The chaplain of two of Scotland’s biggest shopping centres has criticised the long working hours many retail staff across the country will have to endure as shops gear up for the biggest shopping period of the festive season, reports The Scotsman.

|TOP|The Rev. Elisabeth Spence, chaplain at Glasgow’s Buchanan Galleries and Braehead shopping complex, has called on retail bosses to take a look at the issue of long working hours.

Rev. Spence, a minister with the Church of Scotland, says that the punishing schedule that staff face leaves them with little time to spend with friends and family.

“Almost all people will usually say they plan to spend Christmas with their family, but if you work in retail that’s not an easy option,” she said.

“I know there’s service people like nurses who will work on Christmas day, but this just feels different.”

|QUOTE|Rev. Spence said it was difficult for workers trying to have a holiday with their family and being forced to squeeze this into 24 hours.

The Church of Scotland minister, one of only six-full time industrial chaplains in Scotland, regularly patrols the two shopping centres taking time to meet with both staff and shoppers, whilst also taking on pastoral work with Glasgow City Council.

“It may be more than individual managers we’re looking at and more about going to the retail consortium and saying ‘let’s work out’,” she said. “We’re realistic enough to accept that we might not change anything, but at least it’s been flagged up.”

Rev. Spence worked formerly in a parish in Dundee before taking up the posts at the Glasgow shopping centres.

During her time at the Buchanan Galleries and Braehead, Rev. Spence has grown close with many of the shop workers, leading her to perform marriages for some and funeral services for others.