Dogs breakfast? !

[snifter]

Here is the link. Its about SA complex trading laws

 

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/our-shop-hours-are-a-dogs-breakfast/story-fn6bqphm-1226043849882

 

 

A couple of thoughts. Bearing in mind I am in the UK still (but am aware of the weird trading laws in SA).

 

Here in the UK I actually don't mind shops close for a day or two over Christmas or Easter. I think its a bit sad in this day and age that we can't stock up and survive for more than a day. Or at least manage without that bottle of coke or pack of rice. Its not like we don't get enough notice about the upcoming holidays

 

I also wish that more shops would shut here on Boxing Day and New Years day. And also Easter sunday would be good. Call me old fashoined. As a kid no shops would open Christmas day, boxing day or new years day. Same for Easter sunday and monday and Good friday was a half day with everything closing at lunchtime. Of course times have changed but do we really need to shop practically every day of the year?

 

Now SA has some stricter laws but a bit baffling. However, closing over Easter won't ruin my break once we are there. I'd have shopped and if we don't have it then we don't have it. In a weird way I actually like the idea of shops shutting for a 4 day weekend Much like last year with the Iceland volcano and no planes in the skys for days. It was kind of liberating and an idea of how things could be....

 

However I do feel for the shops outside the CBD who cannot open but would like to on those days when shops in the CBD can.

 

But iirc smaller shops do open, cafes, eating places, those sorts of places were open. Or was it my imagination. Do these trading laws only apply to larger shops, supermarkets and so on or to all shops?

 

Care to discuss, shed some more light? Thanks in advance.

[Guest Adelaide_bound]

Don't know anything about SA regulations, but is it like the UK where you can open if you are under a certain square footage?

 

I really wish shops would shut for a few days on public holidays - yes I know its awful for shop workers as they get time and a half, or double time, and that makes a big difference to their wages - but its nice to have enforced family and relaxation time imho - the face we can't cope with the shops being shut for a day or two speaks volumes about how awful this country has become imho, and how commercial (for the worse). My parents live in Spain, and everything regularly shuts down for some fiesta or other (it seems like every third weekend or something) - everything shuts, there may be the odd restaurant open if you are very lucky, but apart from that there isn't a thing open, not a sausage. And guess what - in the 5 years they have been there, they have managed to not starve or die, despite my father having quite serious health problems (I think the hospitals are still open lol, but not the doctors or chemists/clinics), and two accident prone doggies. And the only food they grow now is a lemon tree, not the best for a rounded meal lol.

 

Its really lovely to go over andhave to relax, chill and just loll around - I think its why the Spanish (that I know) are far less angry than the British in day to day life - they actually enjoy life, rather than just being on a treadmill of consume, consume, consume....

[Guest garlic--bread]

It's very confusing to the layman but i agree snifter an overhaul of the current system sounds well overdue if not only to make it easier to understand.

 

At the moment the UK can't seem to survive for more than 24 hours without some sort of shop, supermarket etc being open, my local 'corner' shop is never closed, it even opens xmas day!! I'm not saying this is a bad thing but I think that is the way things have gone due to customer demand, not that it did our economy any good though.

 

I remember my old dad starting to stock up for Christmas from September onwards (an extra bag of sugar here and an extra box of tea bags there) then when everywhere closed over the xmas period we were virtually self sufficient and anything we needed but hadn't got, well we just had to do without! The number of times I remember neighbours coming to borrow a cup of sugar knowing my dad had extra!)

 

I think Adelaide should stick to what they're doing but simplify the whole thing, none of this 'You can open if you have a floor space not exceeding 400sq m' that's getting a bit ludicrous and it's no wonder shoppers are confused.

[Diane]

Ah, but are you old enough to remember "early closing days" in the UK? I think they still have those is some country areas in SA....

 

Still throws me that the supermarkets here shut at 9 during the week and 5 on Saturdays - caught me out a few times!

 

We managed to survive the Easter break without going to Coles anyway! All that's left from our camping trip though is breakfast provisions, so it's egg, bacon and mushrooms for tea in our house tonight!!

[Guest garlic--bread]

Early closing days...yes remeber those well, when nowhere local was open on a Wednesdays and Saturday afternoons, give or take some of the bigger shops in town. I do a lot of DIY etc and my local DIY shop still closes at dinner time (not lunch time, I'm a northerner lol) on Wednesdays and it still catches me out. I support my local businesses as much as I can, you may pay a little extra sometimes but by the time you've driven the few miles to B & Q or Wickes it's probably cost you more in petrol anyway.

[Guest WhatNow?]

I agree that it is can be quite liberating to not have access to supermarkets for a couple of days, having said that my local IGA is open 24/7/52 and it is not a small shop like the local garage (a bit like a Tesco Express) which is also open 24/7/52. I am sure that apart from Coles and Woolworths there are many independent supermarkets that open on Public Holidays in other metro areas so I am also confused about the so-called 'Trading Laws'. My IGA and the local Cheesecake Shop were both open on Boxing Day and the car parks were full...Ok so you can't go furniture or clothes shopping in many malls on Public Holidays but to be honest don't people have better things to do?