Shops will not be forced to close on Boxing Day, despite campaign groups and petitions saying it’s not necessary to open.

The issue was debated in the House of Commons yesterday after a number of petitions raising concerns about the number of shops opening on December 26 received hundreds of thousands of signatures.

Ashford Designer Outlet recorded record sales figures last year with shops opening from 8am but bargain hunters queuing outside as early as 7am.

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Sales figures at the Kimberley Way shopping centre were up by more than 37% from the previous year across the whole outlet.

And despite enormous public pressure to close on the bank holiday, a government spokesman said they will not tell retailers shut up shop on Boxing Day.

He said: "We do not believe it is for central Government to tell businesses how to run their shops or how best to serve their customers.

“Therefore we are not proposing to ban shops from opening on Boxing Day."

According to shopworkers’ union Usdaw, a shopping 93% of retail staff do not want to be in work on the bank holiday.

A survey of 4,000 retail workers in England and Wales showed just 1.5% of retail workers were happy to go into work, while 5.5% said they didn’t mind.

John Hannett, Usdaw general secretary said: "There are clearly more stores opening and some start trading so early in the morning that it inevitably has a big impact on people’s Christmas Day celebrations.

"Staff in retail work very long hours in the run-up to Christmas. Our members tell us that they need time off to recuperate as well as to spend time with their family and friends.

"That is particularly important when they have children for whom Christmas is such a special time."

The Christmas Day Trading Act 2004 prevents shops over 3,000 sq ft from opening on Christmas Day. Shops smaller than the limit are not affected.

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