Progress

News has just emerged that the Shetland Islands Council has just approved a £500 million contract to build a Gas sweeting plant at Sullom Voe, which will be constructed over the next 3 years. This puts more pressure on the housing market.

                               New Gas plant at Sullom Voe taken from aboard the ferry which was hired by Disability Shetland on Sunday

In addition Bristow has now started a new contract at Sumburgh airport transporting men out to the oil fields using eight new helicopters, so the staff and ground crew will be looking for housing in the south mainland. We are so glad to have got a house as we can see the house prices and rent staying at an inflated rate.

At bit further into the future, the Shetland Island Council is said to be looking at replacing the two existing ferries with larger ones with more berths to attract more people to holiday in Shetland. This may happen in 2018.

Its perhaps the only boom area in Britain, this year more cruise ships are due in Lerwick and with better spring weather than the rest of the mainland (this year at least) people are thinking of holidaying in the north, looking for a more satisfying, relaxing holiday. But ferry prices are high so it may put people off together with the lack of accommodation.

Certainly the quality of life is far, far better than the rest of the UK. Health care is generally better with quicker appointments and you are normally seen five or ten minutes before the time, if you have to go to Aberdeen for hospital treatment the flight is more or less paid for, they even send a mini bus to collect and take you to the hospital door. Prescriptions are even free. There are lots of support groups and older people are not neglected.

                                                                          Seals near Scousbourgh beach

We have tried to get involved in the community and attend the local church, social club and other social events which are regular and this  paid off straight away with information that brought us the house which was not advertised in the local press. The more you put in the more you will benefit and we have already made a number of friends. If you are into music then Shetland is the place to be with many opportunities to play or listen- more of that to come.

                                                                                                     Quendale beach

The only newspaper the Shetland Times which comes out Friday is an excellent read as it contains news about the community and good news!!! unlike most of the daily tabloids, it’s the place to find out events, houses and things that actually mean something to the local people. 

I mentioned in the last blog about how the community supports events like the lifeboat galas, they have now released the figure for the Lerwick Lifeboat gala and it raised a record amount of £10,500- I cannot see anywhere else raising this sort of amount.

                                                                                                   Lerwick harbour