Few takers for Sunday trading

Saturday 24th September 2011, 3:00PM BST.

Burton was just one of two stores to open on a Sunday after the new law was introduced, although more may follow next year

JUST two shops in St Helier are taking advantage of the new Sunday Trading Law.

Shoe shop Beghins and men’s clothing shop Burton are the only stores that have been open on a Sunday under the new law, which was passed earlier this year.

Other stores also open but do so under previous laws which restrict what can be sold.

The controversial States decision to relax the law was not well received by many local retailers, but more are expected to apply for licences in the New Year.

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1
Mark

September 24, 2011 at 4:01 pm

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” — Confucius

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2
Bo

September 24, 2011 at 4:04 pm

And it cost how much to change this law??

What a waste of time and money!

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3
Outsider

September 26, 2011 at 1:45 pm

Of course, the main retail outlets that the public actually wanted to be open – B & Q, garden centres, supermarkets – are prevented from opening by this ludicrously worded piece of legislation.

Why should square footage have anything to do with a business being allowed (or not, as the case may be)to open on a Sunday.

No doubt those in favour of keeping Jersey a closed shop on a Sunday are delighted with their handiwork and will use this news report as ‘evidence’ that the change in law was an expensive and unnecessary exercise.

What astounds me more is that those who moan about Jersey’s focus on the finance industry are the same people who moan about the tourist industry’s decline and about Sunday opening. The retail sector is on its knees, we’re constantly being told how their profits are low and how the internet is killing trade, and how visitor numbers are nothing like what they used to be. You can bring a horse to water…

I will, and we all should, have ZERO sympathy for any retail organisation who dares complain about declining trade in future.

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4
Overpopulated

September 27, 2011 at 3:33 pm

I find it strange that the garden centres do not want to open on Sunday, in the UK it is their busiest day. Of course at Ransoms you can visit the restaurant without going into the sales area, but I would have thought many people would have gone from the lunch to a shopping session.

Also I cannot understand why B&Q did not want to open

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5
Outsider

September 27, 2011 at 8:38 pm

Overpopulated, the businesses you mention are not allowed to open! That was my point, shops over a certain square footage are still barred from trading!

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6
Sanity

September 28, 2011 at 2:02 pm

Outsider – How about a bit of consideration for the hundreds of families who live next door to these massive outlets and have to put up with traffic fumes and noise for 6 day a week or the families that are broken up because the parents never get time together with their kids?
If you need to shop that badly on a Sunday why do it online – it’s a lot cheaper or better still get a life and stop moaning !!!!!!!

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