News / Company to review hire policy after party bus trouble
A BUS company says it will review its policy when it comes to people hiring buses to tour pubs after the “disgraceful” actions of a few people at the weekend.
Owner of the Yell based R. Robertson & Son Sonia Robertson wrote on the company’s Facebook page that there was “threatening behaviour, punch ups, a lad with a broken nose and not to mention the vehicle damage and mess” on a birthday bus on Saturday.
She said seven people had to be removed.
It comes after the St Magnus Bay Hotel in Hillswick and the Northern Lights at the Brae Hotel decided this summer to no longer take in party buses.
“Due to the actions of a few disgraceful people on a birthday bus yesterday we have contacted the police,” Robertson said on the company’s Facebook page.
“Threatening behaviour, punch ups, a lad with a broken nose and not to mention the vehicle damage and mess.
“They have let themselves down hugely and the hirer. When a driver has to remove seven people it’s serious, he would have been better calling the police then but gave them a chance.
“Thankfully although cut short they were transported back to Lerwick – we are also thankful our driver is ok and he contained situations as best he could.
“The end of party buses is probably here – with two pubs no longer accepting these parties.”
Robertson, who said the hirer had apologised and paid for damage, said the company would review its policy on hires this week.
There were also reports of broken bottles at the Voe public toilets on Saturday.
The Pierhead bar in Voe, meanwhile, said on Sunday that it “only takes a few people to ruin it for the majority”.
“At the moment we are still accepting party buses,” it said on Facebook.
“If there is a repeat of what happened yesterday, we will be telling folk to leave the premises. Please have respect for the pub and the staff, it’s not much to ask.
“We would be grateful if anybody that is having a bus could phone us beforehand to let us know they are coming and provide us with a name of a responsible person.”
Mossbank’s Welcome Inn also requires people to phone in advance.
Shetland’s police area commander Lindsay Tulloch, meanwhile, told councillors last week that officers were carrying out more licensed premises checks in the North Mainland due to reports of bad behaviour from people on buses.
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