Sunday trading

The Sunday Trading Act 1994 allows large shops (defined under the Act as those having an internal sales area of over 280 square metres) to be open for six hours between 10 am and 6 pm on Sundays.

The law requires large shops to remain closed on Easter Sunday and on Christmas Day, but only when it falls on a Sunday. Small shops are not covered by these restrictions and can open freely. The Sunday Trading Act 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.

Notification of trading and Sunday trading register

The Regulatory Reform (Sunday Trading) Order 2004 removed the original requirement for large shops to notify their local authorities of their Sunday trading hours or of any changes. For their part local authorities were no longer required to maintain a register of large shops. Large shops are still limited to trading for a maximum of six hours between 10 am and 6 pm on Sundays and must display these hours inside and outside the premises.

Easter Sunday and Christmas Day (if it falls on a Sunday)

The Sunday Trading Act 1994 requires large shops - those where the relevant floor area exceeds 280 square metres, to close on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day if it falls on a Sunday.  There are certain exemptions to this which are as follows:

a)  Any shop, which is at a farm and where the trade or business carried on, consists wholly or mainly of the sale of produce from that farm.

b)  Any shop where the trade or business carried on consists wholly or mainly of the sale of intoxicating liquor.

c)  Any shop where the trade or business carried on consists wholly or mainly of the sale of one or more of the following:

i)  motor supplies and accessories, and

ii)  cycle supplies and accessories.

d)  Any shop which:

i)  is a registered pharmacy, and

ii)  is not open for the sale of retail goods other than medicinal products and medicinal and surgical appliances.

e)  Any shop at a designated airport.

f)  Any shop in a railway station.

g)  Any shop at a service area within the meaning of the Highways Act 1980.

h)  Any petrol filling station.

i)  Any stand used for the retail sale of goods during the course of an exhibition.

j)  Any shop occupied by persons observing the Jewish Sabbath.

Further information

Please contact Licensing 01352 70303

Email: licensing@flintshire.gov.uk