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Sunday shop opening hours


Malcolm
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The development of the tourist industry is always going to be limited by the short season. Yes a street full of closed shops is a poor show for visitors. I could rant on too about what could or should be provided for tourists from more decent pubs or restaurants that specialise in local food to tours that take tourists fishing or bannock making or peat cutting and more traditional accommodation in restored old crofthouses. But in recognition that none of those ideas are going to make me a millionnaire, or at best reap me enough to give up my day job, why should I (or we) expect that anybody else would want to take them forward?

 

That aside though (and most of the posts on this topic have confirmed this) I often think that Shetlanders are more critical about the lack of things for tourists to do than tourists are themselves. I am only one operator in one sector but from my own experience as an accommodation provider, I can honestly say that only a handful of the hundred or so groups of visitors that we have had in the house over the years have commented on things that need to be improved. They marvel at the ability to find a remote beach or geo or view that isn't in a guidebook or isn't signposted and doesn't have a path laid to it - or at how welcome they have been made at a local event or pub regardless of how insolubrious we may think of them. I think that is part of the attraction that as natives we probably take for granted most of the time. Above all, they come to get away from it all and not to find things to 'do' and most leave more than happy that they have been able to do just that - even when we apologise for a week of poor weather.

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even when we apologise for a week of poor weather.

 

 

Were you to blame for the bad weather?

 

No?

 

Then why apologise for something that is well and truly out of your control?

 

As for "Most people come to get away from it all" What rot! You only deal with a very small percentage of visitors to the Shetland (Unless your accomodations are vast).

 

The truth is that the vast majority of tourists do not stop being tourists just because it is a Sunday. Yes there were places to go and things to see and do but mainly outside Lerwick, however the lack of transport to get people there is a huge problem. Why can't the transport companies offer a reduced service? (Lets face it Shetlands transport needs a bloody good overhaul!)

 

As for my original gripe of no shops or cafes open and 180 visitors off of a tall ship wanting to shop or eat breakfast on shore and there being nowhere open, well add to that the fact that there wasn't a room to be had for people who decided to stay longer, or had just come off the overnight ferry and then try to tell me that the numbers werent "high enough" to warrant opening!

Even if a cafe had opened from 9am - 12 noon doing cooked breakfasts and tourist type shopd opened from noon till 4pm then that at least would have given visitors to these islands a helluvva lot less to complain about.

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working in the tourist information as you do you would have been quite capable of checking which hotels were still serving breakfast. I would assume that the Shetland/Lerwick are not the only places serving breakfast.

Just I would direct anyone looking for breakfast straight off the boat in Aberdeen to try any of the hotels.

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Am I right in thinking that Northlink offer breakfast on board even after the ship has docked so ferry passengers at least should not be without their breakfast.

 

As for the passengers off the Statsraad Lehmkuhl I think that she is here often enough for the ship's management to know that there are few places in Lerwick for breakfast on a Sunday and they should either have arranged a meal on-board or changed their arrival time.

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I agree with shetlander's views as an accommodation provider, that most tourists love the wild beauty of Shetland. Tourist surveys show they're coming here primarily for the seacapes and rugged scenery, the wildife, the music and heritage. Many are coming to get away from it all, for the peace and quiet that Shetland offers.

 

However, they do want to do different things when they're here, it's not always sunny ;) and they do want to spend their money, to buy souvenirs and arts & crafts, etc. (my sector) They have to stay somewhere and they have to eat and these experiences, and really all their experiences in Shetland, should match and hopefully exceed expectations.

 

None of us can rest on our laurels, we all need to provide the best service we can - to ensure that the products, whether that be food, accommodation, tourist attractions, crafts, etc are high quality and attractively presented. We need to look at our product through the eyes of the visitor and see what else we can do to improve the experience for them, whether that be opening times, facilities, products or whatever. Expectations are high nowadays as people travel all over the world. It doesn't seem that long ago that many shops here closed for a day or half day or closed over lunch.

 

I remember some years ago speaking to a couple of Scandinavian tourists who were wandering around in Hillswick, looking lost. Lost as in nothing open over lunchtime and semingly not much to do. The hotel had a closed sign on the door (nothing to do with current owners who are putting their heart & soul into renovating the hotel) as they were deep cleaning or something. The Booth was also closed. The Hillswick shop was closed between 1-2pm as it did then. (It's now a vibrant community shop, open every day, many days to 7pm.) The couple said they were looking for somewhere to spend their money but it was as if we didn't want it. There wasn't anywhere for them that day to get a cup of tea or anything to eat. I know that it's an extreme example, that on another day the hotel and Booth might have been open but it still would mean there wasn't much to spend for them to spend their money on.

 

Thankfully, all over Shetland things have improved vastly since those days but there are still aspects with room for improvement so we can't be complacent. In Northamavine, I'm not sure whether the Initiative at the Edge status we had gave us a kick in the pants to try to improve things, or whether we would have done it anyway (it probably did help) but it's great to see Andrea & Paul at the St Magnus Bay Hotel putting everything into renovating the lovely old building and going that extra step to try to provide a great experience for guests. Similarly Christina & Magnus at the Braewick Café - doing everything they can and constantly adding and improving what they provide. The latest addition is a wonderful children's play area. The same goes for accommodation providers and museums, etc here and all over Shetland.

