New Scalloway fishmarket set for early completion

Boxes of cod at the Lerwick fishmarket.

The new Scalloway fishmarket is fast approaching “100 per cent” completion, with work on the new premises expected to be finished by the middle of next month – well ahead of the 16-month deadline set for the project.

However, Shetland Islands Council members have been told of a shortage of staff to clean the new larger market, which uses a steel-frame construction with auction hall and welfare facilities, chilled compartments with transport corridor and loading bays.

Wednesday afternoon’s SIC harbour board meeting heard the new development was progressing well, with contractor Chap Construction expected to finish the new building by 17th December.

Marine infrastructure manager Andrew Inkster told members that progress had exceeded expectations.

It came less than a year after workers began clearance and demolition works at the Blacksness site.

The job was not expected to be finished until March 2020.

Mr Inkster said: “The contractor has given us a completion date of 17th December. Progress has been better than expected.”

He added the fishmarket would be “one hundred per cent completed” by 17th December – “well ahead of schedule and on budget”.

“We’ll have to start thinking about opening and other formalities, ” he said, “but for the moment we’re thinking about tyeing up up the formalities on that project.”

Shetland North councillor Alistair Cooper said it was important to have quality accreditations in place from the word go when the new fishmarket began to operate.

In a reference to the new Lerwick market, which is also under development, Mr Cooper said: “Two new fishmarkets will be a step-change. We need to get this right. We need good quality systems in place that we can get accredited for.”

Later in the meeting members were told of a shortage of staff available to clean the new fishmerket within the tight time constraints.

Harbourmaster Greg Maitland said staff were working on a job description for evaluation of the new role.