Fair Isle facemasks, two charged over festive period, Catch company’s losses

A LOCAL knitwear designer says she is doing her bit for the response to the pandemic by selling knitted Fair Isle facemasks. Mary Macgregor, of BAKKA, said the cotton masks are knitted in a three colour technique which allows for a “much deserved fabric” than usual, adding that they were knitted as tight as the […]

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Bureaucratic chaos rather than a ‘sea of opportunity’

What an Eton mess! As Boris Johnson’s ‘oven-ready’ deal with the European Union fell to pieces on the kitchen floor of No. 10 Downing Street, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told his MPs to vote for the botched treaty, despite having accurately predicted its disastrous consequences. The betrayal of the British seafood industry by the two […]

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Health board records further four Covid cases

AS THE number of Covid infections across Scotland continues to rise at an alarming rate, Shetland recorded four more cases over the last 24 hours. This brings the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the isles since the start of the pandemic to 189. Most of the recent cases have been through family transmission […]

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Four more Covid-19 cases recorded in Shetland’s official figures

Shetlanders have been urged to behave as if they have Covid-19 after four more cases were confirmed in today's (Friday) official bulletin. Four more Covid-19 cases recorded in Shetland’s official figures

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SIC hopes for ferry timetable to go back to normal once safe to do so

THERE are hopes that inter-island ferry timetables will go back to normal once the coronavirus outbreak in Shetland is deemed to be under control by health authorities. The situation remains under review while cases continue to be recorded, albeit at a reduced number. The ferries were cut back to a reduced timetable in early January […]

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Estimated cost of redeveloping old school site rises by more than £2m

COUNCILLORS will be asked next week to approve budgeting an additional £2.374 million on the redevelopment of the old Anderson High School site. A report to elected members says that after more detailed assessments the estimated cost of demolition has risen from £1 million to an estimated £2.454 million. A further £920,000 has been added […]

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Test and isolate all visitors like we do with livestock, says farming union

Farmers have called for all visitors to the isles to be tested for coronavirus and to spend time in quarantine. Test and isolate all visitors like we do with livestock, says farming union

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Shetland folk urged to register for postal voting in Scottish Parliament election

Shetlanders have been urged to make sure their voice is heard by registering for a postal vote. Tom Wills, who is the SNP’s Shetland constituency... Shetland folk urged to register for postal voting in Scottish Parliament election

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Sumburgh Head lighthouse turns 200

THE SUMBURGH Head lighthouse is celebrating a significant anniversary today (Friday). It is now 200 years since it was lit for the first time. It was designed by Robert Stevenson, and it is still a working lighthouse. The A-listed building is now also part of a visitor attraction run by Shetland Amenity Trust following a […]

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Farmers union shows support for Covid testing at entry points

THE LOCAL branch of the National Farmers Union of Scotland (NFUS) has added its weight to calls for coronavirus testing of all visitors to Shetland. Following an AGM of the branch last night (Thursday), president Cecil Eunson has encouraged the council and health board to “step up and ensure the health and safety of our […]

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Temporary Covid-19 testing centre opens for bookings to cope with recent spike in cases

A temporary Covid-19 testing site has been set up in Shetland in response to the outbreak in cases. Temporary Covid-19 testing centre opens for bookings to cope with recent spike in cases

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More support needed for sufferers of Long Covid, says Carmichael

Alistair Carmichael has spoken about “Long Covid” and the need for more government understanding. The Isles MP says Long Covid is still poorly understood, with... More support needed for sufferers of Long Covid, says Carmichael

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Key worker schooling demands increase by over 100 per cent

Applications for children of key workers to be allowed to go to school has increased by more than 100 per cent on last year. Key worker schooling demands increase by over 100 per cent

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In this week’s Shetland Times

In today’s (Friday 15th January) edition of The Shetland Times: Tens of thousands of pounds are being lost by companies in Shetland’s seafood sector as... In this week’s Shetland Times

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Plans for art trail in centre of Lerwick gather pace

MORE details have emerged of a new contemporary art trail which will run through the centre of Lerwick. The launch of the Locus trail is planned for April 2021, and its lifespan is envisaged to be a minimum of five years. It is being organised by Shetland Arts and Living Lerwick through funding from the […]

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NHS chief hopeful of some restrictions being eased in the summer

THE CHIEF executive of NHS Shetland says he expects that some coronavirus restrictions could ease around summertime after mass vaccination is rolled out. Michael Dickson said it is “not unreasonable to say that it is likely that all of the FACTS [guidance] will stay in place until the bulk of the population has received the […]

