Opening a Retail Business in the UK: What you Need to Know | Page 7

Opening a Retail Business in the UK: What you Need to Know

There are a number of shops that are exempt from the Sunday trading restrictions. These include:


Service station outlets.



Registered pharmacies that sell only medicinal products and medical and surgical
appliances.



Farms that sell mainly their own produce.



Suppliers of goods to aircraft or sea-going vessels on arrival or departure from a port,
harbour or airport.



Exhibition stands selling goods.



Airport and railway station outlets.

(On some occasions, it may be necessary to obtain permission to load and unload goods outside of
the typical Sunday opening hours.)
Workers in any shop that opens on a Sunday may have special employment rights. However, there
is no automatic right for workers to have public holidays off unless it’s in their contract (this includes
Christmas Day and Easter Day). Again, extra pay for public holidays is optional, unless stated in the
employee’s contract.

Commercial Property – Industrial Units, Office Space to Rent

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