The ‘Keep Sunday Special’ group has issued a warning saying that if Sunday trading hours are extended it could result in the demise of small shops, and destroy the rural communities across the UK. The group has called for Christians to write to their MPs expressing their opposition to proposals for an extension of Sunday trading hours.

|TOP|Prior to the government’s consultation report on the implications of longer trading hours in Westminster, the campaign manager of Keep Sunday Special, John Alexander criticised the current findings of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Alexander commented, “After looking at the report it seems that small shops would be the losers and have very much been ignored in this. “Extending Sunday hours would also have a big effect on shop workers but the government seems to have been very selective in the evidence it has used in the report, ignoring a survey by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation,” according to the Church of England newspaper.

The group emphasised further that extended Sunday trading would devastate the ‘disadvantaged consumers’ such as those in the rural communities who have no access to cars, as well as disabled people.

“These people are being completely ignored by the government,” said Alexander.

|AD|It was submitted by previous reports that the economic benefits resulting from increasing trading in England and Wales would be a potential £1.4 billion per year windfall for businesses.

The Indepen Consulting report also argued against a universal closing time for stores.

So far 250 MPs have signed up to an Early Day Motion objecting to longer hours. Now Alexander has urged Christians to write to their MPs, or to draw up petitions opposing the liberalisation of Sunday trading hours.

Currently large shops can stay open for a maximum of 6 hours on Sundays, and must remain closed on Easter Sunday as well as Christmas Day.

Retailers have been keen to extend these hours, complaining that millions is being lost in profits by the restrictions on their trading.

A second consultation on the issue is expected to be forthcoming from the government.