Tesco in Stornoway store is consulting with employees over plans to open on Sundays.
Since taking over the site in 2008, the retail giant has closed its doors on Saturday nights, reopening to the public on Monday mornings in respect to the Lewis tradition of maintaining Sunday as a day of rest.
The island shop is the only one in the Tesco UK chain not operate all days of the week it is understood.
Now supermarket bosses are listening to feedback from customers and staff at the Stornoway store over their Sunday opening proposals.
Lewis minister, Rev Greg Macdonald, of the Free Church Continuing in Ness, is saddened at the move.
Mr Macdonald said: “I don’t want to set this as some sort of islanders vs Tesco situation. That is not the case. It’s islanders who work there, shop there, stack shelves, drive their delivery vans and more.
“From what I understand this is a manager, trying to get the lie of the land, trying
to better understand island culture and feeling - in which case I really don’t want
to cause any ill-feeling.
“There are those who love to frame things as some sort of tense battle, which is really not the case 99.9% of the time.”
He added: “That being said the Bible is perfectly clear - God from creation rested
on the seventh day. He commanded men to do the same. Christ in the resurrection did
the same gave us our 1st day Sabbath. None of it is for our ill, but for our good.
It is good to get one whole day every week clear of other things, to reset, to think,
to worship, to care for those struggling, to help those in need.
“Were any supermarket to open on the Lord’s Day then whilst I had any choice I would not use it. I would not shop there. And I would urge others to do the same. I’m not at all ashamed of that. If any business acted in what you believed was an immoral way then I would hope we would all would feel bound to avoid giving them our business.”
Tesco plans to open Stornoway supermarket on Sundays
30 September 2024
