A WELL-KNOWN department store is to start regular trading on Sundays for the first time in its 135-year history.

Family-owned Northallerton store Barkers, will start opening seven days a week to meet demand from customers from May 28.

The store had resisted Sunday trading because the owners felt the town was not busy enough, and it wasn’t commercially viable to remain open an extra day.

However, a steady increase in weekend shoppers has prompted a rethink on opening the High Street store every Sunday from 10am to 4pm.

The store previously only opened its doors on a Sunday throughout December, in the run-up to Christmas. Its sister store, Barkers Home on Yafforth Road, has always opened on Sundays.

Charles Barker, managing director, said: “Sundays in Northallerton are becoming busier as there are more families out together, so it is now expected that shops and stores are open seven days a week.”