Why do people presume shops all closed on BHs?

[Auburngal]

Every time we have a bank holiday coming up, customers ask us are we open? Of course we are!

The only places that are closed on BHs are banks, libraries and independent businesses. Some shops have shorter trading hours. Rest of the shops - normal hours. Buses run either Saturday or Sunday services depending on operator and area.

On bank holidays, it’s always very quiet. Bar the one in August when the day after round here the school kids go back to school. Then get parents running around like headless chickens trying to buy school uniforms, school bags etc (yet they knew of the date up to 18 months before). Then ask us do we have any age 8 boys trousers in the back and which stores in the area have them.

Then the day after a BH it’s very busy as customers “i thought you were closed yesterday”.

This thing the day after BH does not do retail staff’s MH much good.

If they presumed you were closed then surely they wouldn’t bother asking.

Perso I think they should be- so perhaps that is why I 'assume'

This thing the day after BH does not do retail staff’s MH much good.

How does explaining affect staffs mental health? I was in retail for many years and didn't see anyone struggle answering a simple question!

Mainly because I can never remember if they are open or not. I should because I'm 40 but it's the same very bank holiday.

*every

I’m talking about people coming in on Tuesday after the BH and it’s mega busy. Customers don’t understand how our MH has been affected by Covid and the post Covid rudeness.

Be ause you aren't all open on all bank holidays, are you? Xmas day m, boxing day and NYD you are likely closed. So, in my head it is likely tou close for the rest of the bank holidays too. And I don't particularly want to traipsing out to discover you are actually closed.

The same effect as an actual BH has on hospitality staff.

I'm off for this one and so glad because people are just ridiculous with the attitude and demands at the moment. I agree it affects your mental health - the nation is miserable and taking it out on customer facing roles because there are little to no concequences for doing it.

It's like customer facing staff are the nations punch bag at the moment.

But every chain store isn’t open every bank holiday. Some at least adjust hours.

The worst part is many don’t bother putting the information on the website. There might just be a generic statement like, check with local store for adjustments. Even the automated recording that some stores use for calling to check the hours doesn’t always get updated.

Easter Sunday closures add to the confusion. It's no biggie it's just life!

I remember when stores were closed on sat mornings and wed afternoons!

Because they used to be. And on Sundays. And in the small town where I live I'd say more than half are still closed on BHs.

Perhaps your shop needs to advertise better that it's open on bank holidays.

I get "oh we thought you'd be closed today "
I reply "and yet here you are ... in me"

lol

I work for a retail company but because of our store size we are only closed xmas day. Yes we are open Boxing Day, Easter Sunday and all the other days. We did close for the Queens funeral tho so that's something.

Shops in England and Wales above a certain size are closed on Easter Sunday. The likes of Tesco Express, Spar are open. Then massive queues in their small car parks.

We do but people have a tendency of not reading signs

Even in London, there are plenty of bus services that do not run on bank holidays. Add into that the so-frequent-as-to-be-assumed-inevitable combination of strike action, maintenance work and absence of staff arriving to do overtime on the few services still operating and most places might as well be closed if you're not able to sit in a traffic jam on an out of town shopping centre slip road for hours.

If they're asking a member of staff then they're not presuming anything **

It's not really a big deal is it? Also how is it going to affect anyone's mental health ffs?

Because some places do shut bank holiday.

It's only a more recent thing for places to be open, everywhere being shut was common practice at one point

Having worked in a very popular 'gone but not forgotten' retailer as a student, and worked bank holidays and the days after, I'd probably suggest that finding a usually quiet day a bit busy and stressful because people haven't come in on the bank holiday would be an...unusual...take for a member of staff.