Can anyone remember half day closing our local shops in the n.e. of england used to close wed afternoons.?

Question

Can anyone remember half day closing our local shops in the n.e. of england used to close wed afternoons.?

Answer 1

I remember Wednesday half day closing in Wales.

Answer 2

Yup, I'm old enough to remember that. It wasn't just the N.E. England. It was everywhere.

Answer 3

Yes I can remember when Wednesday was half day closing where I live, in Workington, Cumbria come midday it was like a ghost town

Answer 4

here in east yorkshire, alot of shops still do close on wednesday afternoon, even the doctors isnt open then

Answer 5

It was Thursday here, until about five years ago.  I think the influx of retail multiple stores saw the habit off.  

A white paper in 1947 said "The power for the local authority to fix any day as half-day closing should be withdrawn and two alternative days allowed, one of them being a Saturday. No exemptions from half-day closing should be allowed and the half-holiday should begin at 1 o'clock. "  The full interim report can be viewed here: http://www.bopcris.ac.uk/bopall/ref9409....

Answer 6

Yes here was half day closing everywhere. Some towns had it on Thursday (Canterbury was one) which attracted shopkeepers from other towns.

Answer 7

Yes.  They still do it a bit.

Answer 8

Some still close on Wednesdays here in my hometown, Chorley. Infact, I used to work for Kwik Save in the 1980's and they closed on Wednesday afternoons also.

By the way did you know that the football team Sheffield Wednesday got their name because Wednesday afternoon was the only time when they could play, as they were all involved in the shop business?

Answer 9

They still do in Eaglesham.

Answer 10

Yeh I remeber the half day closing, down yer in the west country.

Answer 11

Remember it well.  It seems really antiquated now.  I also remember that Sundays were really depressing back then.

Answer 12

Yes I remember, in Brindisi Italy they still do