View report page

51
Shops
There are 2,361 shops on the register, a decrease of four on the
previous year. During the year 1,557 visits were made for the purpose of
administering the Shops Act. The following is a summary of the contraventions
noted :—
Heating, insufficient or absent 12
Water closet accommodation insufficient for sexes 3
Absence of sanitary and washing facilities 1
Assistants employed on their weekly half-holiday 8
Shops open on the half-holiday without displaying prescribed
notices 34
Shops with no weekly half-holiday closing 2
Shops failing to close on the weekly half-holiday 8
Absence of seating for female assistants 3
Sundays:
Shops open for selling non exempted articles 4
Failing to keep records of assistants employment 9
Failing to allow compensatory holiday for Sunday employment,
or working excessive number of Sundays 2
Keeping the shop open without prescribed notices 14
Shops failing to close at closing hour 1
205 Warnings were sent in respect of the above items.
During normal inspections of shops the following defects were
noted :— water heaters defective, twelve ; water closets defective,
eleven ; water closet compartments requiring redecorating, fourteen ;
shops requiring redecorating, fourteen.
The proprietor of a cafe was prosecuted during the year for employing
a young person after 10 p.m. ; he was fined £10 and £3 3s. costs. The
offenders in the four instances of sales taking place on Sunday received
written warning ; two were reported to the Committee. There was one
contravention of the Wealdstone Fruiterer's and Greengrocer's Extension
Order for failing to close on a Wednesday afternoon; a warning letter was
sent.
During the year the Government was urged to introduce legislation
to control mobile vans to bring them within the jurisdiction of the Shops
Act.
It would appear the Heating Appliances (Fireguards) Act now
ects only second hand dealers selling appliances purchased at sales. Five
retailers were warned about exposing for sale one particular type of gas
fire and six electric fires which were not guarded in accordance with the
1953 Regulations.