Should shops / bars be open on Good Friday / Easter Sunday?

[Steve-O]

As most know, I am currently in New Zealand and was shocked yesterday (Good Friday) to find that pretty much the entire country shuts down! Buying alcohol (UNLESS with a meal) is ILLEGAL on Good Friday, and Easter Sunday!

My opinion is that it's a total joke, I really don't agree with the church or the state dictating people's lives in this manner, and I am glad the UK is no longer in these dark ages.

I also see that bookies have been allowed to open in the UK on Good Friday for the first time - I am all for this as well :agree:

edit - I have also been told that you can't buy any alcohol from a shop EVERY Sunday over here!! :bitchy:

[julz]

Well I have no complains about my shop being open on Easter Sunday as im getting double time for it :thumbsup:

Dont think, as a society, Brits could do that.

[Pretty Boy]

Yes they should be open.

Sorry i'm not religous so shouldn't have some idiots who believe in a guy coming back fom the dead stopping me from having a pint or a bet.

If people are willing to work, everything should be open as usual.

[Iain G]

As most know, I am currently in New Zealand and was shocked yesterday (Good Friday) to find that pretty much the entire country shuts down! Buying alcohol (UNLESS with a meal) is ILLEGAL on Good Friday, and Easter Sunday!

My opinion is that it's a total joke, I really don't agree with the church or the state dictating people's lives in this manner, and I am glad the UK is no longer in these dark ages.

I also see that bookies have been allowed to open in the UK on Good Friday for the first time - I am all for this as well :agree:

edit - I have also been told that you can't buy any alcohol from a shop EVERY Sunday over here!! :bitchy:

Steve-O, ****ing well tell me about it, have been down in the South Island with friends for the past week and I come back today and cant even manage to by a ****ing loaf of ****ing bread, am fuming just now :brickwall

In addition, if you go out to a restaurant to buy food or a bar for drink on a public holiday, you will get charge a 15% tariff on top of normal prices, government legislation...

Its rubbish and I feel like I've slipped into the 1920's :brickwall

[Zimmy]

Yes, provided the staff are looked after :wink:

[Speedy]

i was working today and friday and couldn't really care less about it so yes shops should be open

[GlesgaeHibby]

Its just another day of the year to most people.

[CropleyWasGod]

We respect the fact that Chinese businesses are closed on their New Year, that Asian businesses are closed on certain days, that Benji has problems with playing during Ramadan.

Can we not also respect the fact that some followers of the largest religion in this country want to mark their own special days?

[Hibby D]

Well I have no complains about my shop being open on Easter Sunday as im getting double time for it :thumbsup:

Dont think, as a society, Brits could do that.

the thing is we used to be able to do that. We've not always had the luxury of shops, bars and even leisure facilities being open on a Sunday, never mind a religious holiday.


We respect the fact that Chinese businesses are closed on their New Year, that Asian businesses are closed on certain days, that Benji has problems with playing during Ramadan.

Can we not also respect the fact that some followers of the largest religion in this country want to mark their own special days?

I agree.

A few years ago I was in Essen for a Hibs game (and over in Dortmund last October). On the Sunday the whole bloody place shut down. A few cafes and restaurants were open, but only a few. Whilst at first we found it a bit frustrating, we gave in and accepted the situation. After a while, whilst sitting outside an open-air cafe enjoying a coffee, it soon became apparent that Sunday's were still cherished by 'families'. They were everywhere together! Mum's, Dad's, kids, grandparents, even the family pet!

For some reason that memory has stuck with me. It was nice to see and I admit there was a tiny bit of me that was very envious of that whole 'family' thing.

I think Julz is right in a way though. This country has come too far to go back full circle now.

[JuniorSoprano]

No :bitchy:

[GlesgaeHibby]

We respect the fact that Chinese businesses are closed on their New Year, that Asian businesses are closed on certain days, that Benji has problems with playing during Ramadan.

Can we not also respect the fact that some followers of the largest religion in this country want to mark their own special days?

