Building contract awarded for new hotel

A NORTHERN Irish building specialist has won the £.6.5 million contract to build a new 100-room hotel at the outskirts of Brae, in Shetland’s north mainland.

McAleer & Rushe, based in Cookstown, has a track record in building hotels throughout the UK.

The new hotel, developed and managed by Glasgow based BDL Management, will initially be used to accommodate workers on the new Total gas development project.

Building work officially started on Monday, and BDL said that the building was due to be completed by September next year.

The company also announced that it had secured a £6.5 million funding package from the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Concern has already been raised about the long term impact on other hotels in the area and on Shetland’s tourism industry in general.