The law concerning the trade ban in Poland is still rising many questions and doubts. The closer we get to the first Sunday with closed shops, the more information we get. Recently, media shared an interesting piece of news regarding shopping malls. Despite the ban, shopping malls like Riviera, Galeria Baltycka or Galeria Metropolia will open their doors.
Is Shopping Mall a shop?
The trade ban focuses on entities engaged in the trade activity. As a result, it concerns shops, stalls, department stores etc. However, it does not restrict the activities performed by estate managers. This opens up a way for shopping malls to remain open. Mall owners do not engage in trade – they rent the areas which lessees may use to trade.
Wide range of activities
An additional argument towards leaving shopping malls open is the range of activities available in those places. Polish Committee of Shopping Centres (Polska Rada Centrow Handlowych) published a statement in which they refer to the case. The committee reminds, that shopping malls offer many activities to which the new law doesn’t apply. Among those are cinemas, bars, restaurants, gyms, museums, playgrounds or event doctor’s offices. Additionally, shopping centres have become places where many cultural, educational and recreational events take place. Due to 32 exceptions to the trade ban, the premises of malls can remain open.
Restaurants and Cafés
Restaurants and cafés are exceptions to the trade ban. This means that in general, those places will remain open during all Sundays. How about food courts in shopping malls? They are also an exception. The owners will however have the right to decide if they want to close their entities. In some cases, the amount of visitors in a mall can fall drastically. This in result may mean that keeping the court open won’t be profitable.
The calendar for shopping in 2018
Click here to find the calendar of all trade-free days in 2018.
