Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
Plans by Tesco to open its Isle of Lewis branch on Sundays have caused controversy with many members of the local community signing an online petition against the move. Lewis is home to about 20,000 people and has traditionally kept the Sabbath day as a day of rest, a belief many people still hold. Many residents are members of various protestant denominations that believe Sunday should be a day of rest which means that some shops, including both Tesco and the only other supermarket, a Co-op, currently keep their doors closed on Sundays. Council run-facilities such as swimming pools, soft-play areas and the island’s two-lane bowling alley are also closed on Sundays.
Observance of Sunday as a day of rest was once so strict that play park swings were chained up at dusk on Saturday, and hanging out washing on a Sunday was frowned upon. Although restrictions have relaxed over recent decades with Sunday ferry sailings operating since 2009 and some petrol stations and restaurants also opening on Sundays. The first Sunday commercial flight landed at Stornoway airport in 2002. Despite the relaxation of restrictions, many local shops remain closed on Sundays.
The Tesco branch on the Isle of Lewis has begun holding consultations with staff and residents about opening seven days a week. While some staff are already working on Sundays to replenish shelves, over 700 people have now signed a petition against the proposed change. Tesco has said that no staff member would be forced to work on the Sabbath if the plans go ahead. Christian Davies, store director for Tesco in the Highlands and Islands, said “We are confident we can carefully balance the demand for a seven-day opening while remaining respectful to local traditions and culture. While shopping on a Sunday is not for everyone, a store that is open seven days a week would significantly improve the shopping experience for all customers”.
Alasdair Macleod, who started the petition against the Tesco proposals, stated “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. However, this simple yet profound day is at risk due to the concept of seven-day trading creeping into our culture. 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
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.