Page 13 | To think it is time to extend Sunday opening hours?

Sundayopeningplease · 2023-02-19T09:32:21+00:00

It really is time for the restrictive Sunday trading hours to be lifted. The archaic laws have not kept up with modern society. Sunday may traditionally have been a family day but there have been a lot of changes since then. People are in increasingly different family set ups. The working hours have changed for a lot of people and being able to shop on a Sunday morning would improve things greatly. It would help trade for businesses too. Sunday is now a major shopping day and the hours need to reflect this.

JudgeJ · 19/02/2023 14:54

uhOhOP · 19/02/2023 09:39

No!

My mummy talks about when shops closed early on Wednesday. I want that to come back, not more opportunity for shopping.

I recall growing up in the North West during the '50s we had 'Wakes Weeks', each town closed for a couple of weeks, a leftover from the days when the majority worked in the mills. During those 2 weeks many shops were closed for the whole time, food shops would be open but I recall going with Mum to the next town who had a different two weeks! Some places also closed Good Friday and nowhere opened on Boxing Day or New Years Day. We don't seem to have made progress, looking from the point of view of the retail workers!

Flounder2022 · 19/02/2023 14:54

itsjustnotok · 19/02/2023 09:34

@Sundayopeningplease totally disagree. I don’t understand how people can’t organise themselves over 6 days. The 7th gives an opportunity to pick up bits but I guess it depends on what it is you want open? There aren’t necessarily the staff to make this happen. It sounds like people just want 24/7 convenience. I study, work and have kids and can manage.

Not everyones life is the same. People work all hours of the day- 24/7. I appreciate that for people who work in retail those hours may not suit but there may well be others who it does suit.

Flounder2022 · 19/02/2023 14:57

Whatsuppdr · 19/02/2023 09:39

I disagree. I miss a slower pace of life and would quite like half day closing on Wednesday to come back too

You do know that no one is making you do anything on a Sunday? It can be as slow as you make it. Same for Wednesday afternoon. No one is dragging you to Tescos!

OoooohMatron · 19/02/2023 14:59

Sundayopeningplease · 19/02/2023 13:35

Can’t do online shopping. I have to shop for several people all from different places. Not everything is available online believe it or not 🙄

Just because you think it is a fuss about nothing doesn’t make it true. There is a lot of demand for extended opening Sunday hours.

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Again. Shops are open for 6 whole hours on Sundays.

itsjustnotok · 19/02/2023 15:00

@Flounder2022 i get that but I don’t think anything will ever be totally convenient. I just believe that one day a week isn’t much when there’s still a lot open. The OP hasn’t actually specified what it is that’s causing an issue and like I said in another post there’s a lot open on a Sunday so it depends on what’s causing the inconvenience. I always think it’s sad that people can’t do without shops being open Christmas Day and Boxing Day and rush like they are going to starve. I appreciate that everyone’s life is difficult but I’m not sure I agree that this means Sundays should change…does that mean for every possible
job? Or just the ones that suit?

Flounder2022 · 19/02/2023 15:01

PepsiMaxandPringleStacks · 19/02/2023 09:47

Retail workers have a right to a relaxing Sunday too. Capitalism has ruined a lot in this world.

Also try living in NI, shops only open 1-6 it's a pain, but I was once a young Retail worker whilst studying and it was often the only day I had for a lie in with college and work the rest of the week.

I used to worked Sundays and nothing was more relaxing than the random day I had off during the week. All my friends were working, no one was asking to make plans, I could do what I wanted or do nothing at all.

EilonwyWithRedGoldHair · 19/02/2023 15:04

I don't know that it would be of any benefit to most retailers. People won't have extra money to spend, the stores would have to be fully manned etc. It might cost more than they take or reduce takings the rest of the week.

Plus working in retail is shit. DH once worked 14 days in a row. At least Sundays were a bit shorter.

melj1213 · 19/02/2023 15:06

Flounder2022 · 19/02/2023 14:57

You do know that no one is making you do anything on a Sunday? It can be as slow as you make it. Same for Wednesday afternoon. No one is dragging you to Tescos!

