Sunday Trading

Rules about opening your shop on Sundays varies depending on the size of your premises.

Small shops

If the retail area of your shop is less than 280 square metres, about the size of a tennis court, you have unrestricted opening on Sundays. You do not have to register with the local authority.

Large shops

If the retail area of your shop is more than 280 square metres, you must close on a Sunday unless you

• Register with the local authority stating the hours that you will be open on Sundays
• Observe the Jewish Sabbath and remain closed on Saturday and open on Sunday instead, you must notify the authority of your beliefs, see below
• Fall into the category of exempt premises see below

Businesses that observe the Jewish Sabbath

If your business wishes to close on Saturdays and open on Sundays instead, you must serve a notice on the council informing us of your beliefs. You must do this 14 days before you intend to open. Once your business is registered, your business will have unrestricted opening hours on Sundays. Where the business is run by a company or partnership, the majority of partners or directors must observe the Jewish Sabbath.

Businesses exempt from registering for Sunday opening

• Public Houses, off licenses and take aways. Opening hours for these premises are governed by their licence requirements
• Chemists and pharmacies, provided they only sell medical and medicinal goods and products
• Shops in railway stations
• Petrol filling stations and service areas
• Motor accessory shops, provided the main trade is in motor or cycle supplies
• Farm shops, provided they sell produce only from that farm
• Exhibition stands

How many hours may registered businesses open for on Sundays?

Registered businesses can open for a maximum of six hours on a Sunday. You must state the hours you intend to open on the registration form. You must also display the Sunday opening times both inside and outside your shop.

What Law governs the Sunday opening hours?

The Sunday Trading Act 1994. Copies are available from Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

Application form

Download the Sunday Opening Registration Form (261 kb). To view this document, you need Adobe Acrobat software installed on your computer. Download Acrobat Reader.

Please print it out and sign the application form and return it to us at the address below. Guidance notes are attached to the form. If you have any questions or would rather have a form posted to you, please contact us using the details below.

Contact us