The Reader: Extend trading hours to let city thrive again

BRITAIN-HEALTH-VIRUS-RETAIL
Retail and hospitality businesses have gone out of their way to ensure they can operate safely ahead of the festive season
AFP via Getty Images
19 November 2020
WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Ros Morgan (chief executive of the Heart of London Business Alliance) is absolutely right to call for the extension of trading hours to 11pm in December. Our capital is famous for its vibrant and energetic nightlife, especially around Christmas time when Leicester Square, Piccadilly and St James’s really come to life.

Retail and hospitality businesses have gone out of their way to ensure they can operate safely ahead of the festive season. The time and money they have spent should not be allowed to go to waste and longer opening hours across the month will allow less crowded shopping. City Hall should take this proposal from the Heart of London Business Alliance to the Government, to ensure the 10pm curfew is ended after December 2 and give Londoners the best chance of thriving in a safe way. If they don’t, I fear our great city will be permanently damaged.

Farah London, Independent mayoral candidate

Editor’s reply

Dear Farah

In the West End the lights are on — but everyone is at home.  

We still do not know under what conditions “non-essential” retailers will be able to open from December 3 but assuming they can trade relatively normally, imaginative thinking will be needed. Extending opening hours could well help persuade shoppers that they will not have to battle through the crowds to get their purchases done. The idea should be supported.

Jonathan Prynn, Consumer Business Editor

This ‘lockdown’ isn’t working

Robert Jenrick says he expects to see a “significant easing” of virus restrictions after December 2. Yet it’s hard to see how the “lockdown” could be eased much more. With the exception of pubs and places of worship, it has been business as usual. Never mind easing restrictions, how about some meaningful ones in the first place?

Dave Degen

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in