Why do shops have to shut for christians to be able to celebrate easter?:confused:

I am quite happy for them to celebrate easter, and would totally agree that a christian should be entitled to not have to work on easter sunday as it is the main day on their religious year, but why should the rest of us have to suffer reduced services on that day?

The majority of this country is not religious, so shops should be open as usual.

[CropleyWasGod]

Why do shops have to shut for christians to be able to celebrate easter?:confused:

I am quite happy for them to celebrate easter, and would totally agree that a christian should be entitled to not have to work on easter sunday as it is the main day on their religious year, but why should the rest of us have to suffer reduced services on that day?

The majority of this country is not religious, so shops should be open as usual.

We cope with not having Chinese takeaways for one day a year. We cope with not having Benji for a month or more. Surely we can cope with not having shops open for a couple of days at Easter and a day at Christmas?

We have 51 other Sundays in the year for the "majority".

[Bad Martini]

Steve-O, ****ing well tell me about it, have been down in the South Island with friends for the past week and I come back today and cant even manage to by a ****ing loaf of ****ing bread, am fuming just now :brickwall

In addition, if you go out to a restaurant to buy food or a bar for drink on a public holiday, you will get charge a 15% tariff on top of normal prices, government legislation...

Its rubbish and I feel like I've slipped into the 1920's :brickwall


As most know, I am currently in New Zealand and was shocked yesterday (Good Friday) to find that pretty much the entire country shuts down! Buying alcohol (UNLESS with a meal) is ILLEGAL on Good Friday, and Easter Sunday!

My opinion is that it's a total joke, I really don't agree with the church or the state dictating people's lives in this manner, and I am glad the UK is no longer in these dark ages.

I also see that bookies have been allowed to open in the UK on Good Friday for the first time - I am all for this as well :agree:

edit - I have also been told that you can't buy any alcohol from a shop EVERY Sunday over here!! :bitchy:

Pubs open at 6am on Good Friday. Normal service on the Saturday and Easter Sunday see's a chronic 12.30 noon opening time :greengrin wi bookies no far behind :thumbsup:

It is a joke, these problems ye mention. Im just gled they dinny dae radge things like that here :saltireflag::saltireflag::smug::na na:

[Peevemor]

Across here, with the exception of the odd bar/restaurant, everything shuts on public holidays. Families normally get together for a meal and, because there's nowhere else to dissappear to, stay together after the meal, go for a walk or something - just to simple family stuff.

It's not daft IMHO.

[Steve-O]

We cope with not having Chinese takeaways for one day a year. We cope with not having Benji for a month or more. Surely we can cope with not having shops open for a couple of days at Easter and a day at Christmas?

We have 51 other Sundays in the year for the "majority".

A Chinese takeway is hardly something that is required daily though is it? The Benji thing is not even relevant as it's a completely different situation.

It's fair enough if Christians want to celebrate Easter, give the devout Christians the day off. Do the shops need to close? Are you telling me that every shop worker and owner is a practicing Christian? I think not.

UK has the right idea IMO these days, other countries need to catch up with modern life, NZ included!

As for spending time with family on these days, there's no exactly much to do if everywhere is shut!!

[Peevemor]

A Chinese takeway is hardly something that is required daily though is it? The Benji thing is not even relevant as it's a completely different situation.

It's fair enough if Christians want to celebrate Easter, give the devout Christians the day off. Do the shops need to close? Are you telling me that every shop worker and owner is a practicing Christian? I think not.

UK has the right idea IMO these days, other countries need to catch up with modern life, NZ included!

As for spending time with family on these days, there's no exactly much to do if everywhere is shut!!

It's sad if families can't spend a day together without the need to go shopping.

The point I was making was aimed more at the ridiculous situation that exists in Edinburgh.

Such-and-such a day is an Edinburgh public holiday, but those working for English companies don't get it. Another day is an English bank holiday, that some people will get but not everybody. Good Friday is another Scottish holiday that not everybody gets. Surely the best thing would be to rationalise all the public holidays so that everyone gets all of them. If there are pubs, restaurants, shops, cinemas, etc. that elect to open, then the staff should be rewarded accordingly (as they are if they work Christmas or New Years day for example).

