Is the North Star closing?

[JAStewart]

A peerie bird talt me that the North Star was going to close.. anyone know anything aboot this?

[Pooks]

Yes, it has happened to me before:-

 

A peerie bird told me

 

Meaning: An implied secret or private source of knowledge.

Example: A peerie bird told me that we're moving.

Origin: This phrase was used by Shakespeare and Swift, and dates back to at least the 16th Century. Used today, this expression sometimes refers to news that is somewhat unexpected.

 

Alternative: Biblical origin, found in Ecclesiastes 10:20 includes "for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter", reinforcing the idea of the noiseless flight of a bird.

 

Alternative: All the birds of the air were summoned to King Solomon but the Lapwing did not appear. Later the Lapwing explained that he had been with the Queen of Sheba and that she had indicated that she intended to visit Solomon. The King began to make preparations for the visit; in the meanwhile the Lapwing flew to the Queen and told her that the King had a great desire to see her. As history records, such a meeting did take place, but the role of the Lapwing is less clear.

 

Alternative: Arabic version - A rare bird, the Hoopoe, was missing. Another bird was sent to find it and bring it back to Solomon. On return, the Hoopoe said that it had been with the Queen of Sheba and that she was planning to visit. Same theme, but only one journey.

 

Alternative: The phrase could have come from Pope Gregory's alleged dictation of the chant melodies from a dove that landed on his shoulder.

[JAStewart]

Thanks for the useful post

[JustMe]

Maybe it could be converted into a cinema.

[Pooks]

Thanks for the useful post

 

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

I personally haven't heard about this but it is long overdue a refit. Has it not been condemned on various occasions or is that only a rumour?

[david]

I heard that it was going to be converted into flats.

 

 

But Shetland is the biggest rumour mill in history.

[Fjool]

But Shetland is the biggest rumour mill in history.

 

I heard that too!

[JAStewart]

But Shetland is the biggest rumour mill in history.

 

I heard that too!

 

Its true. I heard flats too.

 

Its upsetting to see a venue with such potential go away

[JustMe]

JA Stewart wrote

Its upsetting to see a venue with such potential go away

Is that potential as a cinema then?.

[JustMe]

Would make a good meeting room for the council........so dark that no one could see them making mistakes.

[Mia]

Its going to be flats. I cannot lie

[Twerto]

not heard this.. but wouldnt surprise me.. especialyl if the new CMV takes off

[JustMe]

Its going to be flats. I cannot lie

In which case will the big car park across the road mean that the development can be built with zero car parking spaces?.

[Njugle]

Its going to be flats. I cannot lie

In which case will the big car park across the road mean that the development can be built with zero car parking spaces?.

Interesting twist JustMe, given that the carpark across the road is generally full duriong the day, and the one around the corner similarly well used. I wonder how they would wangle their way around that one.

And in the name of gossip: I too have now heard that it is rumoured to be closing. Shetland eh?

[Ghostrider]

Speaking from a purely personal point of view, and assuming there's any truth in the latest from the curtain twitchers, I wouldn't see the parking issue for flats being put on the Star site in the same light as putting them on Williamson's factory site at Grantfield.

 

The Star has never had any dedicated parking space, and it's within reasonable walking distance of, as has been mentioned, the car park across the road, the Fort Road car park, and the under the Fort one, plus there's on street parking in both directions on Harbour and Market Streets, all of it public parking areas. I know all of it can get congested at certain times, and dedicated parking would be desirable, but it would seem a bit difficult to argue too strongly for it considering the level of parking provision so close by

 

Williamson's on the other hand in it's factory days had a reasonable amount of on site parking, which was being lost, and the only meaningful car parks nearby are, to the best of my knowledge, so will happily stand corrected, privately owned, Namely belonging to the Co-op, Grantfield Garage etc. On street parking could only have been possible on the old North Road and in through Bruce Crescent, maybe Burgess Street if folk could be bothered, but last I saw any of those they were choc-a-block pretty much 24/7/365. There really is no place anywhere close by for even a visitor to that site to park in a public parking area, and I would be pretty certain that if the parking round the Co-op and Grantfield Garage is owned/leased by those businesses and/or others, they have every right to object to and have removed any vehicle they see fit to at any time, without warning.

 

Is there any space left at the back of the Star these days? Up behind where the old Smiddy used to be, behind Cee & Jays etc, I know it's steep and not the greatest access, but a back door to the Star building and a dedicted parking area there shouldn't be beyond the bounds of possibility if there's still space. I've not been up round there in years, but last I saw it was a wilderness of generations of old grass and a graveyard for dead Reliant three wheelers from the time Eric Brown had the agency and the shop down below on Commercial Road.