Proposal to Designate Coleraine and Ballymoney as "Holiday Resorts" for Extended Sunday Trading Hours
Next week, the Environmental Services Committee will review a report that could see Coleraine and Ballymoney designated as "holiday resorts," allowing for extended Sunday trading hours.
The request comes from supermarket giant Lidl, which aims to benefit from longer Sunday opening hours.
Causeway Coast & Glens Council has already designated Portrush, Portstewart, and Ballycastle as ‘ holiday resorts’.
Article 6 of the Shops (Sunday Trading, etc) (Northern Ireland) Order 1997, towns designated as "holiday resorts" can permit large shops (with a shop floor exceeding 280 m squared) to open at any time on up to 18 Sundays between March 1st and September 30th each year.
This is a notable deviation from the usual restricted hours of 1pm to 6pm. However, the legislation does not clearly define a "holiday resort," leaving individual councils to decide.
If approved, Lidl's request would allow them and other large shops in Coleraine and Ballymoney to operate more flexibly.
The Council must consult those affected and publish any designation notice appropriately.
A similar request was made for Coleraine in the past but did not advance due to a lack of support.
Based on the decision next week, the full Council will still need to approve it at the end of the month.
About Geoffrey Moffett
Geoffrey Moffett is a local content creator contributing to various media publications across Northern Ireland and the mainland.
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