All-day nod for Sunday drink sales

SBHD: By our parliamentary correspondent

Supermarkets and off-licences are to be allowed to sell alcohol on Sundays throughout their opening hours.

John Major announced last night (Tuesday) that regulations restricting sales to between noon and 3pm would be lifted. Smaller off-licences will be allowed to trade from 10am to 10.30pm.

Speaking at a dinner of the British Retail Consortium in London, he said the Deregulation Act allows changes to licensing laws that have become increasingly outdated given the greater freedom now enjoyed by pubs.

A Home Office review of licensing laws has recommended that pubs and wine bars should also be allowed to open on Sundays on the same basis as weekdays without a break between 3pm and 7pm.

“Now we have Sunday trading, there is no logic in these regulations,” said Major.