Opposition to longer Sunday opening hours

BRISTOL MPs have set out their opposition to any relaxation of Sunday trading laws.

The debate over whether shops should be able to open longer on Sundays has been reignited after restrictions were temporarily lifted during the Olympics.

Any change would meet with stern opposition from churchgoers as well as those concerned about the impact on shop staff.

Support has come from business leaders and some Conservative MPs, although the issue is likely to divide the Tory party.

Liberal Democrat Bristol West MP Stephen Williams said: "I thought the relaxation for the Olympics was a pretty poor justification. I could understand near venues, but I saw no proper case for it across the country.

"I would certainly not want to see us move to full seven day-a-week retailing, not necessarily from a religious perspective, but because having one day a week as a slightly more relaxing day is good for everyone, whether they have got a faith or not. Humanity has done that for thousands of years."

Steve Webb, the Liberal Democrat MP for Thornbury and Yate and Pensions Minister, said he would also be opposed to any change.

Kerry McCarthy, Labour MP for Bristol East, said: "We have to consider the impact on employees who value Sunday as a day that they are not be required to work long hours, or whose faith means it is a special day or whose home life, family or caring commitments could be affected, so it was crucial that Sunday working remained voluntary."

She also said supermarkets should have their hours restricted to protect small businesses, and accused the Government of not consulting with trade unions or businesses.

Jamil Ahmed, owner of Galiford Stores in Picton Street, Montpelier, says an extension to the Sunday trading hours could have a devastating affect on his 15-year-old business.

"It would be another nail in the coffin for the little independent stores," he said. "It is particularly small convenience stores like ours that would be worst hit. This is the sort of shop where people come on Sunday evening when they have forgotten to get something and the supermarkets have closed.

"We can't price-match the supermarkets because of their sheer scale, so we offer convenience. To permanently increase trading hours on a Sunday would be a real body blow."

Mike Rudge, of Ashton Fruit Shop, North Road in Bedminster, says he wouldn't be too concerned by the extra strength supermarkets would gain from extended Sunday opening – but he thinks it would be an unprincipled move.

"Personally I don't think my business would be too badly hit – they open on a Sunday anyway, so a few more hours won't make too much of difference," he said. "I don't open on Sundays on principle – if you can't make enough money on the other six days of the week, then there is something wrong with your business.

"But it's the families who have people working in these shops that I feel sorry for – the family man or woman who feel they have to do an extra shift on a Sunday rather than spending a day with their children."

Butcher Dave Giles, who has runs his shop of Gloucester Road for 21 years, said changes to the Sunday trading hours wouldn't affect him too badly. "These big stores are open on a Sunday anyway, so being open a bit longer isn't going to damage our business too much for the rest of the week," he said. "It's just a sign of the times."

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