Consultation on Easter Sunday trading opens

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick and former Chamber of Commerce chief executive Darrin Walsh are big fans of Easter Sunday trading.

Rotorua residents are being encouraged to have their say about the Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policy for the district.

Submissions open on Monday and close on January 27.

Rotorua Lakes Council strategy project manager Niki Carling said submissions would be heard in February before a final recommendation went to council.

"It's proposed the final decision be made in time for retailers to implement the new policy by Easter 2017."

Earlier this year, the Government amended the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 to allow territorial authorities to have a policy to permit shops to open on Easter Sundays.

The changes do not apply to other holiday dates such as Good Friday, for which current trading restrictions will remain.

Most shops in Rotorua cannot open on Easter Sunday, with the exception of dairies, service stations, takeaway outlets, restaurants and cafes, garden centres and duty free stores.

Although some tourist areas have had exemptions to open on Easter Sundays in the past, Rotorua did not.

"The direction for the draft policy has been informed by the previous position taken by Rotorua Lakes Council to lobby for change to Easter trading laws, a position supported by a 2014 Colmar Brunton survey which saw 79 per cent support for allowing Easter trading."

Councils have the option of not adopting a policy, in which case shops must remain closed on Easter Sunday, as they have until now, or adopting a policy allowing businesses to open, either in a defined area or across a district.

The proposed policy for Rotorua is to allow shops in the whole of the district to be open on Easter Sunday.

The formal Statement of Proposal, the proposed policy and information about making submissions will be on council's website - www.rotorualakescouncil.nz - on Monday.

Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policy
- Rotorua Lakes Council public consultation period starts Monday
- Submissions close Friday, January 27
- Hearings to be held in February
- Applies to Easter Sunday only
- For details and submission forms visit the council or go to www.rotorualakescouncil.nz and click on the "have your say" tab