THE British multiples Marks & Spencer and Debenhams are to open their Dublin stores tomorrow, although their stores across the water will remain closed because Britain prohibits large retailers from opening on Easter Sunday. Most other stores in the capital will remain closed.
A Marks & Spencer spokesman, Mr Geoff Rowbotham, yesterday defended the decision. He said staff were working voluntarily on Easter Sunday and would be paid double time. He regarded the claim that opening on Easter Sunday would offend Irish religious sensitivities as spurious.
There had been twice as many queries from customers asking them to open than from those objecting, "but the number of queries is so small I wouldn't bother quoting them. It would give a false credibility to the suggestion that this is an issue of public concern."
The Minister of State for Commerce, Science and Technology, Mr Pat Rabbitte, last week asked larger retailers to remain closed "tomorrow after being approached by Mandate, the shopworkers' union, because Dunnes Stores was proposing to open. Dunnes subsequently decided not to "in recognition of the adverse public reaction".
A Dunnes Stores director, Mr Andrew Street, said the earlier decision to open "was not driven by any desire on the part of the company to push out the boundaries of trading hours" but simply to maintain market share.
Quinnsworth, Superquinn, Arnotts, Clerys, Brown Thomas and Roches are among other large retailers which will remain closed.