[HibsMax]

Religious holidays should not get in the way of anyone going about their own personal business........such as buying / selling booze. Up until a few years ago you couldn't buy booze in Massachusetts on a Sunday unless (a) you lived within 15 miles of the New Hampshire border or (b) it was the holiday season i.e., Thanksgiving through New Year. Quite ridiculous in my opinion.

[GlesgaeHibby]

A Chinese takeway is hardly something that is required daily though is it? The Benji thing is not even relevant as it's a completely different situation.

It's fair enough if Christians want to celebrate Easter, give the devout Christians the day off. Do the shops need to close? Are you telling me that every shop worker and owner is a practicing Christian? I think not.

UK has the right idea IMO these days, other countries need to catch up with modern life, NZ included!

As for spending time with family on these days, there's no exactly much to do if everywhere is shut!!

Agree with most of your sentiments regarding shops being shut, but you don't need things to be open to have a day with your family. Visit relatives, play family games, go for walks, have a nice family meal etc

[CropleyWasGod]

A Chinese takeway is hardly something that is required daily though is it? The Benji thing is not even relevant as it's a completely different situation.

It's fair enough if Christians want to celebrate Easter, give the devout Christians the day off. Do the shops need to close? Are you telling me that every shop worker and owner is a practicing Christian? I think not.

UK has the right idea IMO these days, other countries need to catch up with modern life, NZ included!

As for spending time with family on these days, there's no exactly much to do if everywhere is shut!!

I really don't see the need for shops to be open every single day. That in itself says more about the kind of consumerist, materialistic society that we have become than any religious leader could. Seriously, if you know a religious or other festival is coming up that is going to impinge on your normal habits.... buy an extra loaf of bread the day before.

[GlesgaeHibby]

We cope with not having Chinese takeaways for one day a year. We cope with not having Benji for a month or more. Surely we can cope with not having shops open for a couple of days at Easter and a day at Christmas?

We have 51 other Sundays in the year for the "majority".

The majority of the country are non religious, muslims, sikhs, hindus etc account for a very small proportion of the population, church numbers are in decline. I never at any point said I was against these people being able to celebrate their holidays and religious festivals, and we must respect that. They should not be made to work at easter, but others are more than happy to.

[CropleyWasGod]

The majority of the country are non religious, muslims, sikhs, hindus etc account for a very small proportion of the population, church numbers are in decline. I never at any point said I was against these people being able to celebrate their holidays and religious festivals, and we must respect that. They should not be made to work at easter, but others are more than happy to.

You miss my point... the 51 other sundays in the year are for that very majority that aren't religious.

[Lucius Apuleius]

Personally believe it should be market driven. If there is a need or a desire and the persons owning the establishment want to then they should be allowed to open. As people mention it really does not seem that long ago when the pubs were not open in the afternoon. a late licence was a once a year event and defo no pubs open on a Sunday. Whether this has led to the decline of the church or not is a different discussion.

[HibsMax]

You miss my point... the 51 other sundays in the year are for that very majority that aren't religious.

I personally believe that all 52 Sundays, and all the other days of the year, should be used in any way that people wish without being restricted by a belief system that they themselves don't subscribe to. Shops should be allowed to open their doors whenever they want and people should be allowed to shop in those stores if they wish to. It's not a question of "go in on Saturday if you know the store will be closed on Sunday" (although some people kinda have to that anyway), it's a question of people being allowed to operate their business freely.

[GlesgaeHibby]

You miss my point... the 51 other sundays in the year are for that very majority that aren't religious.

My point is this, why is it different from any sunday? Surely the christians in this country don't work sundays anyway since this is the day they are meant to worship their god (Well saturday technically is) so people working sundays are non religious and if they are prepared to work then fine. Im not saying all shops should open their doors on easter sunday, it is a choice thing, but there should be no legislation saying they can't

[Monts]

I take it all those complaining about shops shutting on Easter did the same thing at christmas? Complain? And I suppose they also complain that they get holidays at christmas, be that at school, uni or work?

And Im guessing none of them gave or recieved easter eggs, christmas cards or christmas presents?

[Peevemor]

I personally believe that all 52 Sundays, and all the other days of the year, should be used in any way that people wish without being restricted by a belief system that they themselves don't subscribe to. Shops should be allowed to open their doors whenever they want and people should be allowed to shop in those stores if they wish to. It's not a question of "go in on Saturday if you know the store will be closed on Sunday" (although some people kinda have to that anyway), it's a question of people being allowed to operate their business freely.

But what's wrong with everyone getting the chance of a day of rest, that they can spend with their friends/family should they so wish. It just so happens that in Western cultures, by tradition, this would tend to be a Sunday, though I really couldn't tell you how much it has to do with it being the Christian sabbath nowadays.

The people who work on Sundays are generally low-paid shop/restaurant/bar workers who aren't given a say in the matter. Okay, they might get Tuesday off instead or something, but that's not much use if their family and friends are at work and their kids are at school.

IMHO everyone should get a proper day of rest regardless of any religious aspect, with those who are asked to work being properly rewarded?

[HibsMax]

But what's wrong with everyone getting the chance of a day of rest, that they can spend with their friends/family should they so wish. It just so happens that in Western cultures, by tradition, this would tend to be a Sunday, though I really couldn't tell you how much it has to do with it being the Christian sabbath nowadays.

The people who work on Sundays are generally low-paid shop/restaurant/bar workers who aren't given a say in the matter. Okay, they might get Tuesday off instead or something, but that's not much use if their family and friends are at work and their kids are at school.

IMHO everyone should get a proper day of rest regardless of any religious aspect, with those who are asked to work being properly rewarded?
there's nothing wrong with people taking / getting a day off, I have no issue with that. If a shop was closed on "insert day here" as a matter of choice then that's fair enough. It's when a shop is forced to be closed that I have an issue. Let the people themselves decide.

Think about it....some people are legally prohibited from buying alcohol on Sundays. Why is that? I know that people can buy on Friday or Saturday, that's not the point. The point is that people are being forced down a certain path because of some other people's religious beliefs and that is just not on. I'm a big fan of separation of church and state. Apart from anything else, which belief system are we supposed to adhere to? The one subscribed to by the majority of the voters? The choice of the ruling power / party?

It's just a lot simpler if we keep religion out of politics.

[Peevemor]

there's nothing wrong with people taking / getting a day off, I have no issue with that. If a shop was closed on "insert day here" as a matter of choice then that's fair enough. It's when a shop is forced to be closed that I have an issue. Let the people themselves decide.

Think about it....some people are legally prohibited from buying alcohol on Sundays. Why is that? I know that people can buy on Friday or Saturday, that's not the point. The point is that people are being forced down a certain path because of some other people's religious beliefs and that is just not on. I'm a big fan of separation of church and state. Apart from anything else, which belief system are we supposed to adhere to? The one subscribed to by the majority of the voters? The choice of the ruling power / party?

It's just a lot simpler if we keep religion out of politics.

I think we're at cross purposes here.

I agree with the points you make re. religion, I simply think that "days off" should be more widely respected.

When I first moved to Saint Malo, which has a population of about 50,000, I couldn't get my head round the fact that nearly everything was shut on a Sunday (a real pisser when I ran out of fags!). The thing is though - you get used to it.

In the run up to Christmas for example, some shops will open for one Sunday only. It's the regional council who give the shops individual authorisations for this, and while this is probably rooted in the christian/sabbath thing, the reality is that it is now more to do with protecting the rights of the workers as well as promoting a family culture.

4 or 5 years ago I would have scoffed at this, but now I'm well and truly converted.

[ginger_eejit]

Steve-O, ****ing well tell me about it, have been down in the South Island with friends for the past week and I come back today and cant even manage to by a ****ing loaf of ****ing bread, am fuming just now :brickwall

In addition, if you go out to a restaurant to buy food or a bar for drink on a public holiday, you will get charge a 15% tariff on top of normal prices, government legislation...

Its rubbish and I feel like I've slipped into the 1920's :brickwall


The 15% isn't Gov legislation. The Gov said that any places open on a public holiday had to pay their staff penalty rates to work those days.

