Pupils from a ‘fantastic year group’ mark their final day before exams

Anderson High School pupils have celebrated their last day together as a year group before exams.

In this week’s Shetland Times

In today’s (Friday, 25th April) edition of The Shetland Times:

• Urgent repairs required for crumbling and cracking hospital

• Teenager tragically dies in jet ski accident

• EXCLUSIVE: Isles placed at back of water pipe replacement list 

• EXCLUSIVE: Fears raised as meter switch deadline draws closer

• EXCLUSIVE: Council spends thousands on changes to scheme

• EXCLUSIVE: History of the Bonnie Isle’s lairds to be unveiled 

• EXCLUSIVE: Two Whalsay women aim to promote dialect with grandmother’s books

• SPORT: All the action from the darts inter-county 

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Police confirm young man has died in jet ski tragedy

Police have confirmed a young man has died in a jet ski tragedy.

Emergency services were called to an incident in Gremista marina this afternoon.

A jet ski carrying two people crashed into the pier near Shetland Catch.

Police have now confirmed one person died.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 4pm on Tuesday, 22nd April, 2025, we were called to a report of a jet ski crashing into a pier at Gremista, Shetland.

“Emergency services attended and an 18-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.

“His family is aware.

“A 17-year-old male youth has been taken to hospital for treatment.

“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”

Welding work thought to have caused feed barge fire

A fire on a feed barge is thought to have been caused by welding work being carried out on board.

Fire on feed barge at Lerwick’s Greenhead base

A fire  broke out on board and unmanned feed barge at Lerwick’s Greenhead base.

POLL: Should those who don’t cancel unused ferry bookings be charged? 

Calls have been made this week to penalise people who fail to cancel inter-island ferry sailings they have not turned up for.

An Unst resident told The Shetland Times she intends to move out of the island due to ongoing issues with the ferry service.

Among the problems she faced this week was being able to secure a booking back into Unst after travelling to Lerwick.

While she could get into town without difficulty on Tuesday morning, when she tried to book her return journey she was told all ferries to Unst were booked up until 4pm. 

However, after arriving in Gutcher for an earlier ferry, she found there was only one car in the booked lane – and only three more joined it.

She believed this was due to people block-booking sailings and failing to cancel them when they were no longer needed – calling on those who fail to cancel their sailings to be penalised.

Building firm expands after help from Highlands and Islands Enterprise

GA Leask Builders have secured almost £500,000 of investment to expand its business through Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

The Whiteness-based construction firm bought a warehouse in Lerwick, it was announced yesterday.

A project to convert the premises into four units is now under way, one of which will be used for its own business.

While the building firm funded the acquisition of the building, HIE is covering the costs to adapt the building. GA Leask will then rent out or sell the spare units.

Director of the building firm, Bryden Leask said the funding and the project would make a “big difference” to the company’s future.

“The additional space also lets us grow as a business but at a gradual and controllable rate to meet current and future demand,” Mr Leask said.

This development is part of a £1.7m HIE project which has the potential to help 12 businesses in Shetland to expand into more suitable premises by supporting the growth ambitions of the prospective tenants and vacating properties that these businesses have outgrown.

Mr Leask said the company will see a “significant reduction” in operating costs and an increased efficiency due to being able to have the office, workshop, stores and the glass centre all under the same roof.

GA Leask’s growth was constrained by their workshop size, prompting them to explore new property options. The company employs 15 staff, including two new additions and an apprentice. This development will create five new jobs.

The units will feature full insulation, solar panels and electric vehicle charging points, contributing to the company’s net zero ambitions.

The development would be impossible for the company, Mr Leask said, if it were not for the help of HIE. Plus it would afford other businesses opportunities to improve too.

Mr Leask added: “That also opens opportunities for other businesses to grow into all the units we have all moved out of.”

HIE Shetland area manager Katrina Wiseman said it had become “increasingly difficult” for private sector businesses to develop premises.

There was a demand, she said, for opportunities to improve or move into new buildings to expand and create new jobs.

“By supporting this project HIE is enabling the private sector to develop property, helping to ease the commercial property shortage,” Ms Wiseman said.

She added that HIE was keen to hear from other businesses who wanted to explore ideas for expansion.

Bird observatory finally set to reopen six years after devastating fire

Birders are rejoicing after a world famous observatory announced it would be opening for guests – six years after being destroyed by fire.

Mossy Hill substation recommended for approval from councillors

A 132kV substation in Mossy Hill is set to be given approval by councillors at a planning committee meeting next week.

Planning officials will present a report to the committee on Wednesday, which will include infrastructure works to connect an eight-turbine wind farm to a new substation owned by Mossy Hill Shetland Ltd.

Recommendations from officials ask councillors to approve the development as the works are expected to have “acceptable impacts” on traffic, environment, drainage and waste.

If approved, the proposal will develop four buildings, comprising two substations and two control buildings, on a 1.7 hectare site where Ladies Drive joins the A970 route at the north side of town.

Planning permission is also sought at the same time for a temporary construction compound with an area of 3,574 sqm.

Lerwick Community Council opted to object to the proposal back in January, after members were unsure whether connection infrastructure would be overground or underground. However, it later received the information it was looking for and withdrew its objection.