BBC News: Open all hours? The arguments over Sunday trading

“There is some evidence that transactions for Sunday shopping are actually growing faster than those for Saturday”, Mr Osbourne said. “Simply spreading consumer spend over a longer period adds cost to businesses with little extra benefit, but it punishes the smallest operators who have previously had this tiny advantage over the national chains”.

“It’s a sign of desperation that the Chancellor is trying to strengthen growth through shopping instead of manufacturing”.

“The current Sunday trading laws do not preserve any valuable cultural aspects of our way of life”, he argues.

Shopworkers’ trade union leader John Hannett is disappointed with the government’s proposal as he said it will cause chaos by varying opening times across the United Kingdom.

And Richard Watson said: “Sunday is no longer seen as a day of rest or a religious day”.

The change could conceivably result in different opening hours, let’s say, in Manchester and Liverpool or Reading and Bristol, with different cities vying to attract custom.

They are no trading restrictions in Scotland while in Northern Ireland, shops can open for up to five hours between 1pm and 6pm.

Certain retailers are exempt from Sunday trading restrictions.

Andrew Davies-Land said: “If they want to I don’t see why not”. If you want to go out early on a Sunday morning looking for a wide range of fresh produce to cook for a family Sunday lunch, you can not.

“The district works hard to encourage inward investment, but measures will also need to be in place to make sure small, long-standing businesses are protected”.

That means the poorest workers – with 2.5million Britons now earning within 50p of the £6.50 minimum wage – will have to work more hours to make ends meet. “Goodness me, if that didn’t sum up a miserable Sunday”, she commented. And he described the trial of extended Sunday trading hours during the Olympics to be “an almighty flop”.

Stores with total display and service space of less than 280 square metres can open when they like while some larger retailers, including motorway service stations, airport and railway outlets, farms selling their own produce and pharmacies selling only medicinal products and appliances, are exempt from the six-hour rule.

What do other countries do?

The Guardian reported that Osborne’s budget tomorrow would announce a consultation on devolving power over Sunday trading law to elected mayors, and also to local authorities.

The 1994 change in the law followed 26 attempts to relax Sunday trading rules.

Mr Osborne will present the proposed reforms – to be included in an Enterprise Bill in the autumn – as part of a push to devolve more powers from Whitehall.

James Lowman, CEO of The Association of Convenience Stores thinks that the liberalisation of Sunday trading hours could see smaller shops struggle with the competition.

The move will delight larger retailers, but could spell problems for smaller convenience stores which can pick up a significant amount of business when competitor supermarkets are closed.

Would George Osborne’s planned shake-up allow the high street to compete with online retailers? “Our local council has encouraged us to open on Sunday as much as possible”, he said.