Sheffield shops can open 24 hours a day over Christmas as high street attempts recovery

Shops could be given permission to trade around the clock as the high street tries to recoup some of the losses it has suffered during the pandemic, a cabinet minister said.
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Retailers normally have to go through a time-consuming process to apply to local authorities under the Town and Country Planning Act if they wish to extend hours beyond 9am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday.

Communities secretary Robert Jenrick said he wanted to remove the bureaucracy to encourage greater trade – allowing shops to open for up to 24 hours a day in December and January.

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Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said: “With these changes local shops can open longer, ensuring more pleasant and safer shopping with less pressure on public transport.

A few shoppers around in Sheffield city centre as the Christmas lights are turned on.A few shoppers around in Sheffield city centre as the Christmas lights are turned on.
A few shoppers around in Sheffield city centre as the Christmas lights are turned on.

“How long will be a matter of choice for the shopkeepers and at the discretion of the council, but I suggest we offer these hard pressed entrepreneurs and businesses the greatest possible flexibility this festive season.

“As Local Government Secretary I am relaxing planning restrictions and issuing an unambiguous request to councils to allow businesses to welcome us into their glowing stores late into the evening and beyond.”

However, speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning (November 30), Environment Secretary George Eustice said a move to allow 24-hour trading in the run-up to Christmas has not yet been decided.

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He said: “We are looking at a range of measures to try and ensure that we don’t get overcrowding in stores, so, while retail venues are going to open from December 2 – that’s very important – we also want to ensure we can maintain social distancing, we want to avoid crowds, so a range of measures are being considered.

“I’m not sure whether there has been a decision yet on round-the-clock opening, but I know there has been some discussion around the Sunday trading hours and some easements there.”

This comes after Mr Jenrick suggested some areas could be moved into a lower tier when the first 14-day review of the latest system of tiered local controls takes place in mid-December.

A total of 11,000 chain operator outlets shut between January and August this year, while around 5,000 shops opened, leaving a net decline of 6,000 stores, almost double the drop during the same period last year.