// Non-essential stores in England to stay open until 10pm next month
// Stores are set to reopen on April 12
// Trade union Usdaw warned that retail staff may not approve of the extended hours
The government has announced that shops in England will be permitted to remain open until 10pm once lockdown restrictions are eased next month.
Non-essential stores will be able to open for extended hours Monday to Saturday to encourage shoppers to return, while easing pressure on public transport at peak times.
Under the temporary measures, shops will be allowed to open at 7am and close at 10pm.
READ MORE:
- The state of UK retail one year after the first lockdown
- Another 18,000 shops may permanently close their doors this year
The new opening hours are expected to be popular with shoppers, particularly after they were given the opportunity to shop in extended opening hours in the lead up to the Christmas period.
However, trade union Usdaw warned that retail staff may not approve of the new extended hours, which should be voluntary or covered by new staff.
Communities secretary Robert Jenrick has said that the new opening hours are “part of a package of support to help reopen our shops and high streets safely, backed by £56 million”.
“This will provide a much-needed boost for many businesses – protecting jobs, reducing pressure on public transport and supporting people and communities to continue to visit their high streets safely and shop locally,” he said.
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10 Comments. Leave new
Ikea has always closed at 10pm
Oxford street in London for some shops were 10pm.
I wouldn’t be shopping late night. Hopefully women will be able to travel home safely that late into the night.
My brother been in trouble on the way back from ikea few groups of people throw an egg to his car and started walking up to him was night time
Whistle if you think I’m working late – I do have a life !
I’m pretty sure there wasn’t anything stopping shops from opening that late anyway, Oxford street stores are open until 10pm, as is Lakeside among other places, around Black Friday and Christmas they’re open until 11PM this just smells like the government taking credit for nothing.
If the government promises that every woman walking the streets of England are going to be safe walking down the dark roads after work and more lights are going to be put in place on every road every main road and more cameras every where for the safety of every individual then you can consider the late night shopping. Other wise shops should close at 7pm latest. Some women have 2-3 hours journey or more from work to home.
I assume the businesses have cleared this with staff and unions?We all like shopping but staff like their home life too.I would urge people not to shop outside of what would be the shops regular hours.
What about staff that have worked tirelessly through this pandemic in retail, for what?? I do hope this is voluntary and staff are not bullied in to it. If they start it it will become the norm !!
There was nothing to stop most high street shops opening 7 to 10 any way, so this is just a PR exercise. Shops in a Centre can only open for as long as the Centre is open; the shops have now control on this.
Most shops are open until 10 anyway but l do hope staff are on rota, and are not forced to work if they don’t want to.
Well I’m sure there would be plenty of students and recently made redundant people who would like some extra hours so as long as they are recruiting extra staff then I personally don’t see a problem with this. Our economy has to bounce somehow.