 

In my small effort, I'm trying to also provide somewhere else for tourists and locals to visit, whether it's good weather or bad and, on behalf of local craftspeople, will happily relieve them of their pounds. ;) When I opened last summer, I closed on Weds but it soon fed back to me that there were plenty people trying to get in on Weds too, so pretty quickly, with the help of a couple of local ladies, we went to being open 7 days a week - 10-5pm. And, if we say we'll be open then - we will be open then! Nothing worse if you're a local or a tourist who's travelled from the other end of Shetland only to find somewhere that's advertised as being open, isn't.

 

Last summer, as well as getting fresh eggs (sometimes they run out!) and visiting the hens, people were welcome to wander round our mature garden and some folk picnicked. As I'm on the premises, I'm happy to open at other times for someone at their convenience if they contact me, so opened the other week for evening shopping. As well as weekend Christmas shopping, I also opened some evenings for personal Christmas shopping along with coffee/hot mulled apple juice and homemade mincemeat pies. Along with some music, I hope it provided a pleasant and unhurried experience. This is just to show that some of us all over Shetland are really trying to provide great service but there's still plenty room for us all to improve! :)

 

As for the specific point about things not being open in Lerwick on a Sunday for cruise liner tourists or general tourists - head north! ;) 40-45 minutes and you're here in the Republic of Northmavine! Spectacular scenery, great walks (Hillswick Ness walk was featured in last week's Shetland Times), Eshaness Lighthouse, Tangwick Haa museum, etc etc, plenty parking everywhere for - as well as coaches - cars, taxis, minibuses, motorbikes, bicycles or horses (yes, I've had all those!) and... we're all open and are more than happy to have you! :)

 

PS - One lady on a bicyle tour wistfully mentioned how she would have loved, if she'd been in a car, to take back lots of pottery for presents for different occasions for friends. Not a problem - it was sent to various addresses!

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I think Fifi's long and interesting posting makes one point that perhaps highlights the difference between her and the shops and cafes in Lerwick. "When I opened last summer" really is the relevant phrase compared to the Lerwick businesses who are already open six days a week.....and some seven days a week.....for the whole year.

 

It is just not realistic to expect people to open on Sundays when they would otherwise be closed just to cater for passengers from cruise liners or tall ships without any real guarantee that any takings will justify opening.

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working in the tourist information as you do you would have been quite capable of checking which hotels were still serving breakfast. I would assume that the Shetland/Lerwick are not the only places serving breakfast.

Just I would direct anyone looking for breakfast straight off the boat in Aberdeen to try any of the hotels.

 

 

With an office full of visitors (43 between 9am and 10am) it was impossible for me to call though I did call round a few places only to be told they "We not provide that service".

Indeed one lady that arrived on the ferry and was booked into a guesthouse had been allowed to access her room early but was refused breakfast at any cost, the reason being "We don't offer walk in breakfasts".

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Am I right in thinking that Northlink offer breakfast on board even after the ship has docked so ferry passengers at least should not be without their breakfast.

 

As for the passengers off the Statsraad Lehmkuhl I think that she is here often enough for the ship's management to know that there are few places in Lerwick for breakfast on a Sunday and they should either have arranged a meal on-board or changed their arrival time.

 

 

Northlink do indeed offer this service and shopping opportunities for passengers, however they will not allow people from shore on board to partake.

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180 visitors off of a tall ship wanting to shop or eat breakfast on shore and there being nowhere open

 

To be honest, would any cafe in Lerwick, even if it was open, be able to feed 180 mouths that early on a Sunday morning without warning? I think perhaps it would have been a better idea for the ship's company to organise a venue beforehand, that way all the food could have been ordered in, extra staff arranged, etc.

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Fifi you have many valid points with the exception of one.

 

You are open but (as stated in my previous post)....No transport is available out of Lerwick

I was talking more generally Malcolm, but you're perfectly correct about no pulic transport. I know the cruise liner tourists may have limited time but coaches often tend to head south to Scalloway & Sumburgh when there are interesting attractions in other areas too. Depends on the time available and what's on offer in various areas.

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180 visitors off of a tall ship wanting to shop or eat breakfast on shore and there being nowhere open

 

To be honest, would any cafe in Lerwick, even if it was open, be able to feed 180 mouths that early on a Sunday morning without warning? I think perhaps it would have been a better idea for the ship's company to organise a venue beforehand, that way all the food could have been ordered in, extra staff arranged, etc.

 

 

Khit, you are missing my point.

 

The point being that there isn't anywhere offering the service on a Sunday morning not just for visiting ships but for anyone.

 

Perhaps they could do it on a rotation basis. (Just a thought).

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Malcolm wrote

The point being that there isn't anywhere offering the service on a Sunday morning not just for visiting ships but for anyone.

But surely that just proves that there is no local demand for cafes on a Sunday morning within Lerwick as otherwise someone would indeed be open although I still think the cafe at the Co-op is open on Sundays.

 

Mostly tourists arrive on the ferry or on cruise liners and both will offer breakfast so where is the demand going to be?.

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Malcolm wrote

 

Mostly tourists arrive on the ferry or on cruise liners and both will offer breakfast so where is the demand going to be?.

 

The demand was certainly there yesterday, I know as I was the one being castigated for there being no cafes or shops open.

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