The first public holiday after they did that most places charged say 5%, then the next public holiday charged 10%, now it's averaging 15%

A restaurant I was at in Martinborough last Friday night was charging $10 pp in holiday cover charge.

Most Cafes & Bars are at it - I seriously doubt their overheads for 1 day are increased by 15% just because of staff pay for the day.

eg say 3 staff at $18 p/h instead of $12 p/h - 8 hour day =increased staffing cost of $144

breakfast for 2 = $40 + 15%= $6 means 24 covers for breakfast have met your increased staffing costs for the day.

[HibsMax]

I think we're at cross purposes here.

I agree with the points you make re. religion, I simply think that "days off" should be more widely respected.

When I first moved to Saint Malo, which has a population of about 50,000, I couldn't get my head round the fact that nearly everything was shut on a Sunday (a real pisser when I ran out of fags!). The thing is though - you get used to it.

In the run up to Christmas for example, some shops will open for one Sunday only. It's the regional council who give the shops individual authorisations for this, and while this is probably rooted in the christian/sabbath thing, the reality is that it is now more to do with protecting the rights of the workers as well as promoting a family culture.

4 or 5 years ago I would have scoffed at this, but now I'm well and truly converted.


I hear what you are saying. I agree that it would be nice if we all had one day off together but I think that decision should be left to the business owners and the employees. I am not disagreeing with what you are saying, I think it would be nice if we ALL shutdown once in a while.

I can only speak for my own generation and about what I have learned but life seems busier and busier as we get more "advanced" rather than more relaxed and slowing down. I could be way off base, it just appears that way to me. Why are the majority of people still working 5 day weeks? Why are people still retiring at 65? Regardless of whether I like my work or the people I work with I tend to "hate" my job. I don't do anything that helps people do anything other than make more money (that's the abridged version of what I do :smile:). Anyway, I digress......

[Peevemor]

I hear what you are saying. I agree that it would be nice if we all had one day off together but I think that decision should be left to the business owners and the employees. I am not disagreeing with what you are saying, I think it would be nice if we ALL shutdown once in a while.

I can only speak for my own generation and about what I have learned but life seems busier and busier as we get more "advanced" rather than more relaxed and slowing down. I could be way off base, it just appears that way to me. Why are the majority of people still working 5 day weeks? Why are people still retiring at 65? Regardless of whether I like my work or the people I work with I tend to "hate" my job. I don't do anything that helps people do anything other than make more money (that's the abridged version of what I do :smile:). Anyway, I digress......

That's what's happened in the UK, the result being that most shops (for example) are open 7 days per week and the employees are forced to lump it.

As I said, when I first moved here I couldn't believe the controls that are in place in this respect, though now I'm used to it I wouldn't like to see it change.

[HibsMax]

That's what's happened in the UK, the result being that most shops (for example) are open 7 days per week and the employees are forced to lump it.

As I said, when I first moved here I couldn't believe the controls that are in place in this respect, though now I'm used to it I wouldn't like to see it change.

in theory, this should help reduce unemployment.....IF new employees are hired to do the work as opposed to using the existing workforce.

[hibsdaft]

My opinion is that it's a total joke, I really don't agree with the church or the state dictating people's lives in this manner, and I am glad the UK is no longer in these dark ages.

:agree:

Its an especially ridiculous state of affairs in the UK/ Scotland which is one of the least religious nations in the world.

We should have a totally secular state in the UK imo like France and Turkey - instead we risk going other way with some wanting more religious interference eg the Archbishop of Canterbury. What a mess.

[Dashing Bob S]

I'd install fruit machines and video gaming facilities in every church and only let in youths under sixteen with bad skin and sporting cheap leisureware.

[Phil D. Rolls]

Steve-O, ****ing well tell me about it, have been down in the South Island with friends for the past week and I come back today and cant even manage to by a ****ing loaf of ****ing bread, am fuming just now :brickwall

In addition, if you go out to a restaurant to buy food or a bar for drink on a public holiday, you will get charge a 15% tariff on top of normal prices, government legislation...

Its rubbish and I feel like I've slipped into the 1920's :brickwall

Thought that was the attraction for people who moved there?