3.8K shops violate working hours, protective measures in Egypt

CAIRO – 13 December 2020: Source at Cairo Municipal Authority told Al Watan newspaper Sunday that the number of shops that violated the working hours since September until December 10 is 2,000, and that they faced the penalty of shutdown.

The breakdown is 1,099 cafes, 589 stores, and 408 workshops. Furthermore, the number of cafes that were shut down for serving Shisha is 1,799.

In November, Egypt issued new rules to regulate the opening and closing times for shops, and entertainment venues in winter and summer amid protective measures taken by the government to curb the increasing number of coronavirus cases.

The Ministry of Local Development issued a decree that regulates the working hours for shops, public restaurants, cafes, workshops, handicrafts and commercial malls. The decision went into force on December 1, 2020.

The malls are allowed to open from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm in Summer and to 10:00 pm in winter. The time is extended for one hour on official holidays.

Regarding cafes, public restaurants, and bazaars, the decision stated that they will open from 5:00 am to 1:00 am in Summer and to midnight in winter. On official holidays, the time is extended for one hour in winter.

The closure of workshops and handicraft shops will be at 7:00 pm in summer and 6:00 pm in winter instead of 8:00 p.m. Workshops along the highways and in the petrol stations are exempted from this decision.

Supermarkets, grocery stores, bakeries, pourtly shops and pharmacies are also exempted from the decision.