Should shops extend opening hours?

d4v1d

So trying to shopping in Kildare town has gone from being tolerable to unpleasant. The queues do not lend to a quick hop to the shops anymore and with the exception of a few days recently we have been lucky that it has not been made worse with the weather.


Should the supermarkets consider extending their opening hours? It would do two things, firstly it could make it easier and more relaxed for anyone shopping and secondly it may mean extra employment as extra shifts would be required.


I believe that the present situation is normal now and we should probably start adapting society to deal with it rather than hoping for some elusive cure/vaccination.



Anyone else have any thoughts on how Kildare businesses can adapt to improve how things are?

L1011

I suspect this is going to happen when later phases kick in and there's more happening. Hairdressers are already suggesting they may need to go 7am-10pm to get two shifts in to a: keep all their staff working and b: see everyone while keeping distance.

Could easily see restaurants looking to do three (say 6-8,8-10,10-12) sittings for the same reason.

If there's more people working late there'll be more need for services to open later - there's a demand circle there.


There is the issue that some earlier closing is to allow deeper cleaning to be done nightly.

d4v1d

L1011 wrote: »

There is the issue that some earlier closing is to allow deeper cleaning to be done nightly.

Good point, I had not considered that.


I am hanging out for a good coffee. Does anyone know if the Market Square looking to open for take-away only anytime soon?

Darc19

I shop in Kildare Town and I have yet to queue for any store. Tesco, Aldi or lidl

But I shop after 7pm.


I did need to go to the pharmacy beside Tesco mid afternoon on Friday and there was a queue.

Seems people just won't change their habits. So extended hours won't make any difference whatsoever.

AttentionBebe

No, the staff are working flat-out already. Closed door time gives a chance to restock and clean properly.

lordgoat

Ya get the staff to work longer hours to suit you OP. It's the opening hours that are the problem. FML.

d4v1d

lordgoat wrote: »

Ya get the staff to work longer hours to suit you OP. It's the opening hours that are the problem. FML.

So 'down with that sort of thing'. Thanks for such a considered response to what was a fairly benign question. I can feel the passion you have for the working conditions of supermarket staff. They are lucky to have such strong advocates speaking on their behalf.


I still think that should opening hours be extended it would be to be benefit of others seeking employment such as those from the hospitality sector where jobs have been decimated. But it was just a suggestion so please do not get too upset over it. Sometimes it is possible to simply disagree without resorting to obscenities.

granturismo

lordgoat wrote: »

Ya get the staff to work longer hours to suit you OP. It's the opening hours that are the problem. FML.

Extending opening hours are not dependant on having staff work longer hours - extra staff could be hired. Some of these outlets wont give staff more than 25 hours per week so might be prepared to hire additional staff for longer opening hours, if there was demand and staff prepared to work those hours.

Restocking in larger outlets takes place all day and early am, smaller outlets restock during opening hours sometimes.

lordgoat

d4v1d wrote: »

So 'down with that sort of thing'. Thanks for such a considered response to what was a fairly benign question. I can feel the passion you have for the working conditions of supermarket staff. They are lucky to have such strong advocates speaking on their behalf.


I still think that should opening hours be extended it would be to be benefit of others seeking employment such as those from the hospitality sector where jobs have been decimated. But it was just a suggestion so please do not get too upset over it. Sometimes it is possible to simply disagree without resorting to obscenities.

2 Questions.

1. What are the opening hours for Tesco in Newbridge.
2. How much longer would you like them to stay open to suit you?


Obscenities :rolleyes: here's an quaint emoji incase you get offended again.



Sure totally agree staff could and should get longer contracts and probably should be on a working wage rate as a minimum.

The issue here is opening hours are from 7am to 10pm for various shops but somehow this 15 hour window isn't enough.

d4v1d

On this topic I do not know the following...

• all the opening hours for all supermarkets
• the wages or pay conditions of employees working therein
• the distribution of shoppers over the full opening hours
• the number of people unemployed in Kildare that would take a job there if offered.
• the number of extra staff, if any, that may be required to service extended hours if that were to happen.

And I do not need to know in order to make a suggestion or ask a question. If I were better informed on all of the above I clearly would not be posting on public forum asking if it would be a good idea.

A second question asks how much longer would they need to open to suit me.
As Darc19 above makes a point that it is more relaxed after 7pm I will happily take that advice and alter my shopping times. So no change would be needed from my purely selfish perspective.

Does this address the second, and bigger point, of a potential means of providing extra employment? No, it does not and I feel (based on my previously stated limited knowledge) that it could be an option for the larger supermarket chains to consider.

Aside from that. Are there any thoughts as to how Kildare businesses may change to improve employment opportunities as we adapt to our circumstances?

ShaneU

The opening hours are not the problem. People are not changing their habits. They are still shopping on the busiest days (Fridays and Saturdays) they are still shopping at peak times (3pm- 7pm) they are still 'popping in' for one or two things or some times nothing in particular at all! The same people are visiting every single day just to get out of the house because there's nothing else to do. In case you haven't guessed I work in retail. Keeping the shops open longer won't change a thing but make the front line workers in these stores even more stressed.

jrosen

I dont think they should open later, if your finding the lines and wait too much shop at another time.

I hate to line up so I generally shop Monday/Tuesday and I never wait in line. I tend to go close enough to 11 and im straight in and straight out.
If shops open later in will kick back to their staff to either work more hours or change their hours and work later. I think supermarket staff and retail staff work late enough as it is. You could stay open till midnight and there would still be some moran who's been off all day running in at 11.50