SHOPS in York will be going on 'strike' this Friday in protest over climate change.

Businesses including Shared Earth, in Stonegate, and Lush, in Coney Street, will be closed on Friday as part of a day of action, which will include a protest in St Helen’s Square from 11.30am.

The strike is a nationwide campaign and Shared Earth boss, Jeremy Piercy, said the issue is so important that business is making a stand.

He said: “On September 20 Shared Earth is closing its shop at the top of Stonegate as part of a global climate strike, from 9am to 1pm. Other retailers taking part include Lush Cosmetics on Coney Street and nationally, Ben & Jerry's, Patagonia and Seventh Generation.

“The climate crisis has been caused by a huge expansion of consumer goods in the last 50 years. Businesses can be a big engine for change by sourcing products responsibly. Retailers like Shared Earth stock handmade products using sustainable or recycled materials. They rarely ship by air and they have made huge strides in eliminating plastic from packaging.

“Shared Earth decided that although it would lose sales by closing on 20 September, it was far more important to raise awareness about the climate crisis.

“York has a tradition of progressive attitudes in business. The success of Rowntrees and Terry’s was partly based on their progressive social policies. Today, Shared Earth is bucking the trend by taking action on environmental issues.”

A spokesman for Lush said: “ Throughout this year school children and students worldwide have been striking regularly in the hope that by missing their education for a day adults will sit up and listen. They now call upon all adults to help by joining the strike on September 20.

"They ask, that in the same way that they have interrupted their education, that we interrupt our business as usual and join them. That we stop, think and pledge to act. That we acknowledge that what is happening to the climate is now at emergency status. That we realise that their future needs our attention now - before it is too late.

"For this reason, Lush will stop our business-as-usual on September 20 for the strike. Our tills will switch off, our shops and offices will shut, our website will go onto a low energy holding page and our factories will come to a standstill. We hear our children and we stand with them.”

Eleanor March, who is organising the strike, said that a number of activities and actions will be taking place in the city throughout the four-hour protest.