The Chamber of Commerce this week moved to clear up the confusion in the community after many retailers inquired whether they could open their doors on the Monday which falls three days after Christmas.

There were concerns that because the Boxing Day public holiday fell on the Saturday the Monday would officially be considered a holiday in lieu.

But a spokeswoman from the Chamber of Commerce dismissed that theory. She said the Monday was considered a normal business day -- with all shops allowed to open for business as usual.

And readers will be interested to know that a special Christmas edition of The Royal Gazette will be published on that day.

But the Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman said all Government offices would be closed so civil servants still received the standard festive-season day off which they were owed.

"We do not have any firm numbers of the shops to open this year but I believe the vast majority of them will be operating as usual.

"There is no reason from a legal point of view that they should not. "If any shop owner has a query they should contact us but the general rule is that anyone can open as they normally do and as far as shops are concerned it is just like any other day.'' Cabinet Secretary Leo Mills confirmed government offices would be shut on the Monday, December 28 -- with staff to receive the time off.

"The situation is that it is not a public holiday but by virtue of the Public Holiday Act Government offices will be closed since Boxing Day falls on a Saturday,'' he said.