Should all shops be closed on Boxing Day?

Proxima_Centauri

mumps wrote: »

I worked in retail 40 years ago and worked Boxing Day, when did this tradition start exactly?

This article from 2006 talks of 'normal shopping on Boxing Day for the first time'

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/normal-shopping-on-boxing-day-for-the-first-time-7201418.html

From the article:

Ten years ago, virtually none of the leading high street chains would open on Boxing Day, leaving the start of the sales to December 27.

That is certainly how it used to be.

mumps

Kim_kim wrote: »

Big shops? Or local/corner shops?

Not a local shop, it was a city centre shop but probably not one of the biggest.

We were also expected to do extra hours in the week before Christmas, had to line up for "inspection" before we went on the shop floor. I worked with one woman who was told to get her haircut if she wanted to continue to work there. She refused and was sacked.

It was all good fun back then. We had 3 weeks paid holiday and had to pay for our own uniforms.

Actually I'm kidding myself about my age, it was probably closer to 50 years rather than 40.

mumps

Proxima_Centauri wrote: »

This article from 2006 talks of 'normal shopping on Boxing Day for the first time'

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/normal-shopping-on-boxing-day-for-the-first-time-7201418.html

From the article:


That is certainly how it used to be.

I think virtually was the clue, that means some were open.

Proxima_Centauri

mumps wrote: »

I think virtually was the clue, that means some were open.

virtually none were open.. your shop was obviously an exception.

mumps

Proxima_Centauri wrote: »

virtually none were open.. your shop was obviously an exception.

So not really a tradition then, some shops opened and some didn't. It is a business decision, if people didn't want the service the business wouldn't do it.

Proxima_Centauri

mumps wrote: »

So not really a tradition then, some shops opened and some didn't. It is a business decision, if people didn't want the service the business wouldn't do it.

Unsure as to why you keep on labouring a point that's been discussed and explained already. Virtually no shops were open on Boxing Day prior to the last few years.

Tradition = a custom that's been passed on, down the years.

LilElvis

Proxima_Centauri wrote: »

Unsure as to why you keep on labouring a point that's been discussed and explained already. Virtually no shops were open on Boxing Day prior to the last few years.

Tradition = a custom that's been passed on, down the years.

Does it actually matter if any/some/all shops opened on Boxing Day 10, 20 or 30 years ago? The fact is that they do open and hundreds of thousands of people clearly want them to - a far greater number than the retail workers who are working on that day. With a far from stable trading climate no major retailer is going to risk losing out on a high worth day of sales to take some perceived moral high ground and the government needs to negotiate new international trade agreements before it starts pondering whether shops should close for one day.

The disgruntled can huff and puff as much as they like because nothing is going to change any time soon - if ever.

rtho782

Why should retail get special treatment.

They already have arbitrary restrictions on working sundays, which is unfair. Callcentres, Care workers, etc etc - loads of people work 365 days a year.

Retail workers are not special snowflakes.

duchy

mumps wrote: »

So not really a tradition then, some shops opened and some didn't. It is a business decision, if people didn't want the service the business wouldn't do it.

I remember when the department stores started Sunday opening around Christmas was early eighties and the store director of my local Debenhams telling me what rubbish he thought it was as it actually made no difference to total weekly sales just added to the costs with wages and running costs (heat/light etc).

duchy

rtho782 wrote: »

Why should retail get special treatment.

They already have arbitrary restrictions on working sundays, which is unfair. Callcentres, Care workers, etc etc - loads of people work 365 days a year.

Retail workers are not special snowflakes.

You've rather missed the point. With the exception of essential services everyone should be a special snowflake and only work Boxing Day by free choice. Stocking up your knicker drawer not essential btw.