Builders close down CAB for a week

NOISY builders are forcing Lerwick’s Citizens Advice Bureau to close its doors unexpectedly for the next week while their headquarters are reclad.

Shetland Islands Council has contracted a local building firm to re-harl the rear of the voluntary sector’s headquarters at Market House after problems were detected on the building’s exterior.

Workmen turned up on Wednesday and the CAB staff promptly departed, saying they could not work under those conditions.

CAB manager Les Irving apologised to disappointed clients, but said they would continue with their after hours services on Tuesday and Thursday evenings between 5pm and 8pm and on Saturday mornings from 10.30am until 1pm.

“Apparently the harling has been an issue for a long time but we didn’t know the builders were coming until the back end of last week and we didn’t have a start date until they turned up,” Mr Irving said.

SIC building services manager David Williamson said it was not a very big job and he was surprised that no one had been in touch with his department to say there was a problem.

“Stripping off the existing harling is a noisy operation and I would hope it is finished fairly quickly,” he said.

Anyone wishing to contact Shetland CAB can telephone the usual number at 01595 694696 and leave a message and a staff member will eventually reply.