TESCO has confirmed it will open its Isle of Lewis store on Sundays despite a backlash from the community.
Workers were notified of the change on Tuesday, and Tesco said the move would create "at least 30 new jobs" as well as lower food waste and increase flexibility for shoppers.
The supermarket giant's Stornoway store has remained shut on a Sunday since it opened in 2008 to reflect residents' long-standing tradition of observing the Sabbath day.
However, in October, Tesco started holding consultations with staff and residents about opening seven days a week.
More than a thousand people signed an online petition against the proposed change with the creator of the petition arguing the simple day of rest is “at risk” due to the concept of seven-day trading “creeping” into the island's culture.
In a statement Tesco said that “a period of consultation identified a demand for measures to reduce footfall and congestion on Fridays and Saturdays as customers sought to stock up ahead of the Sunday closure".
The store has said it will open at noon on Sundays and close at 8pm, which is “a unique approach” for a Scottish store, according to Tesco in reaction to the backlash.
The statement continued: “Since opening in 2008, the Stornoway Superstore has been closed between 10pm on Saturday evenings until 6am the following Monday. It is hoped that opening on a Sunday will allow customers more flexibility to access fresh food and groceries and alleviate pressure on what have traditionally been busier shopping days due to the current six-day operation”.
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.
“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”.
The Outer Hebrides island has a population of about 20,000 people, with many residents members of various protestant denominations that believe Sunday should be a day of rest – meaning some shops, including supermarkets, staying closed on Sundays.
The practice of observing the Sabbath day is derived from the Bible's fourth commandment which states “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy”.
Some restrictions have been relaxed over recent decades with the first Sunday commercial flight landing at Stornoway airport in 2002 and ferries have operated on Sundays since 2009.
Many local shops, including the island’s only other supermarket, a Co-op, remain closed along with council-run facilities such as swimming pools and soft-play areas.
Following the news, several took to social media to express their upset.
Former SNP MSP for Falkirk East who lives in Lewis, Angus MacDonald, stated: "Ah well, that’ll be that then. The end of the Lewis Sabbath. At least they’ll not be opening until after the morning church services, which shows a bit of respect I guess."
Another wrote: "Not all change is good."
