While Hereford’s other large retail outlets kept their doors closed on Easter Sunday, Wyevale opened to signed-up members of its garden club for certain services.
When requested at the gate, application forms were not available for completion on the day.
Up to 100 cars were spotted in the car park at around 1pm.
Could this be the first cracks in the dam of the 1994 Sunday Trading Act relating to Easter Sunday and Christmas Day?
At more than 50 other locations Wyevale owners, The Garden Group, were opening up serving refreshments, allowing customers to take advice from staff and examine goods, but they were expected to return another day to purchase them.
Will other retailers with 3,000 or more square feet of selling space be following in the footsteps of Wyevale?
The move, over a key retailing weekend, will test the Act which carries tens of thousand of pounds in fines.
On Easter Sunday and Christmas Day, a large shop cannot open for the serving of retail customers, other than certain services, including refreshments.
By giving advice to selected customers, although not transacting a sale, were staff going so far as serving them?
Environmental health officers up and down the country, including Herefordshire, will take the decision whether to take action.
Churches have consistently warned against any watering down of the Sunday trading rules.
Stores are allowed to stay open on ordinary Sundays for six hours.
The 1994 Act replaced the even more complex 1950 Shop Act which, for example, banned the sale of fish and chips on a Sunday but not other take-aways.
Bigger retailers also want to trade longer hours on Boxing Day if it falls on a Sunday.
Anyone can bargain hunt on the internet for longer than six hours. They have long been asking: Is this fair competition?
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