Open all hours walk out threat

The man, a security officer for 10 years with one of the town centre's major stores, claims plans to make opening and closing times later, could wreck his life.

As revealed exclusively in the BEN earlier this week, a major change to shop opening hours is being considered within the town centre.

It could see some stores opening their doors at 11am instead of 9am, and remaining open until later in the evening.

The article provoked immediate response from shop workers, who clearly opposed the plans in Tuesday's BEN, claiming the strain of working late, particularly on parents, would be too great.

The security officer agreed.

He said: "Getting home would be a problem.

"Up until 6.05pm, my bus runs every 12 minutes, but after that time it drops to one an hour.

"I do security work, so it is likely that if my hours change to finishing at 7pm, I would not be able to catch a bus until after 8pm.

"I already work late on a Thursday night, and sometimes have to walk home to Halliwell because it is quicker.

"If the hours were changed, I wouldn't do it. I would pack the job in first because it would be taking all my prime time away.

"I have always lived by the saying 'I work to live, not live to work'.

"In addition, where I work we sell morning newspapers. What would be the point if we did not open early enough for customers to buy them?"

Little Hulton pensioner Ken Kilburn said he and his wife regularly visit Bolton for morning shopping trips but that would stop if shops opened later in the morning.

He said: "Many older people shop in Bolton early in the day because there are fewer people around and parking is a little easier.

"I know many pensioners simply would not bother travelling into Bolton later in the day.

"There's a 24 hours Tesco just down the road from Little Hulton where parking is free."

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