Emma Pritchard

The Maclean business community would like to extend an invitation to Clarence Valley residents and tourists in the region, “come and visit us on Sunday!”

Known for its proud Scottish heritage, riverside views and rural charm, the township of Maclean is looking to add another attractive feature to its resume as an idyllic Sunday shopping destination.

A spokesperson for the Maclean Business Chamber said they would love to see an “increase in foot traffic through the CBD on Sundays.”

They are encouraging local businesses to participate in an upcoming six-month trial from September 2022 until April 2023, encapsulating traditional busy trade periods including the October long weekend and school holidays, summer school holidays and Easter holidays when the region welcomes an influx of tourists.

“Presently, there are only a limited number of businesses in Maclean which are open on Sunday, with the main reasons being there are very few customers around and Sunday penalty rates,” the spokesperson explained.

“Some businesses previously trialled opening hours on Sunday, but it was done during lockdown, and it only went for a few weeks, so it wasn’t successful.

“We want to change that and encourage more businesses to open on Sunday and encourage more people to visit Maclean and support them.

“We want people to know Maclean is open for business on Sunday.”

The spokesperson said they had approached several local businesses regarding the trial to gauge their interest, revealing a number of shops were supportive of the idea, including businesses which currently open on Sunday.  

They said shops who decide to participate in the trial will be able to choose their own operating hours while local businesses will receive support from the Maclean Business Chamber for advertising.

“We want to give businesses the best chance to succeed,” the spokesperson said.

“By advertising to let people know our shops are open on Sunday and they are committed to their new business hours, we hope Sunday trading in Maclean will become the new normal.

“80 percent of people work Monday to Friday, and Saturday is when a lot of sports events are held, so Sunday is really the best day of the week for families to make time to go out together.”

They noted the trial will provide many potential benefits for Maclean businesses including additional exposure during tourist season and an increase in regular local trade.

“If people know our local shops are open on Sunday, they will be less inclined to travel outside of Maclean to Grafton, Yamba and Ballina,” the spokesperson said.

The six-month trial is expected to begin on September 25.