To think that Sunday trading hours need to be abolished?

[HFJ]

I remember the hullabaloo about Sunday trading back in the late 80s

Whenever I talk to people about this, many usually give the following reasons why Sunday trading restrictions are a good thing:

1. Everyone can have Sunday lunch/family time together
2. Retail workers can have some weekend time off

However, I can’t be the only person who thinks the above is BALONEY

On the family time thing, I object for feminist reasons because it usually means a hard-working woman somewhere has to peel potatoes and rustle up a Sunday lunch for everyone else. Then, when she has done all that, can she treat herself to an emergency handbag, pair of shoes, just get away and meet a friend for coffee, or perhaps get the family shopping in on before the working week starts? Can she heck. Why? Because of some Bishops in the house of lords decree that the world should shut and therefore her indoors should remain indoors.

On the weekend time off thing, I really don’t see what the issue is. There are plenty of students who would like to and need to work. Also, there’s nothing to stop religious workers asking their employer to prioritise time off on Sunday for them (just as Muslims, Jews, people with caring responsibilites can make requests).

Am I the only one who feels this way?

Not remotely religious but I miss the peace of Sundays without shopping.
The current halfway house does seem a bit illogical though - Scotland doesn't do it.

I was working in a supermarket when they started opening on a Sunday. At first it was just the Sundays on the run up to Christmas. They wanted volunteers to work and we got paid double time plus a day off in lieu. Then they kept opening after Christmas and decided it'd be part of the normal rota. All the benefits of being open on a Sunday shifted to the employer and the employees got nothing.

In the 24/7 access to everything era I think it’s more important than ever to have some time where things are made to slow down just slightly.

It is outdated now. Times have changed. "High Streets" are struggling - they need to be open for people to use if they don't want to die off completely. It's also daft that in many towns shops closing at 5.30 seems to be the norm - they need to be open until later.
And before anyone says "what about the staff....they don't want to work evenings/all day Sunday blah blah blah" - well don't work in retail then if you don't want that.

@Fieldofbrokenpromises how does shops being open affect your "peace"?
Genuine question.

I agree wholeheartedly. Where is this faithful housewife is even supposed to get groceries on Sunday morning to rustle up the infamous lunch? Oh wait, she is supposed to get them during the week when her hubby is at work and she is doing housewifing... Well, the world changed and Sunday shopping hours don't reflect it. I am grateful that Lidl has reasonable Sunday hours so we can actually get some eggs and milk for breakfast.
On the staff issue. I spent most of my life working in retail and service industry. I worked every weekend and got my days off during the week as this is when I could get life admin done. Working on Sundays was my favourite thing to do - it's one day a week when everyone is chilled and friendly. I still went out on a Saturday night without a care in the world.
I am now in Mon-Fri job and I haven't been able to go to the bank in the last 6 months as our nearest branch closes at 4.30pm and isn't open on a Saturday.

@HFJ although I am not sure what your ramblings about Sunday Dinner is all about?
I don't see what that has to do with anything.

Totally disagree, our society is becoming more and more 24 hr 7 days a week and it’s becoming normalised to work longer hours. We’re collectively putting our physical and mental health on the line. The notion of a weekend and having down time is evaporating. I work in an industry where we work long hours, highly unionised to protect us but it’s a constant battle, give people a inch and they’ll take a mile.

I am in Ireland and we don't have Sunday trading rules anymore. Most shops do open for less hours, but there is no rule and most supermarkets tend to open normal hours on a Sunday. In Dublin city centre for example shops tend to open 10 to 6 or 12 to 6 on a Sunday. I worked in retail when I was a student if I hadn't been able to work a full shift on a Saturday and Sunday I am not sure when I would have done enough hours. Retail is shift work most full-timers are contracted to work 5 days a week but some of those days will be weekends. In my experience it was part-timers that tended to do the weekends. If people don't like the idea of shopping on a Sunday that's fine don't go but not sure why there should be laws on it? Each business should be able to decide for themselves and for most retail businesses it is the weekends when they make their money, weekdays are always quieter as the majority of people are at work

The best compromise would be to allow unrestricted opening on Sundays but double the minimum wage for work done on that day. That way people will be competing to work on a Sunday rather than avoiding it.

