Unions and smaller retailers have joined forces to strongly oppose a fresh move by Belfast City Council to push through extended Sunday trading hours for big stores, including retail giants.
No prior discussion took place with Usdaw, which represents retail workers, or Retail NI ahead of a report surfacing that recommended a pilot scheme be introduced as early as this summer, the organisations said.
Members of Belfast City Council are set to vote on Thursday on the scheme allowing big stores in the city centre to open beyond the hours of 1pm to 6pm.
A letter – written by the union and signed by the retail group and ICTU – sent to councillors re-emphasised their “emphatic ‘no’ to longer Sunday trading hours”. The letter urged councillors to vote against the proposed pilot scheme at the meeting.
Councillors at a committee meeting on Monday morning were told the law barring the stores opening for longer would not be enforced. Under a 1997 order, retailers can be fined up to £50,000 for breaches of the law, with councils tasked with enforcement.
Retail stores with a floor space larger than 280 square metres (3,014) are barred from opening longer than the five hours. There are some narrow exemptions, including around transport facilities.
One major exception is if the store is in a designated “holiday resort”, which allows longer opening hours on 18 Sundays between March and September. There are no provisions allowing a council to decide against enforcing the law.
Paddy Lillis, Usdaw general secretary, said members “remain totally opposed to extending Sunday trading hours”. A 2020 survey by the union found 91.69% of respondents were opposed.
“Allowing large stores to open for longer hours on Sundays would have a negative impact on retail workers, their families and our communities,” Mr Lillis said.
“Longer Sunday trading would take a heavy toll on staff who would come under even more pressure to work, when they would rather be spending time with family and engaging in community, sports and leisure activities or attending church.”
Alliance councillor Sam Nelson, one of the most vocal supporters of the planned scheme, said earlier this week: “We want to see a thriving, prosperous Belfast city centre that is open for business and filled with activity every day of the week.”
He added: “After years of discussion and extensive consultation with those positioned right across the spectrum of opinion on extending Sunday trading hours, I’m delighted to see this pilot scheme be agreed.”
In their joint statement, Usdaw, Retail NI and ICTU, said: “That has not happened and, in fact, there has been no prior discussion with Usdaw, the ICTU or Retail NI prior to the proposed Sunday trading pilot scheme being put before councillors.”
Retail NI chief executive Glyn Roberts said that “to completely deregulate Sunday trading and create another normal shopping day shows a poverty of ambition”.
“We need new thinking to animate Sunday morning and offer shoppers and visitors something different,” Mr Roberts said.
“This proposal will provide large multinationals with even more trading time, directly at the expense of small independent retailers who use trading time on Sunday morning to sustain their business.”