A SCOTTISH councillor has argued the recent move by Tesco to open its Isle of Lewis store on Sundays will further endanger island autonomy and a slow way of living.
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, 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.
Islander Domhnall Macsween from Ness in Lewis stressed that the narrative isn't entirely religious and that the island isn't resisting change, it is resisting the “chipping away at a way of life” and the impacts which can radiate throughout the community.
Macsween , 40, is a crofter and independent councillor for An Taobh Siar Agus Nis, and argues that decisions like opening a supermarket on a Sunday can create a domino effect to less autonomy, with less money being circulated within the islands.
Macsween said from islanders he has spoken to, no-one has told him they think the move by Tesco is a good idea.
When Tesco first began to consult residents and workers, more than 1900 people signed an online petition against the proposed change.
“This isn't about providing service. This isn't about creating jobs. This is about Tesco collecting as much money as they can from our islands,” Macsween (below) told The National.
“There are a couple of shops that are open for a few hours on a Sunday, and there are pubs open, but these are all locally owned and run – so the money circulates in our economy.
“So, yes, Tesco will have a few more minimum wage jobs but that money leaving the island is what it's all about.
“It’s about extraction from a community and disregarding a way of life to get that resource. They don’t care.”
Macsween sees the knock-on effect of this as leaving the island dependent on Holyrood or Westminster, centralising power in the central belt and London, and adding to the depopulation crisis.
“Things like this will have an impact on that - and people might say ‘don't be silly,’ but it is. We’re talking small numbers here.
“We’re talking one or two people or one or two families can make or break a school being open.
“Change is going to happen, so we're not resisting change, but it's when things have the potential to change a lot more than folk realise”.
One example of a potential change is what staff might require on Sunday to attend their shifts — transport.
Buses do not run in the islands on a Sunday, and although the long-term bus contract is not expected to change for the next two years, this is one of Macsween's fears.
“If you end up in a position where there's somebody who's got a job in Tesco and is going to be working on Sundays, but they don't have a car, their only option is to live in and around Stornoway or get the bus, changing the bus timetable or moving people out of rural Lewis.”
Tesco previously said no member of staff will be forced to work on a Sunday unless they want to, however, Macsween argues the community is “resigned” to the move and said “it's not like we've got a lot of choice” of jobs and shifts.
The religious argument has also dominated the narrative which Macsween “respects and understands,” but said it wasn’t going to convince anybody of the value of what Islanders were trying to protect.
“Life slows down on a Sunday in Lewis and Harris.”
“The way of life is very important to a lot of people, regardless of if they're religious or atheist or whatever,” Macsween explained.
“The older you get, the more you really appreciate the fact that living and working at 100 miles an hour, seven days a week is not healthy for anybody.
“We don't really value what we've got until it's gone and that applies in so many different scenarios.”
Macsween said he had seen several people on social media, who are not from the islands, not understanding the protective mindset islanders have for their way of life and defended the attitude.
“I saw people say ‘oh, who cares? Welcome to the 21st century’ or whatever, and I feel the 21st century isn't this glowing example of humanity.
“A lot of people are slowing down their way of life, and I think a lot of people are appreciative of our way of life".
To address concerns raised by islanders, Tesco said it will open at noon on Sundays, after mass, and close at 8pm.
It is “a unique approach” for a Scottish store, according to Tesco.
