Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004

1 Prohibition of opening of large shops on Christmas Day

(1) A large shop must not be open on Christmas Day for the serving of retail customers.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to any of the shops mentioned in paragraph 3(1) of Schedule 1 to the 1994 Act (shops exempt from restrictions on Sunday trading).

(3) If subsection (1) is contravened in relation to a shop, the occupier of the shop is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £50,000.

(4) In its application for the purposes of subsection (2), paragraph 3(2) of Schedule 1 to the 1994 Act (which relates to the interpretation of paragraph 3(1) of that Schedule) has effect as if—

(a) the reference to weekdays were a reference to days of the year other than Christmas Day, and

(b) the reference to Sunday were a reference to Christmas Day.

(5) In this section—

• “large shop” has the same meaning as in Schedule 1 to the 1994 Act, except that for the purposes of this section the definition of “relevant floor area” in paragraph 1 of that Schedule is to be read as if the reference to the week ending with the Sunday in question were a reference to the period of seven days ending with the Christmas Day in question;

• “retail customer” and “shop” have the same meaning as in that Schedule.