Also in the news / Fresh tourist centre concern, tow-in and more…
LABOUR Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant says she is “astonished” at what she describes as a “complete lack of accountability from the Scottish Government” over VisitScotland’s closure of its 25 iCentres.
The Lerwick office has already closed its doors, but others in Scotland are still to be phased out.
Grant said a plea to business minister Richard Lochhead to step in and stop the closures while concerns of unions and VisitScotland staff are fully addressed has been “rejected out of hand.”.
The closure programme is due to end in March 2026.
In her latest plea for a moratorium on closures, Grant asked specific questions on matters such as redeployment opportunities and footfall numbers at iCentres.
However minister for business Richard Lochhead said VisitScotland would be better placed to respond to her concerns.
Grant said: “I am astonished that having put very detailed questions to the cabinet secretary, his stark response addresses none of those concerns but instead bats the issue over to VisitScotland as an operational matter for them.”
“I say again, with depopulation being one of the biggest challenges facing Highland and Island communities it makes absolutely no sense to remove jobs and services from these areas,” she added.
THE LONG-liner Suffolk Chieftain was towed into Lerwick Harbour earlier today (Monday).
She was helped into the harbour with the help of Lerwick Port Authority pilot boats Knab and Kebister.
LOGANAIR has reported pre-tax profits of £6.9 million for the last financial year, which is down from £10.9 million in 2022/23.
The airline said the 2023/24 result, “while continuing a positive financial trend, demonstrates the challenges experienced by the airline in 2023, especially in relation to operational performance, as it completed the fleet transition programme”.
In the year to March 2024, the airline carried more than 1.5 million scheduled passengers, as well as operating charter services for the oil and gas industry, and delivering on its multi-year contract with the Royal Mail.
Loganair CEO Luke Farajallah said: “Despite the headwinds caused by supply-chain problems, operational disruption, and inflationary pressure in 2023, Loganair generated a healthy return in the financial year ending March 2024.
“This ensures we continue to operate sustainably that we have the means to continue investment into our fleet and customer experience and deliver crucial regional and lifeline connectivity to our customers.”
THE SHETLAND Youth Orchestra is preparing for a Christmas concert at Lerwick Town Hall on Wednesday (18 December) at 7.30pm.
The orchestra is made up of around 40 young musicians from across Shetland, who rehearse every Saturday at Islesburgh.
Secretary Annalie Irvine said: “The Christmas concert rounds off a fantastic year for the orchestra, following an amazing summer school in the Cairngorms in June, where the players got the chance to play and perform together, as well as bond as a group, and we recently visited local junior schools for a Halloween-themed concert, which the bairns really enjoyed.”
The Christmas programme includes some ambitious works from classical favourites The Nutcracker Suite and Sorcerer’s Apprentice, as well as arrangements from The Nightmare Before Christmas and Frozen.
There will also be a few carols for the audience to sing along with. Entry is free, and the orchestra will be taking donations at the door.
Anyone interested in joining the orchestra can contact Justin Rhodes on justinarhodes@yahoo.co.uk.
MEANWHILE the Lerwick Brass Band is hosting a carol evening at the Lerwick Town Hall on Tuesday (17 December).
The event will see net proceeds from a door collection donated to the local branch of Alzheimer Scotland.
The concert, which includes a set from Filskit, will begin at 7.30pm.
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