Late delivery for island newspapers 3/4/13
Daily newspapers will not be available in the Western Isles for hours later than
usual as the present plane charter stops for good on Saturday.
The changes sparks fears it could hit trade as the new afternoon arrival in Stornoway
town centre shops would be about four or more hours later.
Wholesale distribution for Lewis will be via the lunchtime Stornoway ferry which
arrives at 1.10pm. Then the bundles have to sorted for despatch to island retailers.
The Muirneag’s 4am departure time from Ullapool is too early for mainland newpapers’
schedule while the MV Isle of Lewis timetable is too late to retain the present timings.
Papers for the Uists will now come in by Lochmaddy, off the MV Hebrides. With a late
afternoon arrival every second day, it means they may not arrive in Southend or Eriskay
too long before some shops close for the night.
Philip Murray of Stornoway newspaper wholesalers Maclean,Mair and Nicolson said the
changes were only confirmed today (Wed). He said newspapers would commenced coming
by ferry from Monday.
Increased freight charges, coupled with falling newspaper sales causing the reduced
viability of the air freight service have forced the distribution committee, SNS,
to cancel the air charter.
Until now newspaper publishers hired a freighter from Loganair to fly the dailies
from Aberdeen to Stornoway early each morning.
Until the council cuts kicked in this week, the daily Uist consignments were transferred
onto the passenger flight to Benbecula, arriving there at 9.30am each day. There
are no Mondays and Fridays plane to Uist any longer after the Comhairle axed the
subsidy for these days.