Should shops be closed on Boxing Day? Our readers make their views clear

Shops should be closed on Boxing Day - that is the overwhelming feeling among our readers across Sussex.
The online Boxing Day petitionThe online Boxing Day petition
The online Boxing Day petition

A major online petition, calling for shops to be shut on Boxing Day, has been signed by nearly 300,000 people across the UK and will be handed to the Prime Minister.

On the back of this, we asked you on Facebook whether you agreed with the idea - and we had hundreds of responses and comments!

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In our unofficial poll, around 80 per cent agreed with the idea, leaving about 15 per cent in favour of having the shops open. The remainder weren’t worried either way.

There were plenty of straightforward comments that shops should shut, but there was also a feeling that some people are happy to work and be paid.

Others said that it should be down to the individual shops and that the workforce shouldn’t feel obliged to work.

Here are just some of the comments:

“The question is do shops open because people want to shop or do people shop because shops are open? I think if shops were shut people would cope quite well.”

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“If there was no demand they wouldn’t open. People use them, not that I am one of them, so they open. Simple supply and demand.”

“Sundays, Easter, Christmas and bank holidays was always family days! I so miss them! Life is way too busy now! You don’t need to go shopping on Boxing Day or any other day these days! Just do it on the net, stay with your families and enjoy quality time! Furthermore give those poor souls who work in retail the chance to spend time with heir loved ones.”

“Spare a thought to the people who work in retail who have already worked hard up to Christmas, working much longer hours right up to late afternoon on Christmas Eve to get one whole day off the next day. We live in a consumer world but surely we can survive two days without shopping!”

“Let people have a choice. If you want to shop then do if you don’t then well, don’t. It really is that simple. If people want to work then let them. We all have a choice... don’t take mine from me.”

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“Well I think they should close, but I do work in retail and have no choice, but to work Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. I’m dreading it, all the returns and sales. I’ll be six months pregnant and have children that I know would love mummy to be home, but it’s the way things are. Money, money, money. that’s all this world is about.”

“I think it’s fine for shops to be open, but staff should not be forced to work, and there should be extra pay for those that choose to.”

“In my day, as a wee nipper. Shops closed. No public transport. Family time. Only our wonderful emergency services worked.”

You can view the national petition online.