that is fairer?

A close friend manages a shop. His Facebook status today is about how happy he is because it's one of only 2 days a year that he can guarantee no one will be on at him about work.

You have 363 other days in the year to shop. Let people have some family time for goodness' sake!

Let people have some family time for goodness' sake! - Dont need a public holiday for this to happen. Others manage.

So should we do away with all Bank Holidays then?

Does your work operate on Easter Sunday and Bank Holidays Elsea? Do you work them?

This is our shops busiest time of year..... We are fine with closing!

In fact we've had staff in all day doing a massive rejig and spring clean.... With pizza provided and NO customers. It's been great!!

most of Continental Europe do not have 24 hour opening and today practically everywhere in whole EU will be shut

in europe most shops are shut every sunday not 2 a year

I think the thing of making all days the same and the thing about "well book some holiday then" would result in a big change for most families.

So say eg xmas people might have get-togethers with a few generations and going across the way as well aunts cousins etc and so on.

If you change if so that there is no day where everyone is off you are never going to get a day where granny/great-granny gets to see their children + grandkids etc or whatever. People would use their holiday as they do at the moment and simply spend it on time with the immediate family unit. For eg DH and I wouldn't spend leave on spending time with each other's families and no way would we be able to co-ordinate it so his cousins were there with his babies etc.

So all of that would simply stop. For like 99% of families.

Personally I think that would be a loss, especially just for gaining 2 days of shopping.

I can understand though while others think so what really.