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 opening times on Sundays 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:

• 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 up to a maximum of six hours which must be between 1000 and 1800hrs.

They are required to remain closed on Easter Sunday (and on Christmas Day when it falls on a Sunday).

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.

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CONTACT DETAILS
Environmental Health Division
Northampton Borough Council
Cliftonville House
Bedford Road
Northampton
NN4 7NR

Tel: 01604 838000
Fax: 01604 838755
E-mail: ehealth@northampton.gov.uk
 

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