Tesco confirm Sunday opening proposal

SIGN OF CHANGE: Tesco's six-day a week opening policy in Stornoway looks set for change, with concern over the impact of the Sabbath observance tradition on the island.

Tesco have confirmed their intention to “talk to our customers and colleagues” about opening their Stornoway store on Sundays.

In a letter to the Gazette, the company emphasises that the proposal is aimed at “smoothing out trade across the weekend” and stresses no employee who does not want to work on a Sunday would be obliged to do so.

The initiative has met with immediate resistance with disquiet led by, but extending beyond, church circles. Others have expressed support for the Stornoway branch coming into line with all others in the UK.

It emerged through a letter to staff that Tesco were considering the move. The company has not commented prior to Christian Davies, the store director in the Highlands and Islands, setting out its case in this week’s Gazette.

He states: “As our Stornoway store has grown in popularity, it has become harder to offer the experience we believe our customers deserve. Limited opening hours lead to congested aisles, an overcrowded car park and a high demand for products in a short period of time, especially at weekends.

“That is why we think the time is right to think again and to talk to our customers and colleagues about opening on a Sunday… I understand why historically we have been closed and that a change will not be welcomed by everyone. That is why no colleagues would be forced to work on a Sunday.

“Sunday opening would smooth out trade across the weekend, allowing those customers who want to shop on a Sunday to do so, while those who prefer to shop on a Saturday or during the week can still choose to do that”.

A plea for Tesco to think again has come from Rev. Calum Macleod, Free Church Moderator and minister in Shawbost.

In a statement to the Gazette, he said: “The observance of the Lord’s Day as a day of rest is woven into the fabric of our culture as a community. A decision to encroach on the peace that the observance of Sunday as a day of rest offers will have a significant effect on family life. It will also result in a detrimental impact on our quality of life in a day when the fast pace of society is taking its toll on our health and wellbeing.

“Most importantly, observing the Lord’s Day as a day of rest is rooted in the Christian faith. The Christian faith offers six days of work and a day of rest from our labours. It has been embedded in our culture since Christianity arrived on our shores.

"We have many people who have made their home on the Island who do not share the Christian faith, but who appreciate and respect the culture of Sunday observance.

“As a regular customer of Tesco, I would urge the company to reconsider its decision for the well-being of its staff and its many customers. I would plead with them to play their part in preserving this precious characteristic of our culture and community life”.