Coastal cash boost

THREE Shetland projects are to benefit from over £250,000 of UK government funding, it was announced on Monday.

The Unst Partnership has been awarded £63,098 from the coastal communities fund so it can provide a tourism development officer post for two years.

It aims to promote tourism in Unst by bringing together existing services, providers and organisations to maximise the island’s potential and encourage economic growth.

An Unst Partnership spokeswoman said it was “looking forward to giving Unst a boost in tourism with a main priority of bringing in a larger number of tourists to the island and increasing the length of stay”.

Shetland Amenity Trust is getting £105,000 to establish a training programme to equip future generations with the skills necessary to build, repair and maintain traditional Shetland wooden boats – “thereby preserving a precious and fragile skills resource”.

The money will also help upgrade the historic boat sheds next to the Shetland Museum at Hay’s Dock, and construct a boat-building workshop and storage facility.

Meanwhile Global Yell Ltd is to receive £95,000 from the coastal communities fund to improve facilities and help support Shetland’s textile industries and weaver development. The money should help provide jobs and opportunities in the islands, developing the supply chain from manufacture through to retailing.