Andrew Cooper, chief executive of the Bath Business Improvement District, said the move to co-ordinate opening times among some of Bath's larger stores was an effort to boost the entire city centre – the chain stores as well as Bath's independent stores.
"If we were a shopping centre we would have some clear hours of opening," he said.
"What we have in the city Is a little more disparate as Southgate has extended hours and the city is not that well connected. It will be beneficial to those who don't know whether to stay open or not.
"We want to make sure that the smaller stores as well as the larger stores are part of that message. The larger stores say the independents are vital to our city and the independents say they need the larger stores for the footfall.
"The 'little' guys are just as important to the retail offering as the larger stores."
