Malls prepare for ‘free’ Sundays

The management of the facility owned by GTC also announced the extension of opening hours on working Sundays. “Outlets not covered by the statutory ban will operate. In our case this means Cinema City, Calypso fitness studio as well as cafes and restaurants in the food court. These outlets will operate within the normal trading hours which have so far applied on weekends. On Sundays excluded from the ban, we will be open until 22.00, i.e. two hours longer. This will allow our customers to shop more and it will let our tenants minimise the effects of the restriction at least partially,” says Roman Bugajczyk, director of Galeria Jurajska. He adds that tenants were consulted on the changes. “We consulted shop owners about this. Extending hours on Sundays excluded from the ban and leaving the mall open to customers on Sundays covered by the ban is the most optimal solution for us,” emphasises Roman Bugajczyk. Another retail facility owned by GTC – Galeria Północna in Warsaw – will be open on shopping-free days. The centre will be open every weekend. On non-shopping Sundays, the centre will operate similarly to the way it does on public holidays. “Galeria Północna will be open every Sunday and the list of outlets open also on non-shopping Sundays is constantly expanding. Negotiations with individual tenants about their plans for shopping -free Sundays are still in progress. We are also open to innovative ideas and solutions,” says Agnieszka Nowak, director of Galeria Północna.

Ikea Centres – the owner of the Wola Park in Warsaw – opted for a similar solution. All premises will be open on weekdays and on the first and last Sunday of every month. On days covered by the new law, visitors to Wola Park will be able to use the entertainment and services as well as the restaurant zone. From April 1st the centre will also extend its opening hours. From Monday to Saturday shops will be open from 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. “Extending the centre’s opening hours will make everyday shopping easier for customers. It is also good for our tenants, who reported this need to us in connection with the new retail law. If someone isn’t sure on which Sundays they can come and do their shopping with us, we encourage them to visit our website, which will feature a calendar along with a detailed list of open shops,” says Dagmara Pozowska, director of Wola Park.