Padlocked, neglected and derelict
I seem to have upset the heid yins at Shetland Amenity Trust, by pointing out some easily observable facts about the current state of the Bressay Lighthouse.
Considering how long the trustees have taken to do anything about conserving and restoring this listed building, I think my strictures were remarkably mild.
The light and the keepers’ cottages were built in 1858, the year after Muckle Flugga, and for generations have been a symbol of home for islanders departing and returning by sea. When I was a child, coming north on holiday from our English ‘exile’, my mother would always take my sisters and me up on deck to see Da Bressa Light.
It was an emotional and unforgettable moment. I am sure many others share my attachment to this classic Stevenson lighthouse. We know a song about that, don’t we, children? “Whaar da lichthoose o’ Bressa shines ower da sea…”
I was there the other day, hoping to stand at my usual viewpoint in the south-east corner of the lighthouse dyke and see the last of this summer’s tammie nories.
As you will see from the pictures, I found the rusty, damaged gate padlocked and the neglected buildings derelict. To think that this was once a public amenity…
Visitors used to rent holiday homes in the cottages, which have sensational views over the cliffs of Bressay and of the birds, seals and cetaceans in the approaches to Lerwick Harbour. This venture earned income for the trust and gave part-time employment to an islander who looked after the self-catering accommodation – until the trust stopped supplying him with cleaning materials to do his work.
After a long period in limbo, the trust rejected a well thought out bid for Bressay community ownership, which could have applied for grants to restore the property for holiday lets in the short term and perhaps (in the longer term and at greater expense) as homes for young families.
Now nobody seems to know who currently owns the lighthouse or what’s to happen to it. Perhaps the unelected trustees would care to tell us what’s going on.
Perhaps they wouldn’t. Maybe there’ll just be more of their secretive bureaucratic waffle and excuses.
It’s a disgrace. They should be ashamed of themselves.
Jonathan Wills
Bressay
Note: Shetland Amenity Trust chief executive responded to Shetland News: “The sale of Bressay Lighthouse is progressing. We are unable to comment further during the ongoing process.”
Here is our report on the unsuccessful bid from February this year:
