Colin Posted July 14, 2013 Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 Is the half a billion pounds being spent here just now not quite a nice earner? Not to mention the harbour dues, services charges (electricity, water and sewerage etc) and the amount of work and increased trade that a number of local businesses seem to be picking up from them being here. Then there is the well paid extra employment they have brought with them. Putting even more money into the community. Trying to levy council tax as 'a nice little earner', as pointed out earlier, is not possible, sounds very spiteful, and completely misses the point... It's a pity that some members of the 'community' just don't seem to want them here at all.. Maybe they just don't want to be 'priced out' of the labour market or, more likely, don't want to have to compete by paying a decent living wage instead of minimum rate. Maybe they don't even want to be forced into employment.... gafynandrew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted July 14, 2013 Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 I can remember when the Sea Crown(?) was tied up to the spur on the Victoria Pier for months on end. Apart from looking like an ugly old 'rust bucket' if brought the added benefit(?) of hundreds of seagulls who, as they will, proceeded to cover the waterfront in sharn and, the 'moaning minnies' are complaining about a floating hotel ???? I take the point you're trying to make, but the Sea Crown wasn't all that big, she'd probably fit inside this barge four times over, and your comparison isn't entirely like for like in other areas either. Back then the area was still quite "industrial", the Clair still docked there for some of the time the Sea Crown came, and even after that the pier spur was frequently home to numerous sizeable cargo vessels, ocean going tugs etc. The entire local fishing fleet tied up from the Queens to the Bressay Ferry ramp back then, and quite often a sizeable Danish or Norskie fleet were tied up from there to the market, so the depth of bird crap was not insignificant anyway and a few more dollops were never noticed. If nothing had changed around the pier in the 35 years since the Sea Crown came, I doubt much would have been said about this barge now, but much has changed. The area has been virtually entirely "de-insdustrialised" and "prettied-up" as a "holiday postcard" type harbour for "leisure" type marine activities. I'm largely indifferent to it, as I can appreciate its benefitting the local economy and will only be there for a relatively short period. However, I can also understand why folk who frequent the area, having had to get used to a "leisure harbour" type facility whether they like it or not, and have barely had a chance to get used to the messing around the shopkeepers have done with the other side of the road, suddenly faced on top of that with a huge red and gray box parked in the middle of everything are going, WTF next!?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted July 14, 2013 Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 I take the point you're trying to make, but the Sea Crown wasn't all that big, she'd probably fit inside this barge four times over,I seem to remember that the Sea Crown was longer that the floatel. Maybe not the same beam width but, definately longer. and your comparison isn't entirely like for like in other areas either. Back then the area was still quite "industrial", the Clair still docked there for some of the time the Sea Crown came, and even after that the pier spur was frequently home to numerous sizeable cargo vessels, ocean going tugs etc. Not so. The fishing boats have been replaced by yachts but, the harbour is still 'industrial' in nature (it HAS to be), there are still a few fishing boats to be seen, and the pier is quite often host to some pretty large vessels.Like yourself, I'm pretty indifferent to where the barges are located and, given the amount/variety of other visiting traffic, I don't think that they are an 'eyesore' at all. I think that they are a very practical solution to the accommodation crisis that so many visiting workers would impose on us otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted July 14, 2013 Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 If nothing had changed around the pier in the 35 years since the Sea Crown came, I doubt much would have been said about this barge now, but much has changed. The area has been virtually entirely "de-insdustrialised" and "prettied-up" as a "holiday postcard" type harbour for "leisure" type marine activities.Just the other side of the Bressay ferry are buildings that are not exactly great to look at. In fact the back of the fish market kind of reminds me of the flotel. And there is a great big barge holding pipes sitting there without complaint. Lerwick is first and foremost a working port so visitors can see and photograph many odd things and they can still get their holiday snaps of the pretty things by standing a bit to one side. Bet many go home talking about the "interesting flotel" they saw!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulb Posted July 14, 2013 Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 Is the half a billion pounds being spent here just now not quite a nice earner?not quite they are building a 500 million plant not spending it here. a very big difference. they are going to spend loads on sullom how come the communities 1p per barrel is not being paid yes i know we should be grateful for the crumbs. what are the figures for the gas plants payments to the community. what worries me is who negotiated that agreement. see how alaska has done from their oil https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Permanent_Fund Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted July 14, 2013 Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 Shetland cannot be compared to Alaska which can set its own laws and taxes. I think there may be a little more involved.From what I remember, the barge will not be a permanent place of residence so will not attract tax, after all, you do not pay CT on your hotel or B&B room now do you?Some money will be going into the local community, that of course will just pay for the police to deal with the nomadic workers when they go out to the pubs.Have you found out what contribution the building of the gas plant will attract via 106 monies or equivalent, the councils 151 officer, or equivalent can give you the answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorrie Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Strange really, all those people wanting to live in town so that they are close to everything, but don't want others to have the opportunity! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Equality Street Posted July 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Strange really, all those people wanting to live in town so that they are close to everything, but don't want others to have the opportunity! I'm simply expressing the view that a hulking great accommodation barge could surely have been better situated in a location where it did not detract from our rather fine looking harbour. Honestly, it's nothing to do with denying folk the "opportunity" to live close to the town. For the record, I live closer to the coop than I do the town centre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suuusssiiieee Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 I could just about remember the Sea Crown many moons ago, so i did some digging and came up with this for the masses that have no idea what the Sea Crown looked like... http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=937953 The stern is sadly missing in the photo but she did not go to much past the spur if i mind right, and she certainly was not bad bad looking certainly more pleasing on the eye than the ex prison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Da missin starn.... http://photos.shetland-museum.org.uk/image.php?i=163964&r=2&t=4&x=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheelsup Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 Horns, I think the problem is finding a sheltered area. Even in the harbour it can be quite rough. In the "docks" they are a least protected from the worst of the weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorrie Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 I wonder that if an equivalent sized cruise liner turned up and tied up there long term - would we have the same amount of moaning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Equality Street Posted July 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 I wonder that if an equivalent sized cruise liner turned up and tied up there long term - would we have the same amount of moaning? If it were in the form of an ugly box that loomed over the harbour and was there for over a year then, yeah, I'd probably have a grumble about it on Shetlink, just as you would no doubt waste as as much time as I have disagreeing with me! Clearly it's there and it's not going anywhere. By the poll result it looks like most folk aren't that fussed after all, so perhaps I'm in a minority. People are different. Personally I still think sticking it there is was a crappy decision, but I've said my piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundview Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 I'm pretty sure it was the LPA that decided where the barge was going to be sited, not Total. It isn't the prettiest but to be honest it doesn't bother me over much. I don't go out on the raz any more in the town (being a daddy and boring old fart) so can't comment on the night life impact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Siccar Posted July 17, 2013 Popular Post Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 Da Barge and it's contents are desperately ugly. So is Lerwick. Move on! gafynandrew, seventeenpointfivewheeler and Aaron Foord 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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