Lerwick Up Helly Aa

[corporate]

Piddly.....the only ass I see floating around is you; all cheek and the criaic's not very good.

 

The hotels are, during the winter period, on winter staffing levels; then, for approx 4 days, all hell breaks loose, and the staff do a magnificent job in attending to all the residents, diners, and all the many extras and add ons which arise at the time.

For 10 years, they also manfully kept the shetland hotel going as a hall ; 1995-2005; but there is only so much you can do, and in all fairness to them, and to the residents in the hotels, we cannot be a hall, and at the same time look after all those people; and all the shetland people too coming to lerwick and looking to be fed and watered.

 

We otherwise continue to support the excellent efforts of the committee; we are honoured to have their annual dinner the weekend before; we are honoured to provide lunch for the jarls squad on uha day ( with our compliments); and everything else we can ,to keep things as they should be.

Receptionists and management spend ages keeping tourists right with where to be and what to see; chefs go flat out to look after the diners, both residents and locals; bar and waiting staff likewise; housekeeping staff are flat out to process rooms....all for those 3/4 days....during that time, it is unrealistic to expect them to cope with being a hall. we did so for 10 years but it really was a lot to expect from staff. And it is the residents etc who, at the end of the day, pay their wages, and have to come first.

You are of course, piddly, perfectly free to build your own hall/hotel, whatever, and show us all how to do it...its a free world.

[Ghostrider]

BRING BACK ST CLEMENTS HALL

 

Wella, its not like it's being heavily used for anything else these days.....ty, SIC! Come to that, St Olaf's as well, it's not exactly going anywhere fast to do much else either.

[Infiltrator]

BRING BACK ST CLEMENTS HALL

 

Last few years of St Clements were pretty poor to be honest, full of young bairns and social casualties. It was always good for 'making up time'.

 

Posers is just too small and it's layout doesn't lend itself that well to an Up Helly Aa hall.

 

Probably the best hall in Lerwick that isn't being used is the Masonic. Used to be open. Well sited, good access and facilities for UHA. There must be some reluctance on the part of the Masonic, I know it's been raised and discussed many times but it never gets any further.

 

Personally think that hotels should be avoided, any hall that you wouldn't be happy letting a herd of cows graze in and hose down afterwards is way too posh and they're missing the point...

[JustMe]

I think that with King Erik House right next door the disturbance caused by using St. Clements as a hall for UHA might be considered too much.

[EM]

BRING BACK ST CLEMENTS HALL

Last few years of St Clements were pretty poor to be honest, full of young bairns and social casualties.

I think that he was actually joking. I don't think St Clements was ever considered particularly impressive.

[Piddly]

Corporate, if you would take time to read my post again you will find that nowhere did i slag of the work done by the 2 hotels in question, i'm sure the staff are flat out and do a tremendous job to make the experience for Up Helly Aa tourists firts class, i was merely pointing out the fact that some people are quite happy to make quite a considerable amount of money in a winter month when there is very little tourism and give nothing back in return.

[corporate]

Piddly...you used the word ass. Now you know that we put a lot back, including the free lunches etc; not to mention the large contribution expected each year when we get a visitation;not to mention the large amount of rates we have to pay each year to sic; which we then need the trade to help cover; Its not a question of making lots of money out of it, its a question of doing your bit to ensure the week goes smoothly.

I did read your post only too well. Just another mouth without the background knowledge.

 

I look forward to seeing your planning application

[EM]

Re: Piddly v corporate

 

Hmmm. Latest score looks to be: Piddly 0, corporate 5.

 

Why can't people be more honourable and take it on the nose when they make sweeping statements which turn out to be lacking substance?

 

It is also worth noting that it is unlikely the word "ass" was originally typed. I think it is much more likely to have been one of the (moan moan) swear filter's automatic replacements for the word "ar5e". Another example of how unhelpful and confusing the filter is.

[Piddly]

Piddly...you used the word ass. Now you know that we put a lot back, including the free lunches etc; not to mention the large contribution expected each year when we get a visitation;not to mention the large amount of rates we have to pay each year to sic; which we then need the trade to help cover; Its not a question of making lots of money out of it, its a question of doing your bit to ensure the week goes smoothly.

I did read your post only too well. Just another mouth without the background knowledge.

 

I look forward to seeing your planning application

 

Fair comment, job well done

[tirvaluk]

I thought the main reasons that the Masons and St.Clements were stopped was fire regulations, they didn't meet the requirements for a public function.

[Caeser]

I thought the main reasons that the Masons and St.Clements were stopped was fire regulations, they didn't meet the requirements for a public function.

 

I thought the masonic still kept livestock (goats etc) in house so I am sure a few humans would be OK for UHA! Unless the fire chief is not a brother.....................?

[EM]

From Virgin Media TV's press release for their series about the North Sea:

 

... the main town of Lerwick plays host to what’s been described as the North Sea’s Notting Hill Carnival – the Up Helly Aa Festival – a colourful and vibrant celebration of the island’s Viking roots. Stephen Mouat is a real life ‘Asterix’...

 

Asterix?

[jaydee67]

LOL! Great piece of journalistic research there!

[Ghostrider]

From Virgin Media TV's press release for their series about the North Sea:

 

... the main town of Lerwick plays host to what’s been described as the North Sea’s Notting Hill Carnival – the Up Helly Aa Festival – a colourful and vibrant celebration of the island’s Viking roots. Stephen Mouat is a real life ‘Asterix’...

 

Asterix?

 

Who's going to play the role of Obelix, Dogmatix and the rest of the crew?!?

[EM]

LOL! Great piece of journalistic research there!

To be fair, they could argue that UHA winged helmets have more in common with Asterix or a packet of Gauloise fags than historic Viking helmets. As Soljey noted earlier:

But Vikings didn't have wings, horns or any other appendages on the helmets.

Actually that isn't completely the case. There is one Viking depiction of an individual with a horned helmet, though that may have been for cult use rather than warfare.

 

 

Who's going to play the role of Obelix,...

I think there is no shortage of available Obelix body doubles here