1TeaBag88
The worst thing about growing up in England had to be . . .
Early Closing Day.
Owners of shops felt they were entitled to shut up on Wednesday afternoon. The customers? Oh!, who cares about the customers!
Everytime you'd walked a long way to the shop in the rain for something you needed NOW . . . . it turned out to be Wednesday afternoon.
Did you have similar nonsense in US ?
Early Closing Day.
Owners of shops felt they were entitled to shut up on Wednesday afternoon. The customers? Oh!, who cares about the customers!
Everytime you'd walked a long way to the shop in the rain for something you needed NOW . . . . it turned out to be Wednesday afternoon.
Did you have similar nonsense in US ?
2John5918
This was originally posted in another thread, so let me repeat my response which I originally posted there.
Where we lived it was Thursday afternoon. I think the reason was to compensate shop workers for having to work on Saturdays. All shops were closed on Sunday, of course, with the exception of newsagents who opened for a few hours in the morning so that newspapers could be delivered.
Where we lived it was Thursday afternoon. I think the reason was to compensate shop workers for having to work on Saturdays. All shops were closed on Sunday, of course, with the exception of newsagents who opened for a few hours in the morning so that newspapers could be delivered.
3perennialreader
My town closed up on Wednesday afternoons so people could get ready for Wednesday night church services. We lived down the street from our church and we were there every time the doors were open. I don't know that it made me a better person, though. However, I did learn to dislike Wednesday night church service. :)
4dfmorgan
Early closing day was a legal requirement
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/14/28/part/I/crossheading/early-closin....
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/14/28/part/I/crossheading/early-closin....
5Eliminado
God, everything in the States is open 24/7 and the expectation is that people should work themselves to death for nothing at all hours of the day or night to make a buck.
A friend who moved Over Here from Over There commented that everything here is so convenient, except that you can't get a cup of tea with your Mexican takeout.
A friend who moved Over Here from Over There commented that everything here is so convenient, except that you can't get a cup of tea with your Mexican takeout.
6Tess_W
No such thing in the U.S. However, there were "Blue Laws" which most complied with, meaning no sales on Sunday--so stores/restaurants/theatres were closed on Sundays, at least in the midwest, until about the 1970's-1980's.
72wonderY
The banks used to close for half a day in the US, at least in my neighborhood. I think employees were still there and perhaps doing reconciliation activities in a time before computers.
8John5918
>7 2wonderY:
British banks were only open from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm Mondays to Fridays and closed at weekends. I can't remember whether they also closed on the Wednesday or Thursday which was a half day for shopping. I believe bank employees were at work from 9 am to 5 pm, but the first customer-free half hour was for them to prepare for the day and the last 90 minutes was for them to complete their reconciliations and close their books for the day. No computerisation in them days; all done by hand and brain with a little help from a comptometer.
British banks were only open from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm Mondays to Fridays and closed at weekends. I can't remember whether they also closed on the Wednesday or Thursday which was a half day for shopping. I believe bank employees were at work from 9 am to 5 pm, but the first customer-free half hour was for them to prepare for the day and the last 90 minutes was for them to complete their reconciliations and close their books for the day. No computerisation in them days; all done by hand and brain with a little help from a comptometer.
9TeaBag88
This is fun.
Will readers please suggest what they feel is a genuine reason to shut a functioning successful shop every Wednesday afternoon?
A shop paying rent, rates, community charges, cleaning it’s windows and floors and fully stocked every Wednesday afternoon but the doors are locked and it cannot be used until Thursday morning.
Will readers please suggest what they feel is a genuine reason to shut a functioning successful shop every Wednesday afternoon?
A shop paying rent, rates, community charges, cleaning it’s windows and floors and fully stocked every Wednesday afternoon but the doors are locked and it cannot be used until Thursday morning.
10dustydigger
>8 John5918:
Yeah bank hours were ridiculous. In my town on the main street four major banks had corner locations facing each other. Underground were tunnels leading to each other. After reconciliations at end of day the banks totted up who owed to which bank,and cash could literally be moved underground to pay the debts!
Bank hours only improved IMO when the banks started to have serious competition from building societies,which opened 9.30am-5.30pm and (gasp!) ALL DAY SATURDAY. Unheard of back then
We still have public holidays called Bank Holidays(like Monday next week for instance) when the banks close,but I doubt clerks are busy counting piles of cash behind the darkened windows! .
Yeah bank hours were ridiculous. In my town on the main street four major banks had corner locations facing each other. Underground were tunnels leading to each other. After reconciliations at end of day the banks totted up who owed to which bank,and cash could literally be moved underground to pay the debts!
Bank hours only improved IMO when the banks started to have serious competition from building societies,which opened 9.30am-5.30pm and (gasp!) ALL DAY SATURDAY. Unheard of back then
We still have public holidays called Bank Holidays(like Monday next week for instance) when the banks close,but I doubt clerks are busy counting piles of cash behind the darkened windows! .
11dustydigger
btw,post offices and libraries still close half dayWednesday in my town! :0)
12John5918
>9 TeaBag88:
I think in a society where virtually nobody worked on weekends, it was felt only fair that if shop workers gave up part of their weekend to work on a Saturday then they deserved some time off during the week in compensation. Many of these small shops would not have had enough staff to work shifts, so it was easier to close. I can't say I ever found it an inconvenience. Everybody knew the half day in their own home area and planned accordingly. It could be a bit confusing if you went somewhere where it was on a different day.
I think in a society where virtually nobody worked on weekends, it was felt only fair that if shop workers gave up part of their weekend to work on a Saturday then they deserved some time off during the week in compensation. Many of these small shops would not have had enough staff to work shifts, so it was easier to close. I can't say I ever found it an inconvenience. Everybody knew the half day in their own home area and planned accordingly. It could be a bit confusing if you went somewhere where it was on a different day.
13sarahemmm
In the 60s and 70s, workers' rights were at the forefront, at least in the UK. Shops were generally smaller, with fewer staff: since those staff, as >8 John5918: says, had to work on Saturday morning*, they got a half day off during the week. It was usually Wednesday or Thursday, and normally was the same day for all businesses in a town, so you would know when not to try and shop. Quite a lot of colleges and universities had sports on Wednesday afternoons, with no classes.
*Since most non-shopworkers worked Monday to Friday, Saturday morning was for shopping. And of course, far fewer married women worked, so they could shop (and visit the bank) during the week.
Most workers were on a 40-hour week, though I remember at least one job where I was on 42½ hours.
Rolling forward, we seem to have passed through the period where amost everyone was expected to work far more hours than they were contracted to do: the advent of internet shopping has made work precarious for many (and not just those on zero-hour contracts). Even bank managers (remember them? pillars of local society!) have gone, as have so many local branches.
Where will it all end? I guess it will come full circle somehow, but probably not while I am here to see it.
*Since most non-shopworkers worked Monday to Friday, Saturday morning was for shopping. And of course, far fewer married women worked, so they could shop (and visit the bank) during the week.
Most workers were on a 40-hour week, though I remember at least one job where I was on 42½ hours.
Rolling forward, we seem to have passed through the period where amost everyone was expected to work far more hours than they were contracted to do: the advent of internet shopping has made work precarious for many (and not just those on zero-hour contracts). Even bank managers (remember them? pillars of local society!) have gone, as have so many local branches.
Where will it all end? I guess it will come full circle somehow, but probably not while I am here to see it.
