Daily newspapers to the Uists will not be available until the evenings or even the
next day for many after distribution was switched from plane to ferry.
Mainland papers will now be sent up via the North Uist ferry, MV Hebrides, after
the newspaper distribution committee apparently stopped the plane transportation
contract.
However, it means a delayed read for islanders as the ferry does not dock in Lochmaddy
until 3.45pm on four days a week - Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday - under
her spring timetable.
Thus, it could be teatime before the newspapers get into the last of the islands
shops on these days - with many premises shutting at 6pm.
Even on the remaining days, the MV Hebrides doesn’t arrive until 11.25am so papers
will be delayed until lunchtime at least and well into the afternoon for many.
Until now the newspapers were sent to the islands on a Loganair freight plane from
Aberdeen to Stornoway and then transferred onto the passenger flight to Benbecula.
Mondays and Fridays are ruled out that way in any case because the Comhairle slashed
the Stornoway-Uist plane service to just three days a week. No papers arrived on
Uist on Monday as a result.
As customer trade revolves around the arrival of newspapers, retailers across Uist
and Benbecula were taken aback when their mainland wholesaler informed them today
that they will have to wait for ferry from Skye.
A furious Ronald Maclennan of Maclennan’s Supermarket in Balivanich, hit out at the
changes imposed on island shops.
Mr Maclennan stressed it was a hugely retrograde step for the island.
He stated: “Getting newspapers in the late afternoon is a joke. The distribution
is dramatically going downhill.
“Customers are entitled to receive the same service as on the mainland.”
The duty manager at the Daliburgh Co-op said: “It will not please a lot of people
but there is not a lot we can do about it.”
Alan Maclean of Bayhead Shop, North Uist, is aghast at the “very poor service” which
is “going back in time.”
Mr Maclean said: “This will not be good for the community here. Many people depend
on getting the newspapers.”
He pointed local shops play an important social role in the island community.
Mr Maclean said: “We serve an aging population and going for the newspapers is part
of their routine. They come in for the papers, meet other people and enjoy a natter
before going home.”
Ferry paper run is slammed by shopkeepers 3/4/13
Newspapers may arrive too late for the Eriskay Community Shop 6pm closing time