BigMouth

Shetlink must be a haven for captains of industry running multiple industrial conglomerates judging by the number of people here who can't slow down for a few seconds to drive over a speed bump!  Time is money!

The only problem with traffic calming is the fact that it makes it a bit harder for the speedsters to run over the pedestrians. That's why traffic calming is used, of course.

It is an urban myth - there are plenty of parking spaces. The problem is that too many able-bodied drivers are unwilling to get off their backsides and walk the relatively short distance from them to the street.
 
The new business owners who were interviewed for the same article generally seemed positive about its future – and for those that have started up just this year, the heinous speed bumps clearly didn’t deter them from deciding to invest. That suggests to me that if you have a business that offers folk what they want (be it on price, product, good customer service etc.) parking or traffic calming isn’t necessarily a deterrent.
 
Another headline article in the same paper reported that levels of obesity are still too high locally. Which comes back to my first point….

Buses on Commercial St ?   In 30+ years, I have never seen a bus on Da Street. 
 
Blaming everything on visiting cruise liners is also a bit off, although I would agree that they bring little in the way of income to the street.  Why not try and sell something that tourists might want to buy ?  Anyway, what about all the times (the majority) when there are no liners in ? 
 
I would agree, however, that it appears to be only local bus companies and the LPA who seem to get anything out of tourists.  Wonder why that is ?   Could it be because the boats are, mostly, tied up at Holmsgarth, and the walk, shuttle bus, into town is to much bother for most of them and they prefer to have a guided tour around the island ?  This is similar to the situation in Kirkwall where putting the liners out to Hatston has had quite a marked effect on their town centre shops.
 
Lerwick needs a deep water berth at the Victoria Pier so that liners can tie up there, and more to the point, local shopkeepers need to become more aware of the kind of stuff a tourist might buy.  I have no more than a very basic idea what these 'tourist friendly' items might be, but it sure as hell ain't going to be second hand clothes from a charity shop, newspapers, shoes, spectacles etc. This is all stuff that WE buy.
 
Should vehicles be banned from the street for a longer period of time than they are at present ?  YES.  I use the street daily and, believe me, most drivers are 'morons' when it comes to negotiating their way through pedestrians and try to 'bully' people out of their way (doesn't work with me...)   It might also make the crossing at the Church Road junction a little safer as well.
 
As for parking around Lerwick.  There is plenty of parking space if you are willing to spend a few minutes using your legs.

Debenhams are closing branches on the mainland, formerly a staple of the high street so to speak. Shopping has changed as the opportunity to buy online has burgeoned. It's good to see Da Street moving with the trend of an increase in eateries, and increasingly with improved standards. It would be good to see the rest of the properties converted to accommodation and put into the hands of those that need accommodating rather than the property speculators, who make accommodation cost more for those that need to rent.

Shetlands real shame is that we have this abundance of healthy fresh fish being landed yet the school bairns only get fish once every two weeks for dinner, that is a disgrace.

You have obviously spotted a difference between the Board and the Forum.
 
The forum tends to be made up of licensees, a public health official and a couple of public reps.
 
The Board is mostly made up of SIC officers.

Ignore the “you'll pay £x per month”. Do the maths and see how it works out.
 
If Any power provider did disappear from the market tomorrow, the capitalist system means that companies will target those customers to get their business.
 
If anyone wants a referral link for Bulb, just let me know.

More crap wording on my part! The police thought that it was a samurai sword, but it was a long cane.
 
sausage! He wasn’t blind either.
 
He was a man though! At least I got something right!

In the case above I believe it was the wrong guy. The blind chap funnily enough had a stick that the police thought was a sword.

The shops in the street would moan less if they sold more. They would sell more if they stocked what the customer would like to buy. Whilst I think a range of Audemars Piguet or Patek Phillipe may be a little too much to ask, surely a bag of sweets isn’t? The shop from where I buy my sweets had a very popular line, so popular that they quickly sold out. I waited patiently whilst they came in, nothing. Asked if they had any in hiding away, no. Asked if they would be getting more in, they didn’t know. Comically walked around the shop bemoaning the lack of these sweets, no reaction. They are not made from the breath of 21 year old, blonde, Liverpudlian virgins. I am not expecting the staff to prostate themselves upon my entrance into their emporium.
 
Oh well, at least there is usually a box of out of date stuff going cheap. It must be the goods that they stock that people don't want to buy.

