MPs have voted in favour of a temporary relaxation of Sunday trading legislation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Bill was rushed through the House of Commons with MPs voting 272 to 125 in favour of it during the Third Reading.
The decision means that shops in England and Wales with a floor space of more than 280 sq metres will not have any restrictions on Sunday opening hours for eight weeks, from July 22 to the end of the Paralympic Games on September 9.
Currently these stores can only open for six hours on a Sunday. Following the Paralympic Games, the legislation will revert to its current state.
Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) public affairs director Shane Brennan said the result was “a farce” and that the ACS would be working towards ensuring that the government would not attempt to make the temporary relaxation a permanent fixture.
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