SHOPPING HOURS FOR HOLIDAYS

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28157, 21 December 1956, Page 16

SHOPPING HOURS FOR HOLIDAYS

FEWER RESTRICTIONS THAN IN 1955

CHRISTMAS EVE TO BE LATE NIGHT

Housewives this year will have an easier task stocking up for the holidays at Christmas and New Year than 12 months ago, when Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fell on Monday, and shops were closed for four consecutive days.

Shopping for essential foodstuffs at the last moment is also made easier, for the Shops and Offices Act and subsequent amendments and orders list a wide range of essential food items that can be Sold without restriction on hours.

This year, with Christmas Day a Tuesday, most businesses will open on Monday, and shops will be open until 9 o’clock. Although shops will be closed on December 31, bakeries will be making bread for this day. Butchers will be closed from 5 p.m. on the Friday, until the next Wednesday morning.

Shops ih New Brighton will, howeyer, still observe Saturdays as shopping days and late shopping nights during the holiday period. Shops there will close at 5.30 p.m. on Monday, and will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day. and next Thursday. Wednesday is usually observed as a holiday in New Brighton. The shops will reopen on Friday, and have a late night on the Saturday. In the next week, New Brighton shops will be closed on Monday, New Year’s Day. and January 2. The following are the holiday arrangements:— Grocers and General Retailers.— Late night on Monday, December 24, to 9 o’clock. Closed December 25 and 26. Reopen Thursday, December 27, and open Friday, December 28, until 5.30 p.m. Reopen Wednesday, January 2, and Friday, January 4, will be a late shopping night. Butchers.—Close at 5 p.m. today, and reopen on Monday for Christmas Day and Boxing Day. On Friday, December 28, butchers will close at 5 p.m and will remain closed on Monday and Tuesday, reopening on Wednesday, January 2. The abattoirs will work in with the butchers to ensure that plenty of fresh meat is available. Bakers.—Bakers will close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, and January -2. Fresh bread will be available on Monday, December 24, Monday, December 31, and again on Thursday, January 3. Chemists.—Close at 9 p.m. today and reopen on Monday until 9 p.m. Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day, when the urgent dispensary in New Regent street will be open. Chemists will close again at 5.30 p.m. on Friday, December 28, and reopen on Wednesday, January 2.

Fruiterers.— Most retailers will close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day. They will be open on Monday, December 31, because the markets are open on that day. Postal Services.—There will be no postal deliveries on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Usual post and telegraph hours will be observed on Christmas Eve, with the telegraph counter open until 10 p.m. Normal services will be available on December 27, 28 and 29, but the monev order and savings bank branch will not be open on the Friday evening. There will be normal attendance on New Year’s Eve, except that there will be jio late evening counter attendance. No mail will be delivered on New Year’s Day or on January 2. Milk.— Normal milk deliveries will be made during the holidays. Offices.—Law offices will be closed from today until January 14; banks will observe holidays on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the next day, and in the next week they will be closed on the Monday and New Year’s Day; real estate offices will be closed from todav until January 14. Stock Exchange.— The Stock Exchange will close from today until January 14.