WATCH: Cullivoe business park and marina officially opened

Cullivoe’s new industrial estate and marina was officially opened today (Mon) – watched by crews of several visiting tall ships.

The marina was opened by Joe FitzPatrick MSP, minister for local government empowerment and planning.

North Yell Development member Christopher Thomason said he believed the new marina had now created an ever bigger incentive for fixed links.

Mr Thomason stressed that Cullivoe is often one of the busiest harbour’s in Shetland, which was not always recognised.

He said: “We make the salmon cages here, it’s only one in two places in Shetland now that’s big enough to deal with salmon cage making.

“Sometimes on a week day this harbour is the busiest harbour in Shetland.

“Fish is landed here, but the recording goes down as Scalloway [where it is sold at the fishmarket].”

“I’ve see as many as six boats coming in here in a day. Every time you look in the sound there’s either a boat coming or going, he said.

Mr FitzPatrick told The Shetland Times his trip to Yell has been beneficial in finding out the the needs of communities such as Cullivoe. 

“One of the good things about ministers coming from Edinburgh is you get the chance to speak to people and hear what the issues are,” he said.

“I think it’s a huge investment to take forward and it’s only going to happen if the community is 100 per cent behind it.”

He also praised Cullivoe for their decade-long work to make the new marina a reality.

“The community has worked so hard, it couldn’t have happened if folk hadn’t worked together, it’s taken over 10 years.

“It’s good to have that vision and make your community better, that’s what we’re trying to do across Scotland to empower communities to work out what is best for their area and that’s how they’re going to be more vibrant in the future,” he added.