I agree 100%. I'm up early at weekends and want to make the most of my day. For me, that means getting out and running all my errands early, so I can get home and be chilled by lunchtime. Having to spend hours clockwatching, waiting for the shops to open really irritates me.

Capitalism has taken over every other aspect of our lives except Sunday opening hours. For me, the world/government/business owners can't have it both ways. We either live in a capitalist system (which the UK is) or we don't. Trying to cling to 'olden days values' while forcing people to cram their whole lives into a Saturday and Sunday doesn't actually work, in reality.

Even more of an issue now that WFH is being chiselled away at and people are being forced back into the 5/7 commuter rate race.

@Banjaxx you talk about "down time" but to do what? Sit at home? People seem to think it's perfectly fine for people on weekends to be able to go to the pub, a restaurant, the cinema, swimming, theme parks, ice rinks, theatre, soft play, cafes.....and the 1001 other things people seem to want to do on weekends.
If all those industries are open - why not shops?

Disagree. Worked in shops for almost 20 years, finishing at 4/5/6 one day a week was lovely, could be home for a family meal. It really isn't an inconvenience to have one day a week where you can "only" shop for 6 hours. Also - nowadays, hardly any business offers anything above single rate for a Sunday. Yes it's just another day but when you're working 10-11 hour days lugging huge trolleys of stock and working with the general public, to be able to finish "early" (!) is a treat once a week. Also, most people working in supermarkets, say, will start at 7 or 8 on a Sunday so it's still a long day!!

I saw a map of the world and their Sunday opening hours. I wish I could find it for you 😂

I feel indifferent either way.

I think it should stay, just as a wink to the fact that as humans we need some down time. 24/7 non stop relentless grind is not healthy.

I found a Europe one.

OP, do you work weekends, even a few times a year? Do you value small shops that are the option outside the six hours opening for larger ones?

I value some period of peace and quiet, and retail workers have to put up with a lot.

The change I would make is for all large stores to be closed additionally on December 26th and January 1st.

I completely agree. I used to live in the States with no Sunday trading hours. It was so nice, Sundays were actually more relaxing because there was no rushing round trying to fit everything into a short window. I often went for a potter around the mall and a coffee with my friends on a Sunday evening. Now my Sundays are just spent doing frantic housework and trying to cram in a trip to the supermarket by 3pm (because it takes an hour to get round the shops). I do understand if people work in retail they might want a shorter working day but most of the people I know who work on Sundays say they prefer it because they get a day off in the week in lieu and they prefer that.

Even Italy has open shops on a Sunday. with all the religion and focus on family dinners - it surprised me a bit 😊

I disagree with this but probably from a purely selfish point of view and from a very lovely period in my life. We used to live in Europe in a country where shops weren’t open on Sundays (apart from a few Sunday shopping days in the year). We also weren’t allowed to make excessive noise on a Sunday so no mowing the lawn, no putting recycling out, no DIY. It meant that Sundays were purely family days. Our children were young and we didn’t work Sundays so it was great. We couldn’t do anything but relax. It was a wonderful time and felt like a proper day off for all of us (no roast dinner slaved over!). They were the best days!

@Needmorelego How would extending Sunday trading hours help struggling High Streets? It'll be the same number of customers coming in over a longer period of time so surely the reverse is true. Shops need to pay staff and keep the heating/lighting on for more hours whilst not selling more! I can't believe there's anyone who can't get to the shops in the hours they're currently open.
I worked in a High Street Bank when they extended the opening hours. Exactly the same customers came in 5 minutes before closing whatever the closing time! No extra business for the bank!

@justanothernamechangemonday I also worked retail for 20 years. I just did my hours (the typical 8 hours). I only did more if it was specific overtime - like a late night shopping event or for stocktaking.
Why were you working 10-11 hours a day?

@ohtowinthelottery has it spot on.

@ohtowinthelottery because instead of using the internet to purchase goods people would actually be able to walk into a shop and buy from them.
Many people buy online because they can't get to a shop. Well they can....but it's closed when they can.

I agree with you.

Whether a shop opens or not and for how long should be at the choice of the owner. I've lost count of the times I've wanted to pop into Asda on my way home from a Sunday walk for a pint of milk and been too late.