Licence - Sunday trading notification
Following the introduction of the Sunday Trading Act in 1994 there have been no restrictions on shopping hours - apart from Sundays. All shops are now able to open without restrictions between Monday and Saturday.
Restrictions on Sunday opening times are now confined to large shops (defined under the Act as those having an internal sales area of over 280sq.m). The critical consideration is the floor area definition, which is clarified as meaning the part of the shop within a building that is used for display of goods and customer services.
Large shops must:
- be registered with the Council for trading on a Sunday, and
- specify the six hours of trading on a Sunday which must be between the hours of 10.00 to 18.00, and
- provide a sign visible both internally and externally specifying the times of trading
They are required to remain closed on Easter Sunday (and on Christmas Day when it falls on a Sunday).
The borough council keeps a public register of the large shops operating in its area, which can be viewed at the address below upon request.
Small shops are not covered by these restrictions and can open freely. The Sunday Trading Act 1994 also includes specific measures to protect the rights of shop workers who do not wish to work on Sunday.
Apart from the restrictions mentioned above, it is left to individual owners to determine their opening hours in the light of customer demand.
Please note that if your shop is smaller than 280sq.m, then an application is not required.
For more information please contact Kate Payne in Licensing on 01707 357206.