Council / Council could charge £100 a night for twin room at halls of residence
SHETLAND Islands Council (SIC) could charge £100 for a twin room with breakfast at the Anderson High School’s halls of residence as part of plans to raise funds.
The SIC has applied for permission to change the use of the building from a residential institution to a “hotels and hostels building”.
It said the change would allow it to provide accommodation for people during four weeks of the summer holidays.
And the halls of residence parents flat would also become available for booking year-round for “small groups” or “large families”.
The SIC would be looking to charge £120 per night for the use of this facility.
The halls of residence usually hosts pupils studying at the Anderson High School who are from outlying areas such as the islands, during term time.
Councillors on the education and families committee heard last month the facility had been used as emergency accommodation during the 2023 Tall Ships Races in Lerwick.
Schools executive manager Brenda Leask said around 50 people at stayed at the halls of residence during that event, with accommodation only being offered “on an ad hoc basis”.
She said the SIC “don’t advertise or promote that the halls can be used for hostel accommodation in the holidays at the moment”.
This, she said, was “something that we are exploring”.
However, Leask said the houseparents at the hall only worked term-time.
In its submission to change the use of the building, the SIC said the management of the accommodation would be “undertaken by the SIC education department”.
“Elected members have voiced that this proposal should be explored, as a way of generating income for the SIC,” the council said.
Councillors heard last month that the costs for booking a room at the halls of residence for holiday periods were set to rise.
A single room with breakfast is set to rise from £51.35 in 2024/25, to £62.50 a night for the coming financial year.
A double room with breakfast is almost doubling from £51.35 to £100.
And the nightly hire of the parents flat is doubling, from £60 to £120.
No external changes are being proposed to the building as part of the move.
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