Egypt Daily News – Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development, announced the start of implementing the summer hours for the opening and closing of commercial shops, restaurants, cafes, shopping malls, workshops, and craft businesses in all governorates starting tomorrow, Friday. This is in accordance with Article 6 of the decision by the Minister of Local Development (Head of the Supreme Committee for Public Shops Licensing) No. 456 of 2020, which regulates the operating hours of public shops in conjunction with the start of daylight saving time.
Summer Working Hours for Shops
This comes as part of the Ministry of Local Development and the Supreme Committee’s efforts to regulate the operation of commercial establishments, ensure order in the commercial and service sectors, meet citizens’ needs, and preserve public utilities and the state’s infrastructure.
The Minister pointed out that the opening hours for shops and malls will be daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. during the summer, with an extension to midnight on Thursdays, Fridays, public holidays, and official vacations. As for restaurants and cafes, including those inside malls, they will open daily from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m., with 24-hour takeaway and delivery services allowed.
The Minister also stated that the operating hours for workshops and craft businesses located within residential areas will be daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., except for workshops on highways, at fuel stations, or those offering urgent services to citizens, which are subject to special decisions by the Supreme Licensing Committee.
Some activities are excluded from these set hours, such as grocery stores, supermarkets, bakeries, and ovens, in addition to night-time establishments like fruit and vegetable shops, poultry shops, wholesale markets, and pharmacies.
Dr. Awad instructed the governorates to strictly monitor the implementation of the new summer hours for shops and restaurants, in continuous coordination with security directorates and all concerned executive bodies to ensure full compliance. Follow-up committees in cities, centers, and districts will carry out necessary inspections to verify commitment, and legal action will be taken against violators.
She also explained that the Ministry’s Operations and Crisis Management Room, along with the National Network for Public Safety and Emergencies, will coordinate with the operations rooms in the governorates for continuous follow-up. She called on shop, restaurant, workshop, café, and craft business owners to comply with the set hours.
