On behalf of the team members of Selfridges, we would like to bring to your attention the desire amongst the staff community to keep the store’s closing time at 21:00. The key reasons are as follows; safety travelling to and from work, work life balance/mental well-being, unsafe commuting during low foot traffic between 9pm and 10pm and additional difficulties for the team members that observe fasting for the month of Ramadan.

Safety Travelling:

Team members are on wages of an average rate of £12.00 an hour. This means that commutes are often over an hour each way, as living close to Oxford Street is unaffordable. Therefore a 22.00 closing time leaves travelling through London as late as 22.30/23.00 after cash ups, brand launches and sale set up. Many of the staff feel uncomfortable doing so and it adds unnecessary strain and stress on their day-to day-lives. There are times when team members are having to do more than three late shifts per week due to low staffing and the inconsistency of the Reflexis roster app.

Mental Well-Being:

Team members across the store take pride in their brands and their concession. However, we also have lives outside of work and these hours mean you can’t have a healthy work-life balance. While we appreciate that luxury goes on until the evening, the extra hours create a further degree of separation from friends and family. This only exasperates existing mental health issues and may go as far as to trigger general mental stress, as anti-social hours take their toll on staff.

Low Footfall Traffic:

It has been discussed amongst staff that the foot traffic significantly decreases between hours of 21.00 and 22.00 (during the summer months when the sun sets so much later and during the Christmas period when late shoppers and office party-goers are around, this does not cause as much anxiety). However, in this period of late winter-early spring, the streets feel particular unsafe (thieves operating outside team entrance and store) for team members making their way home post – 22.00. It is often felt that the last hour of the day is an unnecessary extension of our working day as we are not serving customers or clients.

Ramadan:

Team members who observe the month of Ramadan are having to open and close their fast during shift work. Such late cash ups can make this incredibly gruelling, preventing them practising their faith to the fullest. Team members that observe the month of Ramadan also attend the mosque to continue prayers for the holy month. This takes a toll with the lack of food and sleep resulting from the combination of these practices and the extra-late working hours. We feel Selfridges could do more to fulfil the promise that all team members will be free to and openly practise their faith.