Sunday opening hours

Golden_Anemone

I'm in favour of relaxation. This would provide real choice. Christian observers can choose not to shop on Sunday mornings but non-observers cannot choose to shop.

In the South of Ireland where the church has allegedly had so much influence over life and church attendance rates are so much higher shops open from 10 to 6 or 7 on Sundays.

I have so much travelling to do just to get to and from work every day I'm too tired to shop in the evenings and I often need to do family things on Saturdays as well meaning Sundays are sometimes the only day of the week left to me to shop. It would suit me so much better to be able to shop earlier on a Sunday leaving the afternoon for family time.

My local large supermarket takes more money on Sunday afternoons than it does between 8am and 10pm on Saturdays - something of a ringing endorsement for Sunday shopping I would have thought.

I've e-mailed the department expressing my view. Please do so as well because the NI church groups have very strong voices in opposition to these things - they actively encourage their members to write in opposing relaxation and while it's not a mere numbers game it is also important that all views are represented.

moonpie

Golden_Anemone wrote: »

I'm in favour of relaxation. This would provide real choice. Christian observers can choose not to shop on Sunday mornings but non-observers cannot choose to shop.

In the South of Ireland where the church has allegedly had so much influence over life and church attendance rates are so much higher shops open from 10 to 6 or 7 on Sundays.

I have so much travelling to do just to get to and from work every day I'm too tired to shop in the evenings and I often need to do family things on Saturdays as well meaning Sundays are sometimes the only day of the week left to me to shop. It would suit me so much better to be able to shop earlier on a Sunday leaving the afternoon for family time.

My local large supermarket takes more money on Sunday afternoons than it does between 8am and 10pm on Saturdays - something of a ringing endorsement for Sunday shopping I would have thought.

I've e-mailed the department expressing my view. Please do so as well because the NI church groups have very strong voices in opposition to these things - they actively encourage their members to write in opposing relaxation and while it's not a mere numbers game it is also important that all views are represented.

Sounds like you need a day off every week.

Golden_Anemone

moonpie wrote: »

Sounds like you need a day off every week.

Thanks moonpie. I wish my employer thought so too though I doubt they'd continue to pay me for 5 days if I only worked 4.

I seriously do need a day off this week - driving through the snow every day has been exhausting.

drew2k9

there are many ways around this, people can shop for what they want when they want and even have it delivered to their door now mostly free of charge at a time that suits them, so no one is left out. you people all just need to plan and organise more and get things sorted out with your busy lives as even if the shops do open longer on a sunday, it wont happen straight away, so instead of moaning, get used to it now, and when it does happen (because i do believe it will) then it will be like a bonus to you.

also i am not against it, infact i probably will shop at the times if it does happen, maybe even pop in for a few things before church in the mornings and evenings too as i dont believe its wrong, and i do agree that more jobs created is always a good thing. what im getting at is i am just fed up with people generalising whole groups of society and labelling people as being in the dark ages, when really those people are the ones with their eyes wide shut!

moonpie

Golden_Anemone wrote: »

Thanks moonpie. I wish my employer thought so too though I doubt they'd continue to pay me for 5 days if I only worked 4.
QUOTE]

Probably not, they'd expect you to organise your personal time as well as you do when you're at work

seatzie

definitely should review the opening hours - yet again Norn Iron lags behind most of the Western world - and for those of you who want to keep Sunday sacred - go ahead, dont go to the shops nobody is forcing you but its the same old story you can buy a top shelf mag at 9am on a Sunday but not a bible!

Golden_Anemone

drew2k9 wrote: »

there are many ways around this, people can shop for what they want when they want and even have it delivered to their door now mostly free of charge at a time that suits them, so no one is left out.

How disrespectful of you to assume that just because you live somewhere that has supermarket deliveries everyone does. The fact is not everyone lives in or around Belfast and not everyone has access to services such as these. I will object to nobody attending church or anything else on Sunday and I don't expect them to object to me doing what I want to do.

Oh and moonpie - It was you who brought up the day off - I'd be happy to work all week and shop on Sunday mornings. We have tea breaks and lunch breaks where I work - very new fangled I know! :rotfl:

drew2k9

you choose to live where you live, so its a consequence of your choice.

moonpie

Golden_Anemone wrote: »

drew2k9 wrote: »

there are many ways around this, people can shop for what they want when they want and even have it delivered to their door now mostly free of charge at a time that suits them, so no one is left out.

How disrespectful of you to assume that just because you live somewhere that has supermarket deliveries everyone does. The fact is not everyone lives in or around Belfast and not everyone has access to services such as these. I will object to nobody attending church or anything else on Sunday and I don't expect them to object to me doing what I want to do.

Oh and moonpie - It was you who brought up the day off - I'd be happy to work all week and shop on Sunday mornings. We have tea breaks and lunch breaks where I work - very new fangled I know! :rotfl:

Don't assume that I was getting at you for replying during normal working hours, after all what do you think I'm doing.
We'll just have to agree that some people can work 5 days a week, do their shopping, help the kids with their homework every evening (thank goodness the AQE's are over), clean their house and car, do the laundry, have a day for some therapetic spending, and still have a day to chill out before starting it all over again, and some people just spend time complaining they don't have time.

one2escape

I am all for the relaxation of the Sunday Trading laws. Living near a shopping complex on a Sunday between the hours it is open is awful with traffic as everyone goes there for them couple of hours. A relaxation of the laws would allow even the flow of traffic. I dont think this will pass though with the "moral" churches will against it. If it was put to a vote a wonder who would win?