Design a Lerwick mascot competition
Artists and designers are being called on to come up with a Lerwick town centre mascot.
The character would be used in campaigns to promote the town and would feature in town centre events.
Living Lerwick is behind the scheme and project manager Emma Miller said the mascot should be fun, appealing and potentially loveable. The character should represent the spirit of Lerwick town centre.
Ms Miller said: “This is a great opportunity for any young or experienced designer to come up with something to introduce a bit of fun into the area. The scope is fairly wide, but we want something that just symbolises the toon centre when you see it.”
A prize of £100 to be spent in any of the shops within the Business Improvement District is being offered for the winning design. Entries should be a single character which should have a suitable name.
Entry forms are available from Living Lerwick and the deadline is Friday 29th June.
Ms Miller added: “If you know any budding designers, give them the heads up and encourage them to enter to have their work shared with the public.”
Neil Pearson
Ms Miller says “we want something that just symbolises the toon centre when you see it.” i’m no artist but when reading this the only thing that went through my mind was an incredibly shabby looking Shetland Pony standing on his hind legs wearing a pair of ripped old Jeans with his pockets turned inside out and empty, looking depressed hopeless and down on his luck. i hope someone has a brighter view than me because i would usually regard myself as quite a positive person…… but ive just returned from Kirkwall and am suffering from a spot of town centre envy.
Johan Adamson
Orkney gets more tourists
Ali Inkster
I wonder why?
Johan Adamson
Cost of getting here.
Its a shame the ferries and planes between here and Orkney are so expensive or they might have been encouraged to come further when they get to Orkney.
If we had more tourists we could have better trade to improve all our services
Christopher Johnston
1. Orkney is closer to most tourists than Shetland. This translates to lower cost.
2. Kirkwall airport is close to the town and easily accessed, unlike Sumburgh.
3. Orkney has three ferry links while Shetland has one. Orkney has one ferry link not under Government control.
4. The Kirkwall town centre is more compact than Lerwick, making for easier walking.
5. Orkney seems more skilled at catering to tourists than Shetland.
David Spence
It would have to be a very good mascot indeed, especially when you go down da street and see the large number of shops which are closed or look as if they have not been in use for a very long time.
One would also have to ask why there are so many shops/buildings lying empty? Could it be the rates or rent being too high?
It is very sad to see such sights on da street, and I am sure visitors and tourists alike have noticed how empty the da street is of shops?
I do hope da street can be more pro-active and encourage further trade, as it is the hub, so to speak, of Lerwick, but moreover, tourists and visitors alike to enjoy what Shetland has to offer in terms of trade and goods.
Gordon downing
Long gone are the days of a busy thriving Street. £100 will buy a few meals and go a long way in the charity shops. The only things populating the street these days,along with empty and scruffy looking exteriors.
Wayne Conroy
“We want something that just symbolises the toon centre when you see it.”
Humpy mcHumperton the speedbump? Oh yeah… it has to be fun, appealing and potentially loveable… Maybe not then!
Johan Adamson
Praise has to go to budding entrepreneurs who are trying their best to encourage a renaissance in street going – shop owners who do make an effort and the new Dowry and the establishment where Monteray jacks was. We need to help them make the street a success.
I hope the old AHS site development will also help da street
leslie sinclair
The new French cafe and the opening of the Dowry should boost trade on Da Street.
Mr ian Tinkler
Rather than a mascot why not actually help trade into the town? How about zero business rates for any enterprise in the town that can show itself to benefit the community at large? We sadly lack a centralised wildlife centre, in part commercial, wholly educational. Such a centre would act as a showpiece for our wonderful wildlife and exhibition centre for our very own fabulous wildlife photographers and artists. It would certainly be far better than endless charity shops and boarded up premises!!! A suggested mascot, a windfarm proponant with his head up his @?, sorry! buried in the sand. Plenty to choose from in the SCT!!
Ultie Magnus
Small business rate relief has been on the go in Shetland for some years now. Also it would be impossible to reduce rents on individual buildings that are owned privately. I think we need to look at this issue on a national level and introduce new things to streets. GP surgeries, and other well visited out of town businesses and offices above shops. This would help in bringing the buzz of people back to the town as they would have to be there. From there encouraging some brands to the street, Peacocks for instance, then the likes of Lidl or Aldi, and perhaps a franchise off of the Poundland/Poundzone that is on Kirkwalls High Street. That might then encourage a baker and other missing shops. However you can’t expect people to open or think about opening a business until the people are there. That is the only real difference between Kirkwall and Lerwick when you break it all down. Just my opinion of course.