Jobs go as two isles firms close

MORE than 20 jobs are to be lost with the closure of two Shetland businesses.

Malcolmson’s Bakery is to shut in January after 160 years in the trade with the loss of 15 jobs in Lerwick.

Meanwhile nine people face redundancy with the demise of Hunter’s Fish in Scalloway.

Stephen Leask, whose family has run Malcolmson’s for the past 40 years, said business had declined since the advent of Tesco supermarket in the town, making it hard to afford the improvements to the bakery on Commercial Road.

“Before Tesco was here we were doing very well. Tesco has certainly taken a lot of business from the small businesses that we supply and you can certainly see the downturn,” Leask said.

An offer has been made to buy the bakery building, and a decision has yet to be made about the company’s shop on Commercial Street.

Leask said telling his staff, some of whom have been working longer than his 34 years with the business, was one of the hardest things he had ever done.

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Hunters has been a well established fish processing company handling mostly scallops and whitefish from a unit on Scalloway’s Blacksness Pier.

Owner Andrew Hunter said he had no option but to close the operation because of the downturn in trade and the loss of customers.

Over the last few years Hunters have been slimming down the company, closing their shop and taking their popular fish vans off the road.

Williamson’s Fish Sales have said they hope to take on some of the staff.