The Sunday shopping debate continues
Afterxa0presenting to Belfast City Council on Thursday 1st May (2025) on the proposed changes to Sunday Trading,xa0Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Robertsxa0said: “This was a useful engagement with the Council.
“We look forward to playing a full role in the discussions to animate Sunday mornings in thexa0city.
“At the meeting we recommended that the Council establish a Sunday Morning working group to include business representatives, trade unions, Arts Groups and other key stakeholders to agree an inclusive way forward and a plan for the summerxa0months.
“The remit of this group should be wider than just the City Centre and include all parts of the city in a new plan for Sundayxa0morning.
“To completely deregulate Sunday trading and create another normal shopping day shows a poverty of ambition and ideas for the city.
“That is an idea that belongs to the past and not to a modern progressive 21stxa0centuryxa0City”.
“We need new thinking to animate Sunday morningsxa0and offer shoppers and visitors something different.
“This proposal will provide large multi-nationals with even more trading time, directly at the expense of small independent retailers who use trading time on Sunday mornings toxa0sustain their business.”
Glyn Roberts has lit the touch paper of change and is hopeful that new initiatives may come out of the meeting. Historically, the Sabbath was seen by many Christians as a day of rest and essentially not working and trading, a day with the family.
With the rise in multi-culturalism and secularism and a decline in Christian values and practices, there may be a need to effect some change to the blanket approach of closing Belfast and other areas down on a Sunday morning.
Glyn Hanna rejects the idea of throwing the doors open to trading on a Sunday but there will certainly be a tug-of-war with businesses who wish to be included and those who don’t meet the criteria once they are set.
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There will be many pitfalls for some small businesses:
*stretching staff over an extra day
* incurring extra costs for the Sunday trading
* having to balance the religious needs of their staff with the practical issue of opening and trading (and complying with the law).
Sunday trading may suit small vendors, but equally bigger Belfast city gift shops etc may also benefit especially from cruise ships and general visitors to city wanting to spend their dollars and Euros.
And there will be likely anti-Sunday protests from the religious lobby who are adamant it does not go ahead demanding the Sabbath is ‘Lord’s Day’ and should be respected.
It is all a minefield of secular, religious and political issues, and those engaged in their respective positions will need to be careful that the summer season is not pitted with the odd explosion.
But wearing a democratic hat, I’d say that if the ‘customer is always right’, then this premise needs to be tested. And that could be achieved with a referendum to create a legitimate position … which would no doubt present another political hiatus.
It is a heady mix of religion, politics and culture, and any changes to the status quo may not please all of the people all of the time.
 on the proposed changes to Sunday Trading,xa0Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn){kind=link}