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SIC reminds parents and employers that the ‘safest place for children is at home’

PARENTS and employers are being asked to do what they can to support the in-school provision for key workers’ children amid continued evidence of community transmission of Covid in Shetland.  Shetland Islands Council’s children services director Helen Budge has asked parents to consider whether the “need for their child to attend school is critical – whether, […]

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Temporary Covid testing unit to open in Lerwick

A TEMPORARY Covid-19 testing unit sent by the Scottish Government and staffed by the ambulance service is being set up at the Gilbertson Park in Lerwick in response to the current outbreak in Shetland. The unit and staff will arrive in Shetland tomorrow (Friday), ready to start testing in the Gilbertson Park Games Hall at […]

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Tory leader calls for politicians to lay aside differences to help resolve fish exports debacle

A plea has been made for Scotland’s governments to avoid turning the fishing exports debacle into a constitutional row. Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross has... Tory leader calls for politicians to lay aside differences to help resolve fish exports debacle

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Health chief’s plea for community’s help in tackling rise in Covid-19

Shetland’s health chief has pleaded for the community to make a “collective effort” to tackle the significant increase in Covid-19 cases the isles have seen in recent weeks. Health chief’s plea for community’s help in tackling rise in Covid-19

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Figures reveal another coronavirus death

Official figures are now showing that two people have died of coronavirus in the last few days. It comes after news yesterday of the year’s... Figures reveal another coronavirus death

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Latest figures show another Covid death in isles

ANOTHER death of a patient who had confirmed Covid has been registered in Shetland. The news was included in the latest (Thursday) coronavirus update from Public Health Scotland. It is the second death recorded in as many days in the statistics, which run up to 13 January. The Public Health Information data says both deaths were […]

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Fishing scaled back as exports to Europe come to a halt

THE LOCAL whitefish fleet has almost suspended its fishing efforts to avoid high quality seafood from Shetland getting stuck and wasted in the export bottlenecks created by post-Brexit bureaucracy. There was no fish market held on Wednesday and very limited landings are expected until well into next week as a direct consequence of the crisis […]

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Eighty metre mast used for windfarm planning to stay for another three years

AN 80 metre mast on the outskirts of Lerwick mast which is used to obtain meteorological data for a proposed wind farm is set to stay for a further three years. The mast, which is part of preparatory work for Peel Energy’s Mossy Hill wind farm, has had its planning permission renewed. It was erected […]

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Health chief says Covid cases are being recorded with ‘no obvious route of infection’

THERE continues to be transmission of Covid within the community with no or few symptoms, NHS Shetland’s chief executive has warned. Michael Dickson said while most positive tests are linked to the North Mainland outbreak, there are also cases with “no obvious route of infection such as a positive contact or travel”. “It is therefore […]

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Greens will focus on regional list at forthcoming election

THE SCOTTISH Greens will not field a local constituency candidate at in the Scottish Parliament election in May and will instead focus on the regional list. Co-ordinator for the Shetland Greens Martin Randall said last night (Wednesday) that the party was aiming to win two seats via the Highlands and Islands list. In addition to […]

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Old carrier bags bring back memories

A DISCOVERY of old local shopping bags has been catching the nostalgic interest of hundreds of folk on social media. Brenda Laurenson, from Quarff, came across the carrier bags recently when sorting through items belonging to her late father. They included bags from old shops and businesses like Lerwick’s The Bread Basket and fish shop […]

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NHS under pressure but critical services still continuing, health chief says

NHS Shetland chief executive Michael Dickson says patients can be reassured that while the local coronavirus outbreak has increased pressure on the health board no critical services have had to be stopped. Around 100 new cases of coronavirus have been recorded since Christmas in Shetland, creating a large workload for the health board’s contact tracing […]

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Isles register further Covid-related death

ANOTHER death of a patient who had confirmed Covid has been registered in Shetland. The tragic news was included in today’s (Wednesday) coronavirus update from Public Health Scotland. According to data published by Public Health Scotland and the National Records of Scotland this brings the number local people who had Covid-19 mentioned on their death certificate […]

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EnQuest files £25.8m legal claim against BP over ‘unpaid invoices’ at Sullom Voe Terminal

OIL company EnQuest has launched a legal claim against BP worth nearly £26 million for allegedly failing to pay invoices relating to Sullom Voe Terminal. Legal documents submitted to the High Court of Justice in London within the last month show that the period EnQuest Heather Limited is claiming for covers 2013 to 2017. EnQuest […]

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