George is correct. The sign at the cross means no MOTOR vehicles.
 
As for the young kids on their scoot-along bikes, going the wrong way, criminals the lot of them I say. Lock them up, throw away the key! The Police exercise common sense on occasion and turn a blind eye, but adults should be going along Commercial Road and then riding back down the street, or alternatively pushing their bikes down the street if they are going against the flow of the traffic. Some old biddy coming out of a shop won't be expecting the cyclist to be cycling against the flow, so may not look in that direction.

It costs a fair bit to stock up and open any kind of business and, when you try it, everyone seems to want a piece of your "arris".
 
Takes a brave soul to risk it when there is so little "footfall".

Ok, scratch out "council" and replace with the organisation of your choice. The council give out the street trading licenses and entertainment licenses, they should encourage the use of both for the betterment of the street. Maybe it is time then that they take a more active role in the same.
 
 

It's not the job of the council.

Because there weren’t – and still aren’t – any sites anywhere near the street big enough for a supermarket and all the space it needs. Unless they’re lucky enough to have sites in or near them that can be redeveloped, most old town or city centres are never going to be suitable for every kind of shop – big supermarkets, places selling furniture, big electrical goods, carpets etc.
 
That’s probably where Kirkwall has an advantage o’er Lerwick and I have no doot having their supermarkets so close to the town centre helps to keep it vibrant.

The number of folk passing through is irrelevant – Glasgow might be an extreme example but the point I was making is that there are other vibrant/successful town centres that shoppers canna drive down the street, park right outside, nip in, get what they want and then go again. Yet that seems to be an issue for a lot of folk here as far as da street is concerned. I’d imagine most of them get their deliveries early in the morning or at night but if – as a shopper – you want to pick up something you have to fin’ the nearest (probably paid) parking space and get off your backside and walk to get it.
 
I too mind da street how it used to be and sadly times have changed. But maybe we all need to come up with some workable, realistic ideas as to what could be done to improve it rather than constantly greetin’ and moaning about what’s all wrong wi it.

Urabug isn't there plenty of parking for you with the rows of parking from the top to bottom of Hill Lane for you to park and get some exercise and walk to the street, not very far indeed at all if you are able, just laziness saying eg Bolts is so accessible.
 
Then there is parking along commercial street near Fort Chippie and if you wish to pay for parking which you shouldn't have to there is Lerwick Harbour Pier Car Park, pay to park south as have to but not here.

Speed bumps are not a 'hazard' for any vehicle with normal ground clearance travelling below 20mph.
Every time I visit Lerwick I see loads of cars dealing with them quite happily and then parking up in the town area to visit. So how come they are such a problem for yourself?
 
In all the places I have lived in the UK, I have never known anyone who sees speed humps as 'unmarked crossing points'.
 
As for 'looking chaotic'.....really? 

It would be wrong for it to be done by the council, they are not a profit-making organisation and neither is Living Lerwick. The only peeps that would do it are businesses that are out to make money. If it is not profitable it won't be done.

Speed bumps effecting the commercial value of shopping in Lerwick town centre? If you believe that then you'll be as wise to try avoid the red herrings as well.
You'd be hard pressed to find a busy shopping area in the UK that still allows cars through a shopping area let alone worry about speed bumps, and unlike Lerwick, you don't get free parking. 
 
Lerwick is doing the same to itself that the major chains like Woolworths did back in the 90s, and that was ignore the growth of the internet and not modernizing the town. I bought a pair of jeans on the street, cost me £95, now that same shop has closed I ordered a new pair pair from Amazon and they cost me £40.00, free P&P with Prime. With that,  I didn't have to put up with some idiot forcing me to stand in a shop doorway while they drive past to pick up some suntan lotion from Boots, or watch some women with pram or pensioner being "hearded" along by someone with no right or need to be driving down the street.

Very odd. It loads fine for me.

There's loads of options for recycling / reselling - the Scrap Store and other charity shops, as well as eBay, Shetlink, the Shetland Times and various other classifieds

Now, now.  You're getting carried away!!  You'll be suggesting that we go and live in the royal family's spare properties next.
 
http://www.shetland.org/plan/areas/fetlar advises that the population of Fetlar is less than 100.  I don't know if that means 10 or 99.  Fetlar would be great if the agricultural possibilites were ramped up somewhat.  Shetland could definitely be self-sufficient in turnips with just a little more effort from Fetlar.  Turnips for all.

Baldrick, where are you?