Sunday trading

The Sunday Trading Act 1994 prohibits Sunday retail trading for more than six hours from any shop whose floor area is larger than 280 square metres (a "large shop"). Smaller shops are not subject to any form of trading restriction by the Act.

Large shops must:

• specify the six hours of trading on a Sunday which must be between the hours of 10am to 6pm
• not open on Easter Sunday or Christmas Day when it falls on a Sunday and
• provide a sign visible both internally and externally specifying the times of trading.

These restrictions do not apply to small shops or any of the shops in the following categories:

• farm shops
• motor and cycle supply shops
• exhibition stands
• shops at railway stations and airports
• petrol filling stations
• shops serving ocean going ships
• pharmacists and
• shops of a Jewish faith, which shut on the Jewish Sabbath, but only with an appropriate certificate.

Sunday morning deliveries

The Council has adopted the provisions of the Act that prevent large shops from receiving deliveries before 9am on a Sunday, unless they are registered to do so.

Consent will not be granted unless the Council are satisfied that the proposed early morning deliveries will not cause undue annoyance to local residents.

There is a fee for issuing consent.