Businesses won't open on Easter Sunday in Central Hawke's Bay after the council decided yesterday not to adopt a draft local Easter Sunday trading policy allowing shops across the district to trade if they wished.
As with other councils across the country, CHB had the option to create its own bylaw and allow more shops to open, other than current ones such as dairies and service stations, on Easter Sunday under the Shop Trading Hours Amendment Act which came into force in 2016.
A hearing yesterday considered a recommendation to allow shops in all or parts of Central Hawke's Bay to trade on Easter Sunday from 2018.
Earlier consultation prompted 17 submissions.
Of the 17, former mayor Hamish Kynoch was the only submitter that chose to speak, and he urged the council to retain the status quo.