Tesco Stornoway confirm start of Sunday opening
22 October 2024
Tesco Stornoway will open on Sundays from next month it has been announced.
The retail giant revealed the official opening date will be 17 November.
Sunday trading hours will be between 12 noon and 8pm, said to have been be chosen
specifically to respect local tradition. This differs from their other stores in
Scotland where Sunday opening is generally from 7am or 8am until 10pm.
Since taking over the site in 2008, the retail giant closed its doors on Saturday
nights, reopening to the public on Monday mornings out of respect to the Lewis tradition
of maintaining Sunday as a day of rest.
Now Tesco bosses will ditch the Stornoway supermarket’s uniqueness of being the only
one in its UK chain not operate to the public all days of the week.
Over the next four weeks the island supermarket will gear up for continuous seven
day trading with a promise that no member of personnel will be forced to work on
a Sunday.
Local management are having discussions with employees over the changes and the impact
on staff rotas.
The store already has a Sunday shift with workers on duty refilling shelves while
the opening the doors to customers seven days will create 30 new jobs it is claimed.
In a statement to Hebrides News, Christian Davies, Tesco store director in the Highlands
and Islands, said: “We are confident that the decision to open our Stornoway superstore
on Sundays will allow us to balance the demand for seven-day opening while remaining
respectful to local traditions and culture.
“Over recent weeks we have received a significant amount of positive feedback to
our Sunday opening proposals, particularly from colleagues.
“Of course, we understand that not everyone supports opening the store seven days
a week and we will adopt a unique approach to Stornoway with shorter opening times
on a Sunday than other locations in Scotland. “
He added: “This change will improve the shopping experience for customers by offering
them flexibility and reducing busy periods during the week, especially Fridays and
Saturdays. ”
Mr Davies pledged: “We will continue to listen to, and work with colleagues, in the
coming weeks as we prepare for the first Sunday opening and no one will be obliged
to work on a Sunday if they choose not to.”