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Except if you're a retail worker, when you'd be made to work later if the stores opened later ... Whether you like it or not.

Currently I can legally opt out of Sunday working for the same reason the Sunday trading laws were brought in. If the Sunday Trading laws were repealed to allow longer trading then so too would the legal right to opt out of Sunday working. They've already taken away the time and a half we used to get for working Sundays (as an acknowledgement of it being "irregular" hours) and now people want to take away the one guaranteed evening off a week retail workers get.

And yes I could refuse to work Sundays but let's be honest I would end up losing my job if I tried and I can't afford to do that.

Flounder2022 · 19/02/2023 15:08

itsjustnotok · 19/02/2023 15:00

@Flounder2022 i get that but I don’t think anything will ever be totally convenient. I just believe that one day a week isn’t much when there’s still a lot open. The OP hasn’t actually specified what it is that’s causing an issue and like I said in another post there’s a lot open on a Sunday so it depends on what’s causing the inconvenience. I always think it’s sad that people can’t do without shops being open Christmas Day and Boxing Day and rush like they are going to starve. I appreciate that everyone’s life is difficult but I’m not sure I agree that this means Sundays should change…does that mean for every possible
job? Or just the ones that suit?

I drop my son to school for 8:30 then I head to work. Collect him at 5.30. Home for 6 or so for dinner. I don't drive and dragging him to the supermarket at that time is not feasible. That leaves the weekend. Which includes sports training and other activities. Yesterday we had plans that took most of the day. So today was the only day I could go shopping. Yes, delivery is an option but for various reasons it's not always the best option.

BashirWithTheGoodBeard · 19/02/2023 15:19

OPs idea seems very optimistic given that we already struggle to get sufficient workers. It's one thing feeling that a particular service ought to exist, quite another for it actually to be feasible.

Original poster

Sundayopeningplease · 19/02/2023 15:20

Gincan · 19/02/2023 13:55

You're talking about your own, very specific circumstances. There are equally people who work nights nd are asleep during normal trading hours. Do you think shops should stay open 24 hours a day to accommodate them as well? You can't expect everything to be available exactly when you personally need it

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Currently according to the poll 47% are in favour of extended opening hours so it is not just me with my very specific circumstances wanting everything to be open for my convenience.

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Original poster

Sundayopeningplease · 19/02/2023 15:22

OoooohMatron · 19/02/2023 14:59

Again. Shops are open for 6 whole hours on Sundays.

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Again the 6 hours doesn’t work when one cannot leave the house because of caring responsibilities.

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Original poster

Sundayopeningplease · 19/02/2023 15:24

Socrateswasrightaboutvoting · 19/02/2023 14:00

its not ignorance, I am don't feel entitled. I know a lot about being poor, not just not well off financially. When we ran out we didn't have the luxury of getting more we had to wait until there was more money to buy more. That cold be day or weeks. People do run out of things and it is inconvenient when the shops are closed. That is just not a justification for forcing people to work longer when the shops are already open long hours 6 days a week and reduced on the 7th. If you are doing the shopping you need to be better organised.

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I should just ask the 88 year old who is terminally ill to be better organised with what they need and the person who has mental health issues to get their act together and to tell me what they need in advance right?

Such ignorance.

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AnnoyedFromSlough · 19/02/2023 15:34

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 19/02/2023 12:10

@AnnoyedFromSlough I've said numerous times on this thread that I worked "five days in seven to suit business needs"

I never had set days or set times.

So you worked full time hours then? That's rare now.

Socrateswasrightaboutvoting · 19/02/2023 15:37

Sundayopeningplease · 19/02/2023 15:24

I should just ask the 88 year old who is terminally ill to be better organised with what they need and the person who has mental health issues to get their act together and to tell me what they need in advance right?

