Fish Co-op’s founding members “truly shocked”

The Co-op's business is said to have been badly affected by the dwindling of the harbour's fleet.

Repeated efforts by founding members of the Stornoway Fishermen’s Co-operative to engage with current directors over a proposed sale of the business have been rebuffed, according to correspondence seen by the Gazette.

The correspondence is referred to in a letter to this week’s Gazette from a former chairman of the Co-op, Alex John Murray. He says that he and other founder members are “truly shocked” by plans to sell the remaining chandlery business.

Ten former shareholders wrote to the current chairman, Mr Calum Maciver, in June asking for a meeting in order to understand why the Co-operative was being dissolved and who the present directors and shareholders are.

The Co-op’s lawyers, Ken Macdonald and Co, told the group on July 19th: “We confirm that the decision has been taken to dissolve Stornoway Fishermen's Co-operative Limited. The decision was taken by members in accordance with the rules of Stornoway Fishermen's Co-operative Limited”.

On September 30th, in response to further requests to meet, Mr Maciver wrote to Mr Murray: “The Board of Directors of Stornoway Fishermen's Co-operative is satisfied that it continues to discharge its legal duties to the creditors and members of the Co-operative.

“As you have no direct current financial or other interest in the affairs of the Co-operative, it is not appropriate for the board to discuss the business of the Co-operative with you, and for that reason it is not appropriate for us to respond to your letters”.

Mr Murray said this week there had been “a very widespread reaction” to last week’s Gazette story and renewed his call, on behalf of original shareholders, to discuss alternative solutions.

The Co-op will pass its 45th birthday next month. In January 1978 a unanimous decision to proceed was taken in a meeting attended by representatives of all 40 boats in the Stornoway fleet at that time.

Its current secretary, Malcolm Campbell, told the Gazette last week: “We’re hoping to put it up for sale. There is no fleet left and not many people. At the moment, there are eight shareholders, six directors with voting rights and only three sea-going directors.

“The fish-selling side wasn’t making money and we have offloaded that to an Ullapool company. However, the chandlery side is doing very well and it is still a healthy business.

“We will eventually be selling but it’s not easy, trying to sell a co-op. We have to follow the Financial Conduct Authority rules and regulations. Discussions about this have been going on for a long time but we now have no choice in the matter”.

John Nicolson, who was a driving force behind the Co-op’s formation and its manager thereafter, said: “When we look back to the work that went into forming it and the people no longer with us, this would be a very sad ending that should be avoided if at all possible”.

The story attracted considerable on-line interest with a comment from Angus Mackay summing up a widespread view: “It would be extremely sad to see it sold. I buy everything I need for the boat from it and much more besides. It’s the best shop left in Stornoway”.

Turn to page 6 for Mr Murray’s letter in full.