Should shops in Queenstown Lakes be allowed to open on Easter Sunday?

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) wants members of the public to weigh in on this question, to help inform its proposed draft Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policy 2025.

Easter Sunday is a restricted trading day under the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 (Act) which requires shops to remain closed, except for certain shops under certain conditions. 

However, shops in Queenstown Lakes have been allowed to trade on Easter Sunday since 2017 because of an amendment to the Act which enabled councils to adopt policies to permit shops to open on Easter Sunday. 

QLDC’s Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policy in 2017 has now expired.

Council staff are proposing the new policy allows all shops to open on Easter Sunday again.

Allowing shops to open supports local businesses who benefit from tourist trade and provides greater options for the large volume of visitors to the district over this time period, council staff said.

It is only applicable to Easter Sunday and does not include Good Friday or Easter Monday.

The policy would also not apply to the sale or supply of alcohol, which is regulated under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.

Copies of the draft Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policy 2025 and submission information can be found online here, at QLDC offices and all libraries.

The final policy is expected to be presented to councillors for adoption in March 2025.

Public input closes on November 30.

PHOTO: Supplied