The HTA is encouraging members to respond to the Government’s consultation on Sunday trading reforms launched this week.

Outlines plans include new powers for local area to allow large shops, including garden centres, to open for longer on Sunday.

The reforms would give metro mayors and local authorities the power to determine Sunday trading rules that reflect the needs of local people and allow shops and high streets to stay open longer and compete with online retailers. Under the current legislation, which is more than 20 years old and was enacted before the era of online retailing, large stores with more than 3,000 sq ft of trading space are prevented from opening for more than six hours.

HTA chief executive Carol Paris said a relaxation of the Sunday Trading laws was “all about choice - choice for the public to shop when they would like and choice for garden retailers to open when they like. With online trading allowing people to shop 24/7 it is ridiculous that someone can sit and eat in a garden centre restaurant, which is exempt from the law, on a Sunday and order garden product online but not actually purchase products in store.”

The HTA has been working closely with government to make the voice of the garden industry heard. The government’s consultation announcement included a quote from Hillview Garden Centres CEO Boyd Douglas-Davies, who said: “Our customers want to be able to shop on a Sunday at a time that suits them and their lifestyle. At both ends of the day we have to deal with frustrated visitors at all of our centres. In the morning the ‘early-birds’ want to get on with the gardening and later in the day, visitors are forced to leave the centre at a time that feels like it is only mid-afternoon. Sunday is by far and away the busiest day of the week – this demonstrates that customers want to shop on Sundays.”

The consultation document can be viewed here and on Citizens Space here 

The HTA will be responding to the consultation and says it would welcome feedback to inform this process. You can forward your comments by 31 August 2015 by e-mail here even if you decide to respond separately.

The consultation is open until 16 September and applies to England and Wales.

The Department for Communities and Local Government media release can be viewed here.