Stores fight Sunday rules

CHAIN stores and supermarkets are planning to turn Sundays into ordinary shopping days.

Two thirds of retailers say they would like to open for longer on the Sabbath, effectively ending its religious and family focus.

Asda and Tesco, together with the DIY giants, are leading the crusade and insist that it is what their customers want. Industry leaders are now pressing for Sunday hours to be extended from six to nine.

But the Church of England says the proposal would have devastating consequences and the Keep Sunday Special campaign warns it would destroy a vital family day.

Shopworkers' union USDAW is also fighting the idea, saying its members need a day of rest. The British Retail Consortium, which represents most major traders, is officially neutral but confirmed that large stores are now demanding longer Sunday hours.

'A 4pm closing time seems to be a bit of a constraint, particularly in the large shopping centres that have sprung up over recent years,' said consortium director general Kevin Hawkins.

'We are not talking about 24-hour opening and total deregulation, but rather an extra couple of hours at the end of the day and an hour at the beginning.' Among the malls keen on a shift are London's Brent Cross and the Trafford Centre in Manchester.

But there is a dispute over whether the move would require major legislation or simply a change to regulations. Sunday trading in large stores was approved 11 years ago following a fierce battle.

It was decided that stores with more than 280 square metres of shopping space could open for a maximum of six hours. Smaller stores were allowed to open for as long as they like.

The case for longer hours is being made by retail industry lawyers Bond Pearce, which said two thirds of stores would open for longer on Sunday, if allowed.

It also claimed that a survey of 900 shoppers found that 56% want longer Sunday trading. Support rose to 69% of those aged 16-25. Company partner Tony Askham said: 'This isn't about whether Sunday shopping is a good idea or a bad idea. That argument was won 11 years ago.

'We know that most retailers would welcome longer hours, and our latest survey suggests that most consumers feel the same.'

At B&Q, a spokesman said: 'We have disgruntled customers who turn up at 10am and can't understand why we aren't open. Similarly, it is quite difficult to get people out of the store at 4pm.'

A Tesco spokesman said: 'Our customers lead increasingly busy lives and want to be able to do their shopping at a convenient time.' A spokesman for Asda said: 'Some customers do not understand why we have short hours on a Sunday especially when stores in Scotland have no restrictions.'

However, Sainsbury's took a different line. A spokesman said: 'There has been no customer demand to extend the opening hours of our supermarkets on Sundays.'

The Keep Sunday Special Campaign also said there is little demand. 'People are beginning to realise that family and friends bring greater happiness than shopping,' said chairman, Dr Michael Schluter. 'And time is more precious than money.'

The Church of England is taking an even more direct approach. Spokesman Steve Jenkins said: 'Sunday is not a normal day, it is a holy day.

'You cannot seriously argue that the nation needs more time to shop.'