Time to revisit our Sunday trading laws?

London’s West End wants the government to relax Sunday trading laws. Along with neighbouring borough Knightsbridge, the two claim current rules mean businesses in the capital are struggling to compete on a global stage.

Putting forward a proposal to stay open until around 8pm, representatives say international tourists are used to visiting global destinations open far later on Sundays. It’s understandable cash-strapped shops want to make the most of every trading opportunity. And while the issue of staffing and fairness for workers is another argument entirely, I can appreciate their point.

I’m not suggesting we all need to be buying new trainers at midnight - there’s online shopping for that. But would an additional two hours on a Sunday be so bad? You can go to restaurants, theatres, cinemas and many attractions past 5pm, so why not shop for clothes or even food? Thousands of convenience stores have popped up in recent years, mostly owned and run by supermarkets. But research suggests shopping in them, as opposed to the same chain’s larger superstore, can see you shelling out between 10% and 20% more. Shops regularly open much later, buying in smaller batches, which need to be delivered more regularly, to retailers in more populated areas which command higher rates and rents all mean those costs need covering.

But with many of those reliant on convenience stores on lower incomes - such as the elderly, shift workers, or those living hand-to-mouth - there’s little competition to help drag down prices. Convenience stores are trading off of exactly that - convenience. But if we enabled other retailers to come in and offer some Sunday evening competition - particularly around 5pm which in summer can still feel like early afternoon - could that be better for everybody?

‘You can go to restaurants, theatres, cinemas and many attractions past 5pm on Sundays, so why not shop for clothes or even food?’