Sunday Trading (Horticulture) Bill [HL]
A Bill to amend the Sunday Trading Act 1994 in connection with the sale of horticultural supplies.
The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Sunday Trading Act 1994 in connection with the sale of horticultural supplies.
The Sunday Trading Act 1994 permits shops to open on Sundays, in England and Wales, but imposes limits on trading hours according to the size of the premises. Shops defined as having large trading areas are currently restricted to six continual hours of trading between 10am and 6pm on Sundays. Many garden centres have large trading areas to accommodate the products they stock.
The Bill would enable local authorities to pass a resolution allowing garden centres to trade up to a maximum of eight hours between 9am and 7pm on Sundays, including Easter Sunday.
Key areas
The Sunday Trading Act 1994 permits shops to open on Sundays, in England and Wales, but imposes limits on trading hours according to the size of the premises. Shops defined as having large trading areas are currently restricted to six continual hours of trading between 10am and 6pm on Sundays. Many garden centres have large trading areas to accommodate the products they stock.
The Bill would enable local authorities to pass a resolution allowing garden centres to trade up to a maximum of eight hours between 9am and 7pm on Sundays, including Easter Sunday.
Key areas
- Amends Schedule 1 of the Sunday Trading Act 1994
- Introduces a definition of ‘garden centre’ as a large shop where the trade or business carried on consists wholly or mainly of the retail sale of horticultural supplies
- Enables local authorities to pass a resolution permitting the opening of a garden centre up to a maximum of eight hours between 9am and 7pm on Sundays
- Allows local authorities to specify the Sundays to which the resolution applies, including Easter Sunday.
Sign in to trackLast fetched 25 Apr 2026 · parliament.uk
Progress through Parliament3 stages recorded
Lords
1st reading
10 Mar 2008
Lords
2nd reading
16 May 2008
Lords
Committee stage
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