Extended Sunday trading fears

CRITICS OF the Government’s plans to extend Sunday trading say that the loss of family time for shop workers is being ignored, writes Joanna Moorhead. The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) said Prime Minister David Cameron had failed to honour a government pledge to apply a family test to all new policy, and that family life would suffer if plans went ahead to give councils more scope to relax Sunday trading for high-street stores. If the changes go ahead, a local authority could allow shops on a high street to operate more relaxed hours, while restricting out-of-town shopping centres. Emran Mian, Social Market Foundation director who carried out research for the ACS, said: “Retail staff already work atypical hours. Working longer on Sundays will hurt families by preventing them spending time together.”