News / Looking back on the week: Turriefield, council finances and who benefits from Shetland’s energy resources
ANOTHER busy week here at the newsdesk with council finances, energy (both renewable and fossil) and the upcoming Scottish Parliament election all high on the agenda.
Over the last seven days Shetland News published 33 news stories, two news round ups, four letters and one ViewPoint contribution.
The week kicked off with the news that Penny Armstrong and Alan Robertson of popular food producers Transition Turriefield were planning a “managed exit” from the project they have been running for the last 15 years.
Turriefield to stop commercial production of fruit and vegetables
On Tuesday we published an interview with the chair of the Tingwall, Whiteness and Weisdale Community Council, Andrew Archer, who was one of a handful of local community councillors who attended a round table event at Holyrood the previous week.
Organised by Highland councillor Helen Crawford, the Rural Convention on Major Energy Infrastructure calls for a pause on major energy applications until a national energy plan is in place.
Energy projects being ‘done to us rather than with us’, community council chair says
Wednesday saw the two main election rivals Emma Macdonald of the Lib Dems and SNP candidate Hannah Mary Goodlad having words publicly for the first time.
Macdonald accused Goodlad of taking “cheap shots” at her after questioning Macdonald’s record of opposing more wind farm developments in the isles.
SNP accused of ‘cheap shots’ as election candidates row over energy projects
The local fishing industry meanwhile published its manifesto for the forthcoming Scottish election calling for a pause in offshore developments and a robust compensations scheme for lost fishing grounds.
The council’s ongoing financial issues and the need to reduce its unsustainable draw on reserves was the focus of Thursday’s main news story, when the Accounts Commission warned of the SIC’s “cumulative budget gap of £134.3 million by 2029/30.
Work is in hand to address the issues raised by the finance watchdog, the community was assured, with council leader Emma Macdonald adding that the core grant from the Scottish Government had not kept pace with rising costs, including pay awards and inflation.
Public spending watchdog’s concern over SIC’s projected cumulative £134m budget gap
On a lighter note, we asked our readers to send in photos of their bairns dressed up as a character of their favourite book to mark World Book Day. The gallery can be viewed here.
Meanwhile, on Friday, teenager Esme Capp spoke about how she felt neglected by the local health board after a long fight to finally get an endometrioses diagnosis.
Teenager ‘feels neglected by NHS’ after years-long endometriosis fight
And, with the Up Helly Aa season slowly coming to an end, it was a double bill this weekend with Bressay on Friday and Norik on Saturday celebrating their community fire festivals.
Thanks for all your support this week, with Shetland News continuing to provide news and views free of charge. Remember that if you like what we do and feel able to, you can become a supporter here: https://account.shetnews.co.uk/register/
More stories from the week:
https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2026/03/02/rspb-serious-concerns-around-cumulative/
https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2026/03/03/lie-flat-pods-set-installed/
https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2026/03/04/business-usual-svt-middle-east/
https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2026/03/04/new-cafe-restaurant-unst-set/
https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2026/03/05/finished-phoenix-teenager-completes-stunning/
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