THE debate which is going on in Britain at the moment about shop opening hours is relevant to Majorca as well. At the moment retailers are split over opening hours. The smaller retailers are opposed to more flexible opening hours and prefer the rigid system which basically exists at the moment while the bigger stores want to open more, including Sundays. I think you have to take into account that Majorca is a principal holiday destination and I do believe that stores should cash in on the tourist trade and be open “all hours” during the summer months. Now obviously Sunday is special but sometimes, when I see the Puerto Palma full of cruise ships and the shops are closed, I do feel that it is an opportunity missed. Surely it would be better to open on a Sunday when there is demand and close on a Monday because there are fewer customers about? I think the way of resolving this state of affairs is by allowing shops to open when they want rather than introducing legislation which controls opening hours. Free trade should be free trade and should involve allowing shops to open when they believe they should be open. No one should be able to dictate to the business community as to when and where they should open especially on an island which lives from tourism. Market forces will decide. So more liberal shop opening hours are needed but flexible is the keyword. Majorca needs to be flexible; from tourism to shop opening hours.