Such ignorance.

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No, it's just entitlement from you. If they are running our all the time then you need a better system which minimises the threat of stress of running out where possible. You should be on top of that and not trying to weaponside your support for them.

Original poster

Sundayopeningplease · 19/02/2023 15:43

Socrateswasrightaboutvoting · 19/02/2023 15:37

No, it's just entitlement from you. If they are running our all the time then you need a better system which minimises the threat of stress of running out where possible. You should be on top of that and not trying to weaponside your support for them.

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Can’t expect a terminally ill person to streamline their system to need things in an organised manner 🙄 things can change in the matter of minutes.

Such ignorance.

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Original poster

Sundayopeningplease · 19/02/2023 15:45

melj1213 · 19/02/2023 14:14

No they don't.

Many are only open 10 till 5/6pm 7 days a week, they aren't restricted on Sundays.

I have just had a quick look at a few of the big museums in London - British Museum, V&A, Natural History, Science Museum, National Gallery etc - and they're all open 10-5/6 every day except a few who do a late opening till 8/9 on Fridays.

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Wonderful for the London museums. My local museums have restricted opening hours on Sundays.

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AnnoyedFromSlough · 19/02/2023 15:46

I don't see why it hasn't as simple as:

Give retail workers the option to opt out of working on Sundays.

Give the people that want to earn money on a Sunday that option.

Anyone that doesn't want to work or shop or open on a Sunday will not be forced to do so.

Why are people so against others making a different choice? I don't want to go out clubbing at the weekend. I've never been to a soft play in my life. Maybe I should campaign to get them to close on a Sunday because I think their staff might want a day off. I mean, I don't know that's the case. But they might...

melj1213 · 19/02/2023 15:47

Sundayopeningplease · 19/02/2023 15:22

Again the 6 hours doesn’t work when one cannot leave the house because of caring responsibilities.

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So what's different after 5pm on a Sunday that suddenly means you're free to go anywhere and everywhere you want that you are unable to do between the hours of 6am and midnight Monday to Saturday?

And what specialist items are you able to only get from the big Tesco at 6.30pm on a Sunday that you absolutely cannot get from the Tesco Express at 8pm on a Sunday?

Original poster

Sundayopeningplease · 19/02/2023 15:48

IndiaDreamer · 19/02/2023 14:21

Shops as others have said used to be closed all day Sunday, people with caring responsibilities managed fine.

I find it hard to believe that the restricted hours on a Sunday can cause much of an issue.

There wasn’t so much of a 24 hour society back then. Times have moved on. People used to cope without cars too and electricity. If people were fine then, they should be fine now too?

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lieselotte · 19/02/2023 15:48

Not read the full thread but totally agree. 4pm is too early to close on a Sunday.

If people don't want to work, they don't have to. There will be plenty of people who do want to.

Choconut · 19/02/2023 15:52

Yes I would like the hours extended, doesn't have to be 24/7 but 9am -7pm would be great. At our supermarket the people working are always swapping over so it must be shifts already anyway, also there are a lot of school kids working there who Sundays would obviously suit.

IndiaDreamer · 19/02/2023 15:54

@Sundayopeningplease and shops are open 24 hours Mon - Sat so it had changed, so your argument about no electricity is irrelevant.

Plumbear2 · 19/02/2023 15:59

Sundayopeningplease · 19/02/2023 13:09

So because you can manage everybody else should too?

it is not just a case of getting organised. Life is not predictable for me and a lot of others. I have caring responsibilities for someone with mental health difficulties and also for an 88 year old. Their needs don’t work around current opening hours.

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So shop workers now have to fit around your lifestyle 😡 you are bonkers.

Original poster

Sundayopeningplease · 19/02/2023 16:06

Plumbear2 · 19/02/2023 15:59

So shop workers now have to fit around your lifestyle 😡 you are bonkers.

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Am I? Lots of other people are in favour too judging from the poll.

You are bonkers for not seeing that 😡

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