August 28th: The Day Shops could Open on a Sunday

On August 28th 1994, the Sunday trading laws changed for England and Wales. It was a Sunday, and it was the first day that stores were legally allowed to open and trade in all goods. Previously, the law stated that you could not open for business on the Sabbath day, but on this day in 1994, this all changed.
   Marks & Spencers, House of Fraser and the Waitrose supermarket were the only three major chains who opened their branches on August 28th, despite being against the idea initially. The rules of the Sunday Trading Act state that a small business i.e. 280 square metres or less, can be open all day; whereas larger businesses are limited to only 6 hours of trading between the hours of 10.00 and 18.00. 

Open or closed?

   The amendments to the Sunday Trading Act caused uproar for some, as it affected the working hours of employees. A campaign was developed called 'Keep Sunday Special', which remained strongly opposed to the new trading act, and one spokesman said it would lead to an "erosion of family life". However the Act provides protection from dismissal for those who do not wish to work on Sundays, and of course, there are exceptions for Sundays like Christmas Day and Easter. 
    The following year in 1995, the laws were relaxed once more as they entitled pubs and places serving alcohol to stay open for longer on a Sunday. What do you think? Should Sunday be kept special? Or with the ever-growing demand for convenience and trade, have Sunday trading hours become an essential part of modern society?