to think that Sunday is a normal day and people should behave accordingly.

[HookedOnHooking]

It's fucking medieval that shops are only allowed to open a few hours and not allowed to sell gin at a specific point. It is 2015 FFS.

I like how some people are so intensely focused on 1950s religeo-cultural backwash that they think the only alternative to not having a universal, ENFORCED day off on Sunday is working 7 days a week. Err.

Trouble is LeSaor that the big supermarkets and other chain retailers work "differently" to most of the rest of the workforce.

They split shift - you do not work 9 to 5 or 7 til 3 5 days a week - they split your shifts into 3/4/5/6 hour slots (breaks are therefore unpaid) and spread it over as many days as they can get you to work - that way impact of absence through sickness/training or annual leave is minimised and if you keep the hours to under 16 there are less employer "obligations" too.

So instead of say 5 days 9-5 in an office etc you have 3-7 on a Monday, Tue off, 7 til 11 on a Wed, Th/Fri off and 4 til8 on Sat and 11 til 2 Sunday - giving you 15 hours of work - with no weekend (everyone had to work weekends) It does not come down to a 7 day week, but NEVER getting a whole day with your family unless you book time of.

I'm not religious at all but I do like the fact that Sundays are just a bit different to every other day of the week. It makes me slow down a bit. I think if it was just like any other day I would be running around trying to get loads done and then it would be Monday again. Boooooooo!

Somewhere Would the argument be for entire Sunday closing on everything non-essential (eg emergency services)? I ask just because I find this issue interesting but I don't see why anyone would support the existing law as I don't think it works for anyone - limitations means that those who are for a more 24/7 flexibility aren't happy, but the fact this applies only to stores and moreover just those of a certain size, and only in terms of customer service means it doesn't guarantee any difference to employees. The only impact seems to be that shoppers have a smaller window for shopping and retail employees only have to serve customers in a smaller window.

If people by and large want Sundays to be completely closed then I can at least grasp that argument, whether or not I agree with it, but this weird middle ground we have at current seems to serve no one.

YABVU.
The most 'U' bit is that the shops are open at all IMO.
You can buy gin on a Saturday and keep it in the cupboard you know.
Life was much better when only emergency services people had to work on Sundays, and the world just slowed down a bit each week.

I can remember when all shops were closed on a sunday, it was lovely.
just get what you want on saturday.

Sorry about your back, hope its better soon

The split shifts were a nightmare. If you have a child in paid for childcare and you have a 11-3 shift, you end up having to pay for the whole day as it takes up a morning and afternoon slot, so you're working for less than nothing. It doesn't give you the time to spend with your child either. You get them up, give them breakfast and drop them at nursery. Then you work, collect them, feed them and put them to bed. It pretty much ruins your day. Then you're back again for the next 4 hour shift the following day. Then there's zero hours contracts so you don't know when you'll need the nursery but you have to pay anyway as they can't give your child's place to someone else. I'm not religious, but one whole free day isn't too much to ask.

Never go to the North west Highlands or the outer Hebrides OP. Everything closed on a Sunday

Good grief OP, you are a bit scary!

Go to a Boots or Superdrug for your dd's painkillers (or you can even get them from a supermarket). You don't need a chemist.

I'm ambivalent about Sunday's. Hated them as a child / young teenager - felt the whole day led up to getting ready Monday.

I loved them as an older teenager and pre child adult - Sunday's were a great excuse for meeting friends / getting pissed at lunch time [or early evening pub meets]. I was always very social on a Sunday.

Does anybody starve to death because the shops open/shut at different hours?

No.

And if you think it's bad in the UK, bear in mind lots of European countries entirely shut up shop on a Sunday.

Best not travel.

keep

It's not true that until recently all women were stay at home mums. Certainly not true of a great many working class families.

I'm in a small town in Germany.

shops closed sunday & the small shops in town close weds afternoon as well!

So does the Dr come to think of it & Fri afternoon & all day sat & sun of course.

But i can still always get an appointment when I want!!

sassh Don't blame the established church or even the bishops. They have stricter Sunday trading laws in Germany (no established church) and France (aggressively secular) than we do.

More widely: those who argue for stricter laws expect the emergency services to operate; they expect electricity and water; most of them expect the pubs and restaurants to open; and of course they expect broadcasting to go on.

So what the hell is so special about retail?

And why should bricks-and-mortar retailers be expected to close when the online competition can operate 24/7/365?

I hope Sundays never become a normal day but I fear they eventually wilI.

And I wonder if those of you who want them to just be like every other day actually have to work them yourselves. Weekends, bank holidays, Christmas, Easter etc as well. And I don't mean working in places like hospitals, old people's home and the like that need to be open but in shops and supermarkets that only are cos retailers are greedy and folk can't seem to do without shopping for one day. Cos I think if you did you might think differently. But who knows!

I even am a religious freak type that does church and shit

Yes you sound very christian like

OK MrsItsNowOrNotAtAll

Which of these are essential on a Sunday?

Broadcasting?
Newspapers?
Monday's newspapers?
Petrol?
Cinemas?
Theatres?

They all need people to work, don't they?

We would not die if they were not available, would we?

Which side of the line would you put each of them?

Oh, and of course, if you want fresh food in the shops on Monday, it will drive itself overnight on Sunday, won't it?

But we need emergency services though, we surely don't need the likes of bhs to be open so we can get a lampshade or something.

Working weekends and unsociable hours is kind of to be expected when you work in hospitals etc. You know that when you apply for a job there.

I worked last Saturday night actually.

I'd be quite happy to work on Saturday Sunday and on public holidays if required.

Right, so BHS and its lampshades are on the wrong side of the line. What about the other things I asked about?

I think people might be upset if they couldn't put petrol in their cars on Sunday or visit entertainment and catering venues during their family time.

I take your point Andrew but shops didn't used to open on Sundays and everyone coped.

I suppose if you're happy to work weekends then it's fine and dandy but I do know plenty that are not and they all seem to work in retail.

I did too, it was shite.

And I've worked in retail too.

I loved it when the olympics were on an the government gave shops and supermarkets permission to stay open longer/open earlier on Sundays. It was far less frantic and everyone in the shops seemed more relaxed - I prefer to do my shopping on a Sunday because there's always so much going on on Saturdays like a post Friday night hangover.