Geoffrey Silman of Finers Stephens Innocent makes an interesting case for a review of the Sunday Trading Act 1994, especially in the light of continuing trading restrictions on an otherwise generally open British Easter Sunday. The piece written in The Times is: In the age of the internet, why restrict Sunday trading?
Retail leases often oblige shop owners to remain open for trade during normal shopping hours. Modern leases will regulate clearly what is meant by “normal” hours, and whether or not these times include Sundays. With older leases – those entered into before 26 August 1994 when the Act came into force – a covenant simply requiring a shop to open during normal business hours (without referring specifically to Sundays) is not regarded as requiring the tenant to trade on a Sunday. See section 3 of the Act.