Belfast shops may open Sunday mornings during Fleadh festival

Sunday trading hours in Belfast are likely to be extended during two weekends this summer.

A Belfast City Council committee has recommended that earlier opening should be allowed during the all-Ireland music and dance festival - Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann – in August.

A council survey suggested that eight out of 10 people in Belfast are in favour of extending Sunday trading hours during the summer months.

However, only a pilot scheme has been agreed for 2 and 9 August during the Fleadh.

Currently, large shops can only open in the afternoons between 13:00 and 18:00 BST.

The proposal, which includes the setting up of a working group to look at future plans, will now go before the full 60-member council next month.

At the committee, the pilot scheme was backed by a large majority.

The introduction of the pilot scheme was supported by 15 of the 20 councillors at the committee.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) opposed the move.

The Alliance Party had wanted more Sundays to be allowed longer opening hours but in the end they accepted a Sinn Féin proposal for a temporary scheme.

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is the world's largest festival of Irish music and dance, and is expected to attract more than 700,000 visitors from 2-9 August.

Belfast City Council carried out an eight-week public consultation on Sunday opening hours earlier this year.

What are the findings of the survey?

In total there were 5,701 responses to the individual survey, including 3,773 in Belfast.

The results, which were published on Thursday, suggest a large majority of people in Belfast are in favour of extending the opening hours – 82% compared to 16%, with 2% neutral.

However, retail workers were split with only a slight majority of 48% compared to 47% in favour.

A large store is defined as having a floor space of more than 280 square metres, which is slightly bigger than a tennis court.

Overall, in terms of positive feedback about extended Sunday opening based on religious background, the results were:

91% of those from a Catholic background were positive

64% from Protestant background

85% from neither background

What do businesses say?

There was also a business survey which received 101 responses.

The replies suggested 57% supported longer opening hours on a Sunday with 38% against.

In order for the trading hours to be extended, the city needs to be officially designated as a holiday resort.

If that happens then during 18 Sundays between March and September, apart from Easter Sunday, a large shop may open.

Alliance councillor Michael Long has urged all parties at City Hall to back the proposal to extend opening hours.

He said: "Alliance has been pressing for this measure for a decade and it can become a reality within a few weeks if other political parties are willing to listen to the views of residents, tourists, businesses and many shop workers.

"This will be a huge boost for the city, giving tourists and visitors more options on how to spend Sunday mornings in Belfast.

"It is important that workers have their rights protected and people already have the option to not work on Sundays."

'Our retail workers don't want this'

The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) has voiced its opposition to the extension of Sunday trading hours.

In a submission to the council, a spokesperson said: "Our members have told us - time and time again - that they do not want Sunday trading laws to be extended."

"In a recent survey, over 84% of our members said they do not wish for an extension of trading hours on a Sunday."

During the past decade, Sunday trading opening hours have been debated on numerous occasions at City Hall. In 2017, a council committee voted 12-3 against longer opening.