In the UK we have had this practice for decades. About 50 years ago it was because 9 to 5 on Monday to Friday/Saturday were the regular business hours for everyone and if you were a sole trader you would struggle to visit the shops, bank, post office, solicitor, accountant etc. So a day off or half a day off was very common. It used to be called half day closing and each town or village had a different day. If the main town was Wednesday the villages nearby might be Tuesday or Thursday.

Today in the UK we have Sunday opening hours and many businesses have extended hours from 8 until 6 with some open until 8 or 9 but who wants to work all the time? So a lot of small businesses still need some time off. Some large businesses still have strict hours of 9-5 on mon to fri so sole traders, even today, have a half day off for accounting or errands.

In the UK we have VAT which means that about 20% tax has to be paid for everything we sell. However there is a threshold so if we can keep our revenue below that we don’t have to pay it. But the moment we earn even one pound more we pay 20% on everything we earn. Therefore many businesses want to stay below that threshold. They do this by reducing hours. In tourist towns it is common for restaurants and cafes to open in April and to close in mid August to avoid crossing the threshold.

Starting at 10 or finishing at 2 or 3 allows a business to make the most out of the best hours of the business day as well as making it easier for workers with children.