Proposal to allow Easter Sunday trading district-wide

Easter Sunday trading across the Taupo District could become reality through a proposed shop trading policy. But before the policy is adopted, the community has a chance to have a say.

Taupo's town centre has had a rare exemption to allow shops to open between 10am and 3pm on Easter Sunday for the past 28 years. However, much like the majority of shops around the country, some stores outside of the CBD have been required by law to close in respect of the annual religious holiday.

In 2016 new legislation allowed councils to create a local policy allowing shops to open in parts of their district, or across the entire district, for their normal operating hours.

Policy manager Nick Carroll said the new approach was more consistent and would allow shop owners to decide whether they opened on Easter Sunday.

"This policy would also mean town centre opening hours on Easter Sunday would no longer be restricted to 10am to 3pm, with shops being able to open for their usual trading hours."

Mr Carroll said under the legislation employees could choose not to work on Easter Sunday, as long as they gave the appropriate notice.

The proposed policy and statement of proposal are available online and at council offices. People can have their say by making a submission online, contacting us on 0800 ASK TDC (0800 275 832) or emailing eastertrading@taupo.govt.nz. Hard copies of submissions can be dropped into any council office.

The submission period runs until Friday, October 31 at 5pm.