Should shops be open Boxing Day?

[Bunkermagnet]

So on the news last night, a couple of supermarkets are giving their staff Bosxing Day off. They then interview a few members of the public, and one woman says all shops should be open, it's a normal day.
I would counter that with "so why aren't you working Boxing Day?"

Personally I would love Boxing Day be kept as a holiday for all, and enforced.

What do you think?

 

[bluewolf]

Where does it end? I used to work every other Christmas Day. Are you suggesting that only shops are closed, or are we looking at everything?

I’ve no issue with people working Boxing Day, as long as they’re properly compensated for it.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

Where does it end? I used to work every other Christmas Day. Are you suggesting that only shops are closed, or are we looking at everything?

I’ve no issue with people working Boxing Day, as long as they’re properly compensated for it.

Normal year yes. This year no.

Everyone mixing over Xmas would help if there wasn't a place for them to mingle afters

Plus Tesco's etc worked so hard this year give them a rest

 

[bluewolf]

Normal year yes. This year no.

Everyone mixing over Xmas would help if there wasn't a place for them to mingle afters

Plus Tesco's etc worked so hard this year give them a rest

I thought this was a general question. If it’s about this year only then all key workers should have extra days off over Christmas (especially as I am one and have been in work all through this ?)

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I was leaning towards everybody (obviously emergency services have to unfortunately)and every year.

 

[bluewolf]

I was leaning towards everybody (obviously emergency services have to unfortunately)and every year.

It’s a lovely thought, but for everyone that would love Boxing Day off, there’s another that uses Boxing Day to increase earnings. I hated working over Christmas, so always used to try and swap for New Years Eve. Used to get a weeks worth of wages for one night when the pubs were too busy with once a year drinkers who’d make every effort to bore you to death at every opportunity.

 

[Blue in Munich]

Why do ordinary shops need to be open on Boxing Day; can we not survive for 2 days without food shopping, or any other shopping come to that?

 

[louise_a]

I cant see why shops need to be open on Boxing Day, give the staff a couple of days off over christmas, surely no one needs to shop that urgently.

 

[Orikoru]

I've never been shopping on Boxing Day, always doing family stuff most years. Probably no reason for the major ones to be open. You'll always get the odd corner shop that opens regardless if you need something urgently.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Can’t see why a restricted opening for smaller stores is a bad thing, is there a reason to open large supermarkets? No, in my opinion there is not.

If you need a shop done that day then smaller stores will be just fine or order online for delivery in advance.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

No and they should close the 27th as well, meaning this year they could close for 4 days.

 

[Deleted member 18645]

I remember one Boxing Day when I managed to cover three separate football matches for my own paper, the visiting team's papers and radio. The amount I made in additional expenses, out-of-hours payments and extras under NUJ rules made me as much as my monthly salary. Happy days.

 

[Fromtherough]

I’m not sure that I was aware supermarkets opened. I know clothes retailers usually have sales etc, which are likely to be relatively important to them, so can’t imagine that changing. Boxing Day is the day in the festive calendar we reserve for a lads beano. A few jars with my Dad in the club, googly balls championship ( the only time of year this is played) then the match - if we’re at home. If not a few pints elsewhere, ending up in our local where we’ve drunk since we were 17-18, despite many moving away. Over the years wives/girlfriends/family join us in the local. Gutted that this is highly unlikely to happen this year.

 

[Fade and Die]

Keep them closed, let the staff have an extra day off. Christmas is just one day and you see shopping trolleys stacked high enough to feed a family for a fortnight, I’m sure people can survive an extra day?
Around here there are few family run Asian mini-markets that will be open (even on Christmas Day) so you can get essentials if you run out of Tea, bread or Kronenbourg. ?

 

[Tashyboy]

We are in the middle of a pandemic, rates are rising and so is my blood pressure. It’s Boxing Day yet some supermarkets think it is ok to open. Shocking.
In the old days I got it with “ January” sales starting on Boxing Day. But this year it’s a deffo no from Tash.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

We are in the middle of a pandemic, rates are rising and so is my blood pressure. It’s Boxing Day yet some supermarkets think it is ok to open. Shocking.
In the old days I got it with “ January” sales starting on Boxing Day. But this year it’s a deffo no from Tash.

I agree Tash, but playing devils’s advocate and forgetting the pandemic for a moment, this year is one of those odd years when Boxing Day falls on the weekend and the Monday is the Bank Holiday.

Therefore, from a business point of view, 4 days closed could have an impact if it doesn’t apply to everyone, ie, those open getting a jump on the sales.

Then from a pandemic point of view, closing shops for too long may force crowds in to stores before the break.

 

[Old Skier]

Many countries in Europe don’t open the day after Christmas. Could never understand this country’s obsession with shops being open all hours and all days.

Loved being in Germany where shops had a late night ( 2000 hrs) on Thursday closed by 1300 on a Saturday expect the last one of the month and closed on a Sunday.

Most people who want shops open on a Sunday have never worked in retail and most probably never had to work on Sunday either.

 

[rulefan]

Well I know none of my family will be going into these shops and already take good care of eliminating Covid risk, so if others want to take the chance of killing themselves, I have no objection.
But any shop that insists on their staff working should be penalised heavily

 

[Billysboots]

DFS absolutely has to open. They need to maximise their opportunities to hold a SALE.

 

[Tashyboy]

I agree Tash, but playing devils’s advocate and forgetting the pandemic for a moment, this year is one of those odd years when Boxing Day falls on the weekend and the Monday is the Bank Holiday.

Therefore, from a business point of view, 4 days closed could have an impact if it doesn’t apply to everyone, ie, those open getting a jump on the sales.

Then from a pandemic point of view, closing shops for too long may force crowds in to stores before the break.

? the bit I don’t understand is some are open and others not. When we did a Poppy collection I was talking to a couple of the staff from the local supermarket who I know. They said we have had lots of staff off with Covid. “ we are hanging on by our fingernails to staff this place”. It seems there desperate for a break. Usually staff are railroaded to work over Christmas.
Seems it’s not just them.
Missis T went for a walk with one of her nurse pals, she does 18hrs a week. Retired and they asked her to work part time. She said if it helps she will do Boxing Day. She has a 12 hr Christmas Day night shift. No one else wanted it so they dropped her in coz she said she will work Boxing Day.