Public meeting arranged over Tesco Stornoway Sunday opening decision
8 November 2024
A public meeting is being held this evening (Friday) regarding Tesco’s decision to open their Stornoway supermarket on Sundays.
Opinions amongst locals are split against the move with many saying the retail giant is disrespecting the Lewis tradition of maintaining Sunday as a day of rest. Others have welcomed the move.
Now on the final weekend before seven-day opening commences on 17 November, the Lord’s
Day Observance Society (LDOS) has arranged a public meeting this Stornoway Town Hall
at 7.30pm tonight to debate the issue.
Representatives from Tesco have been invited.
Tesco promised a consultation but its unclear how efficiently this was carried out while feedback responses have not been made “visible.” Friday’s meeting will give the public the “opportunity to express their views,” say organisers.
When the official opening decision was announced Christian Davies, Tesco store director in the Highlands and Islands, told Hebrides News they received a “significant amount of positive feedback for Sunday opening.
Tesco is “confident” of being able to “balance the demand for seven-day opening while
remaining respectful to local traditions and culture.”
Squaring that circle is impossible reckons the Lewis branch of the LDOS as it points to the “unprecedented depth and breadth” of opposition.
The organisation says many number of people with little or no church connection are “deeply” opposed because they value the “distinctive nature and countless benefits of a common day of rest for themselves, their families, their communities, and for workers generally.”
