B&M Announces 24-Hour Closure of All English Stores for Easter Sunday
B&M, the popular discount retailer with numerous outlets across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands, has confirmed a significant temporary closure. All B&M stores in England will shut for a full 24 hours on April 5, 2026, to observe Easter Sunday. This closure will also extend to stores in Wales and Northern Ireland on the same date, impacting hundreds of locations nationwide.
Easter Trading Schedule and Regional Impact
While the retailer will be closed on Easter Sunday, it has clarified that all B&M locations will remain open as usual on Good Friday, April 3, and Easter Monday, April 6. This decision affects stores throughout Birmingham and key West Midlands towns such as Solihull and Tamworth, where B&M has a strong presence. The move aligns with legal requirements under the Sunday Trading Act 1994, which mandates that large shops with internal sales areas over 280 square metres must close on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day when they fall on a Sunday.
B&M's Growth and Customer Base
Founded with its first store in Blackpool, Lancashire, B&M has expanded dramatically to operate over 700 stores across the United Kingdom, including in Scotland where closures were not mentioned. The company employs more than 35,000 staff and serves over 4 million customers weekly, emphasizing its commitment to offering top branded products at sensational prices. Despite its physical store network, B&M does not provide an online ordering facility for groceries, furniture, and houseware products, though it does offer online services for B&M Flowers and B&M Garden Buildings through dedicated websites.
Legal Context and Exemptions
The Sunday Trading Act 1994 permits large shops to open for six hours between 10 am and 6 pm on Sundays, but requires closure on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day when they occur on a Sunday. Certain exemptions apply, including petrol filling stations, garages, and shops primarily selling intoxicating liquor. For bulky items like large furniture or gardening products, B&M can arrange home delivery, ensuring some continuity of service during closures.
This planned shutdown highlights B&M's adherence to trading laws while affecting millions of shoppers across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland for one day in April 2026.
