Massive impact on retail sector

Interested to read your article regarding the effects (‘Blackout shuts airport and disrupts emergency services’, SN 25/7/15) the communications breakdown had on emergency services and airport.

These are certainly the priority, however it had a massive impact on not just ourselves at Tagon Stores, but for just about every shop and business on the island. 

Because most of our card machines dial out to connect, we were unable to process any card transactions for four hours – on our busiest trading day of the week. I know of us, P&T Coaches, Skibhoul, Frankies, Vidlin Shop and Sumburgh Hotel were all without a card machine for this time.

Thank goodness there weren’t any emergencies during that time. However, now we know there weren’t, we must focus on what disruption it did cause, which in the retail sector was massive, and for those travelling has been a nightmare. Not to mention restaurants, cafes, hotels. 

It would be interesting to know the financial impact it had on Shetland’s smaller businesses as a whole. We had a couple in the shop today who were going to Bergen only to be sent home.

Ryan Thomson

Tagon Stores, Voe