Sunday trading

Trading on Sundays in Belfast

Shops with a floor space of more than 280 square metres can sell goods on Sunday from 1pm to 6pm. Shops must close on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day, if it falls on a Sunday.

Some larger stores can trade on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day, including:

• shops selling motor and cycle supplies and accessories
• registered pharmacies
• petrol stations
• airport, port or railway station shops.

Holiday resort designation

At a council meeting in July 2025, we agreed to consider progressing holiday resort designation for Belfast. This status could allow shops, with floor space over 280 square metres, to open longer on Sundays for 18 weeks during the summer.

We also agreed to consult the public, businesses and stakeholders on holiday resort designation.

Following a public consultation, we agreed to designate the Belfast City Council area as a holiday resort on Sunday 2 August and Sunday 9 August, during the Fleadh. This means large stores can open at 11am on those days, so everyone can shop earlier and for longer. 

We also agreed that a working group would be set up with relevant stakeholders and trade unions to further engage on the issues raised during the consultation, including looking at a city centre animation programme, funding options and a review of the pilot by the end of October 2026.