News round-up / New food shop in town, changes to ferry/bus timetables, crime drama filming slated for next year
AN EXPANDING Lerwick based business has opened a new food shop in the town’s Commercial Street, giving the centre of Lerwick a lift during the coronavirus pandemic.
Island Larder’s new store occupies what was once clothes shop Smiths of Lerwick at the south end of the street.
Though the shop is open, work is still underway to convert the lower floor, so business is taking place in the upper level of the shop via the side entrance.
Elsewhere in the building there are plans for a cafe/takeaway.
Island Larder, owned by Magnus and Nicola Johnston, offers no less than 95 different ready meals and will add ice cream and coffee to the menu once the downstairs is open.
There is also a refill station for wholefood items.
The shop also stocks a range of fresh local bread, juices, cheese and meat products and supplies fruit and vegetables as well as other goods such as dairy, dried pasta and frozen produce.
It aims to scrap plastic packaging entirely where possible to do so.
INTER-ISLAND ferry services in Shetland will operate to the summer timetable from Monday (29 June), with some restrictions around late evening sailings.
Increased ferry services are permitted under phase two of the Scottish Government routemap out of coronavirus lockdown.
It means an end to single vessel services with a reduced timetable during the restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic.
Ferry crossings will return to two-vessel operations on Yell Sound, Bluemull Sound and Whalsay routes, along with single vessels on other routes, as normal.
However, there will be reduced late evening sailings, with the last sailings being around 10pm depending on the route. The timetables that will take effect from Monday will be available for bookings on the council’s ferry services webpage.
All services remain bookings only and payment by account card only. Booking details are available online.
The following public bus services, which link with ferry services, will also return to the full normal timetable from Monday:
- Unst Service (Service 28)
- Yell Services (Services 24 and 30)
- Fetlar Service (Service 29)
- the “Overland Service” (Service 24V)
- the Lerwick to Vidlin Service (Service 19)
- the Lerwick to Toft/Mossbank Service (Service 23)
- and the Bressay Service (Service 42)
The exception is the 10.55pm departure of Service 23 from Lerwick on Saturdays which remains suspended, along with all other late night Friday and Saturday bus services during this phase.
Face coverings are now mandatory on public transport. Passengers must wear a face covering while travelling on local buses, in taxis, on inter-island flights, or in the enclosed areas on ferries. Children under five and people with certain medical conditions are exempt.
FILMING of series six of the internationally successful Shetland crime drama is set to resume in 2021, its producers say.
The series, starring Douglas Henshall and local actor Steven Robertson, has been running since first airing in 2013.
A spokesperson for the BBC, which commissions the show, said:
“In light of the spread of Covid-19 the producers Silverprint Pictures of Shetland Series 6 postponed filming in consultation with and supported by the BBC.
“The decision has been made to resume filming again in 2021. We will continue to review all productions on a case-by-case basis and will continue to follow the latest news and advice from the Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland.”
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