The City of Bunbury council is currently considering Sunday trade every weekend and public holidays between 10am and 4pm, excluding Christmas Day, Easter Sunday and ANZAC Day.

But council has struggled to win over the retailers, who believe they would pay staff penalty rates and lose money, or work themselves and lose their weekend.

Councillors approached by the Bunbury Mail believe the final vote next week would go down to the wire.

Mayor David Smith said the Eaton Fair expansion, the coming Treendale Shopping Town and future Dalyellup shopping centres would cement Bunbury’s place as a shopping "donut hole" if it did not allow Sunday shopping.

"It’s just the beginning of what I’ve feared all along - that the majority of retailers... will start looking at Australind and Eaton alternatives," he said.

"All I can say is that I’ve done my best to persuade retailers it’s in their best interests, but they’ve chosen to oppose extra trade in Bunbury."

Chamber chief executive officer Allan Birrell said he would speak against the proposal because the small business community still feared a negative social and economic impact.

He said the City had still not met the requirements to ask Governme-nt approval for Sunday shopping.

"The recent survey by the city confirmed once again that the majority of retailers were opposed and that is an important criteria the city needs," Mr Birrell said.

From last November’s survey, the community indicated a preference for shopping every Sunday, while the total number of businesses was split on the issue.