Extending Belfast Sunday shopping hours branded "terrible" idea
A Belfast council committee is considering a proposal to extend Sunday trading hours in the city - and Belfast Live readers are as torn as local politicians are in our comments section.
Alliance councillor Sam Nelson proposed a pilot scheme last week, with a decision to be taken in the future. If the pilot was to go ahead, it would be a six week long "relaxation" of trading hours at the weekend, with more detail to be brought up in a future committee meeting.
Mr Nelson said: “We want to see a modernised, prosperous Belfast City Centre that is open for business. We are constantly looking at ways to revitalise our city centre and the creation of jobs is another potential way of doing so."
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Green Councillor Áine Groogan spoke out against the proposal, saying: “The last study showed 92 percent of Belfast workers opposed extension of Sunday trading hours. And a number have faced serious pressure to work on a Sunday. People are entitled to rest.” DUP Councillor Sarah Bunting agreed: “Putting a pilot scheme out there that the majority of retail workers are against would be madness.”
Reader FIFI1970 has their concerns: “It's a good idea but people should not be forced by their employers to work it or to increase their hours, they should be given the choice!”
Commenter Itiswhatitisaye is in favour: “Have you ever seen the amount of people at Tesco at 1230 on a Sunday, and the massive queues at checkouts before 1pm, or how busy they are on a Sunday in general? The demand is obviously there. If people are happy to work then let them. None of the old 'keeping the sabbath holy'. It's 2024, not 1824.”
Newflash says: “Should open earlier, 11-5 or 6pm to catch tourists before they leave the country. 1pm is pointless.” Nemo2000 would oppose the change: “Those who would have to work the weekends would never have weekends off to spend time with their family and friends. It's why we call it the weekend, the end of the week, when we were all meant to relax together.”
On our Facebook page, Chris Lewsley writes: “I was at event in the MAC and I arrived at 9.00am and the amount of tourists walking the streets was incredible, and the fact that there was nowhere was open is embarrassing.” Gail Maguire thinks the same: “Shops should be allowed to open from 9am in Sundays if they want to. Belfast on Sunday AM is like a ghost town for tourists. One positive is St G's market is open.”
Christine O Tiomanaigh says: “92% of workers are against this so why does Alliance want to push this?”. Philomena Brennan agrees: “Terrible. Don’t need this.”
Jolly Pay writes: “Absolutely excellent idea but the option should still be there for the staff to take a Sunday off if they want, no forced working hours.”
Have your say! Would extending trading hours at the weekend impact you? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.