Government urged to avoid closing shops

Retailers are urging the Scottish Government to reject proposals to close large shops on New Year’s Day.

Yesterday was the final day of a consultation on a potential change in the law to prevent large retail businesses from opening on January 1.

The government is consulting retail owners and staff after the Usdaw trade union submitted a petition calling for the change.

Usdaw argues that shop workers “deserve a decent break over New Year” after keeping the nation fed and delivering essential services.

Currently, the Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Trading (Scotland) Act 2007 bans large shops from opening on Christmas Day.

Yesterday, 13 companies and organisations in the retail industry wrote to Public Finance Minister Tom Arthur, asking him to reject the request.

Signatories include the Scottish Retail Consortium, CBI Scotland, and the Scottish Tourism Alliance.

They said: “Retail has been at the epicentre of the economic storm wrought by Covid. Much of the sector has been shuttered for at least 220 days over the past 17 months, or unable to trade at capacity due to restrictions.

“It should be down to stores to determine... whether there is sufficient customer demand and availability of staff to open on New Year’s Day.”

David Lonsdale, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: “A legislative ban would be putting rocks in the retail industry’s rucksack just as it seeks to recover and climb out from the worst trading period in decades.”

A large shop is defined as one with a trading floor area that is greater than 280 square metres.

In Usdaw’s response to the consultation, general secretary Paddy Lewis said: “Usdaw members work incredibly hard during the festive period and are exhausted by Christmas Day.

“Many are only able to take one or two days off.

“An additional day off will give retail workers in Scotland the opportunity to rest and recuperate. Furthermore, retail workers face significant difficulties in being able to work on New Year’s Day as a result of a lack of public transport and childcare provision.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said the responses to the consultation would be considered “carefully”.

SALES: The festive period is a lucrative time for Scotland’s large retail businesses.