Sadiq Khan has refused to back the repealing of Sunday trading laws in London today following questioning in the London Assembly.
Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member & Economy Spokesperson Hina Bokhari called on the Mayor to push to UK Government to liberalise Sunday trading laws in London stating that the current laws are holding back London’s economy and preventing it from being a truly 24-hour global city.
Sunday Trading laws currently prevent large shops from opening more than six hours on a Sunday between the hours of 10 am and 6 pm. In Scotland, shops face no restrictions on opening hours on Sundays.
According to Bokhari, liberalising Sunday trading laws would bring London more in line with other global cities such as Paris, Madrid and Sydney and would boost the local economy.
During the 2012 London Olympic Games, Sunday trading laws were suspended for eight weeks and sales rose 3.2 per cent compared to the previous year.
In 2016, the UK Government had expressed a willingness to devolve powers over Sunday Trading to London but efforts have since stalled.
In response to questioning by Assembly Member Bokhari, the Mayor of London stated he was against liberalising Sunday trading laws, but he did concede that he was in favour of trials to relax regulations in the West End of London.
Commenting Hina Bokhari AM said:
“Strick Sunday trading laws have been holding London back for years. While other cities such as Paris, Madrid, Sydney and Amsterdam have all liberalized regulations on Sunday trading London remains behind despite the Mayor’s vision of London being a truly global 24-hour city.
“While I understand more liberalised Sunday trading laws may not be suited to the whole of the UK, that is why we want them devolved to London to see both residents and visitors alike given more flexibility and choice in a City that is never short of visitors whatever the hour.
“Liberalising Sunday trading laws would also give those who cannot work on weekdays more of a chance to earn some money, this would be particularly beneficial to students.
“It was disappointing that the Mayor seemed both unwilling to lobby the UK Government for these powers and unwilling to use them should they be devolved.
“London is a global hub and we should be doing everything possible to cement and promote its position as a vibrant City seven days a week.”
