Independent retail shops

Independent retail shops have unlimited trading hours provided they meet certain criteria. Generally these shops are the 'small' retailers where the business is run by a single operator or a private company and where a maximum of 20 people are engaged in the shop at any one time and if a number of shops are operated throughout the State, a total of not more than 60 people are engaged at any one time in all the shops being operated.

The only restrictions on these shops are that they remain closed throughout the whole of Good Friday and 25 December (Christmas Day). They are also to remain closed until 1.00pm on 25 April (Anzac Day). Independent retail shops that are predominantly food and/or grocery shops are allowed to open on these days.

An independent retail shop must meet the following criteria:

• the business is run by an individual, partnership or a proprietary company (does not include a public company or a related corporation)
• the number of people engaged at any one time in the shop including the owner is not over 20
• the number of people engaged by the owner of the business in all shops throughout the State is not more than 60 at any one time.

The definition excludes certain types of shops and arrangements including:

• exempt shops
• offices
• shops selling wholly or partly wholesale products
• shops selling motor vehicles or caravans
• stalls in a market.