I'm trying to find out which major European cities DON'T open on public holidays.... Am fighting a battle on hehalf of the shop assistants' union where the Government is trying to HAVE shops open on public holidays, and of course the shop assistants don't want it. Any intelligence you guys can give would be useful. Mainly concerned with London, Paris, Rome, Zurich, Madrid, Athens, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Berlin etc etc.... BTW, what happens in NYC and LA on public holidays?

What do you mean by "cities don't open?" Stores? Restaurants? Family-owned businesses? Hotels? Government offices? Private businesses?

Most stores are open here in California except for Christmas and maybe Thanksgiving...although more stores seem to be open on that holiday the last few years.

My experience has been here that many workers want the shops open on the holiday if they are paid a premium for working on a holiday. I know I used to volunteer to work every single holiday because I was paid double time!

margy

In America, as Margy B points out, the vast majority of shops and restaurants are open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Some shops close on the Fourth of July, but that's about it. And even on Christmas, restaurants outside of the Christian tradition will be open, in the large cities at least -- for instance, Chinese and Jewish restaurants.<br>
The only shops that are closed on the other public holidays (President's Day, for instance) are banks, for the most part. You will find exceptions, particularly out of the big cities, but really there is never a day when NOTHING is open. I've eaten more than one Chinese meal on Thanksgiving or Christmas in a pinch.

StCirq, I'm primarily concerned with department stores and large shopping malls and shops in the CBD area...not restaurants or small specialty shops or 'strip' shopping....

In Athens the large stores close on most public holidays (and Sundays). FYI, there has been an on again/off again fight to allow/force (depending on your side of the issue) stores to open on Sundays. Although it isn't law yet, there are certain Sundays during the year where they can open.

In Belgium stores close on Sundays and public holidays, except for a few Sundays a year (mostly before Christmas). An exception is tourist areas, for example along the coast, which are open on Sundays and some public holidays.

In England & Wales the only 2 days large shops have to be closed by law are Easter Sunday & Christmas Day.

Many will be closed on New Year's Day.

In Scotland there are no such rules but most will not be open on New Year's Day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunday_shopping