Small shops are not covered by these restrictions and can open freely.  The Sunday Trading Act also includes some specific measures to protect the rights of shop workers who do not wish to work on Sunday.

Apart from the above restrictions, it is left to the individual shop owners to determine their opening hours.  A copy of the Sunday Trading Act can be obtained from the Office of Public Sector Information.

The original requirement for large shops to notify their local authority of a change in their Sunday opening hours has now been removed from legislation.

Large Shops are not allowed to open on either Easter Sunday or Christmas Day if it falls on a Sunday.

Certain types of shops may be exempt to Sunday Trading Restrictions.  These shops are as follows;

• Any shop, which is at a farm and where the trade or business carried on, consists wholly or mainly of the sale of produce from that farm.
• Any shop where the trade or business carried on consists wholly or mainly of the sale of intoxicating liquor.
• Any shop where the trade consists wholly or mainly of either motor supplies and accessories, or cycle supplies and accessories.
• Any shop which is a registered pharmacy and is not open for the sale of retail goods other than medicinal products and medicinal / surgical supplies.
• Any shop at a designated airport.
• Any shop in a railway station.
• Any shop at a service station area within the meaning of the Highways Act 1980.
• Any petrol filling station.
• Any stand used for the retail sale of goods during the course of an exhibition.