Open up, open out

As a fellow Glaswegian living here for many years I can understand Dorothy O’Brien’s letter (Plan ahead for cruise ship visits) about half day Wednesday and Sunday closures when cruise ships arrive.

Having recently worked in the Co-op it was a shame to explain to visitors of a ship on a Sunday that they were unlikely to find Commercial Street shops open. There were queues of tourists and crew trying to find help about foreign exchange of dollars and shops to buy from.

The business is there, but some are too set in their ways to move forward and even the Toll Clock is almost ghostlike most days.

It needs opened out, especially around Scoop, as a proper garden centre with a bit of life inside and outside seating with a bright cafeteria, gift shop, children’s area, reasonable prices, tourist information and exhibition of cookery, craftwork demonstrations to visitors and a reason to be in town rather than a Market Cross wet Sunday closure.

I like Dorothy’s wee bit of Glasgow know-how speaking up. It is easier for tourists to come to Shetland than resident families to afford to leave it and enjoy Sunday shopping elsewhere, and the environment in Shetland is superior.

Christine Donald
Sandwick