Tesco confirms plans to open Isle of Lewis supermarket on Sundays

A supermarket on the Isle of Lewis has confirmed it will begin opening on a Sunday, despite local objections.

Tesco said following a consultation it will begin opening its Stornoway store between 12:00 and 20:00 on Sundays from 17 November.

The island, which has a population of about 20,000, has a long tradition of observing the Sabbath, with some shops - including both supermarkets - currently keep their doors closed on a Sunday.

More than 1,800 people had signed an online petition against the proposed change.

Christian Davies, Tesco store director in the Highlands and Islands, said the company had received a "significant amount" of positive reaction to the plans.

He told BBC Scotland News: “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.

“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."

The supermarket said the new opening times will create jobs and no members of staff will be forced to work on a Sunday.

Many of the island's residents are members of protestant denominations that believe Sunday should be a day of rest.

The practice is derived from the Bible's fourth commandment, which states "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy".

Rev Callum Macleod, Moderator of the 2024 General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, previously urged the supermarket to reconsider the move.

He said: "As a regular customer of Tesco, I would urge the company to reconsider its decision for the sake of the well-being of its staff and that of its many customers.

"I would plead with them to play their part in preserving this precious characteristic of our culture and community life."

Observance of the Sabbath was once so strict on Lewis that play park swings were chained up at dusk on Saturday, and hanging out washing on a Sunday was frowned upon.

Restrictions have relaxed over recent decades, with the first Sunday commercial flight landing at Stornoway airport in 2002 and Sunday ferry sailings have operated since 2009.

But while petrol stations and some restaurants now open on Sundays, many local shops including the only other supermarket remain closed.

A petition against the Tesco proposals was started by Alasdair Macleod, who said "work-free Sundays" make people from Lewis the "envy" of many people living on mainland Scotland.

He said: "Many of us hold cherished memories of island Sundays as a guaranteed day of rest, relaxation and no work - a precious day of family time and worship.

"When stores and businesses open their doors on Sunday, it may seem like a convenience at first, but the resulting ripple effect leaves workers with less time to rest, less time for family, less time for church worship and invariably, a lower quality of life."