This Is Guernsey

By Tom Edwards

SUNDAY trading restrictions have come under fire from the boss of the island’s biggest stores. Sandpiper chief executive Tony O’Neill said customers should have a choice when it came to opening.

Guernsey legislation bans supermarkets with more than 400sq. m of floor space from opening on Sundays.

This means large stores such as Sandpiper’s Safeway and Checkers are not allowed to open.

Mr O’Neill said neither retailers nor the States ought to dictate when people could shop.

‘We should open our stores when our customers want us to.

‘I’m not saying that should be year-round, but there may be times when it would be appropriate to do so.

‘The peak of summer comes to mind, as well as the run-up to Christmas.

‘Had the rules not been in place here, my stores would definitely have been open on Sunday 23 December.

‘However, retailers have never collectively said, ﾓwe want to open on Sundaysﾔ, and to my knowledge the States has never said they would be dead against it either.’

Guernsey’s Sunday trading restrictions have continued to divide retailers and shoppers over the years.

Commerce and Employment met retailers and the Chamber of Commerce in 2006 but believed there was not the demand to change the law.

It emerged yesterday that 90% of the population did some of their Christmas shopping off-island and only 15.7% spent more than £1,000 on gifts - a drop of 10%.

Deputy Commerce and Employment minister Carla McNulty Bauer said any change to the law would have to be driven by retailers and consumers, not the States.

‘It’s not something there has been the demand for in the past, although I get the feeling this year there was more interest,’ she said.

‘I’m a full supporter of not having year-round Sunday trading, as I believe it’s part of Guernsey’s unique character.

‘However, I would like to think in the future more shops will apply for licences to open on Sundays when cruise ships visit to capitalise on the large volumes of tourists.’

Chamber of Commerce retail subcommittee chairman Tony Creasey did not think the current situation needed to be re-examined.

‘There has not been any more pressure from consumers for shops to open on Sundays and it shouldn’t be treated as a priority, considering all the other changes in the commercial world at the moment,’ he said.

‘In fact, you could argue that it would make matters worse because retailers would not take any more money and our costs would be inflated by 15%.

‘I know that my staff would not want to work on Sundays and I think other retailers would struggle to achieve the staffing levels it would require.

‘Guernsey is a small island with a limited population and there is very little to be gained.’

Mr O’Neill said he respected the wishes of people who did not want shops to open on Sundays to keep the day more family-focused.

‘Equally, I also respect the views of those who do not follow that particular creed,’ he said.

‘Having the flexibility to improve services for customers is something that I would welcome.’

Deputy McNulty Bauer did not believe Sunday trading restrictions needed modernising in the light of UK developments.

‘The current rules were arranged by previous States and that’s the way they will remain for the time being.

‘I don’t think they are out of date. However, the legislation is there to be changed if there is the desire.’

Article posted on 12th January, 2008 - 12.00am