Licenses approved for Kirkwall’s new nightclub and bowling alley have revealed opening times and activities within the new business The project will introduce Rapture nightclub and Lanes bowling alley as well as food kiosks and an arcade It is due to be finished this summer with developer Neil Stevenson hoping to have it open for Orkney hosting the Island Games The Orkney Islands Area Licensing Board met to consider three licence applications from Mr Stevenson with the information attached to the licences indicating the opening times for the venues as well as the kind of gaming machines the arcade could introduce at 14 and 18 Bridge Street A provisional premises licence is one where the premises in question isn’t finished yet It only comes into effect with approval from the licensing board and all the permits related to the construction being obtained The approved application for Rapture nightclub and Kirkwall music venue will grant it a licence from 10am to midnight from Sunday to Thursday and from 10am to 2am on Friday and Saturday nights allowing sales from 10am to 2am on special dates it also includes the dates of the Island Games An idea of the kind of activities to take place within Rapture is also given The licence covers receptions for events including weddings The licence also asks for permission for 14 to 17 year olds to be on the premises from 10am to midnight if accompanied by an adult Mr Stevenson explained to the board that this would be for gigs Finally, the licence for Rapture also allows 8 to 17-year-olds to be on the premises without an adult for events like junior discos and events which are to be alcohol-free Another licence covers sales for the bowling alley Lanes is described in the application as a “bowling alley incorporating a family entertainment centre” The licence covers sales on the premises from 10am to 8pm every day for the indoor areas The exception to this is Saturdays and Fridays when sales will be allowed for an additional hour until 9pm As with Rapture there are some variations allowed to that schedule there would be extended opening hours allowing it to stay open until 11pm A raft of activities are mentioned which may take place in the bowling alley area The number of people covered by these sales licences is 650 persons for Rapture and 220 for Lanes Consultation was done for the sales licence with one submission each for Rapture and Lanes Police Scotland said it was continuing to meet with Mr Stevenson to discuss “minor amendments” they raised concerns about “the managing of under 18s events.” The third and final provisional licence granted by the board was a premises gaming machine permit It was clarified that these would be for 12 “coin pusher” or “crane grab” machines at Lanes although he was present in the council chamber She pointed out he has been involved in the development of several licenced premises She said each of these premises had a reputation for being “well-run and safe.” Comments are currently disabled as they require cookies and it appears you've opted out of cookies on this site. To participate in the conversation, please adjust your cookie preferences in order to enable comments We use cookies to improve your experience of using our website Please let us know if you agree to the use of these cookies The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is embarking on the second leg of a tour across the Presbytery of the North East and the Northern Isles Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson said he is very much looking forward to learning more about the life and work of the church in Orkney and Shetland 29 April and provides an opportunity for him to engage with congregations and communities serving Christ in diverse settings He will meet local church members and others from the communities they serve including school children teachers and residents and staff at a CrossReach care home Dr Paterson said: "I am really excited about the trip when I will get the opportunity to see first-hand some wonderful church and community projects "As I said at the General Assembly in May last year I am eager to meet as many people as possible and have the opportunity to convey the good wishes of the General Assembly and remind them that they are valued and appreciated." the presbytery brings together the former presbyteries of Aberdeen and Shetland clerk to the Presbytery of the North East and the Northern Isles said: "We're very excited to be welcoming the Moderator to Orkney and Shetland he will see some of the great community and other work that makes our area such a great place to live "We also hope that his visit will encourage the faithful and committed people of God who belong to our churches as they continue to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in word and deed." the Moderator visited churches and other communities in Aberdeen Moderator embarks on Presbytery of the North East and the Northern Isles tour Moderator embarks on second leg of South West Presbytery tour New video highlights Moderator presbytery tour Contact us This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Kirkwall’s old Balfour Hospital could be used as much-needed staff accommodation for NHS Orkney Talks were held in private about the future of the site at the end of the health board’s most recent meeting NHS Orkney’s chief executive Laura Skaife-Knight laid out the increasing need for accommodation and said options are being discussed It is estimated the health board needs an additional 20 beds on the islands over the next five years to meet demand The site of the Old Balfour site is one being examined alongside some other NHS-owned properties in the county no decision has been made yet and the discussions will continue at the June board meeting the former Balfour site has become a target for anti-social behaviour Ms Skaife-Knight said: “One of our biggest challenges when it comes to recruitment and retention is ensuring we have sufficient staff accommodation “We have scoped what accommodation is needed in the years to come and need to see a 5% increase each year for the next five years to meet demand “We have discussed as a board a number of options to address this problem as best we can and optimise the estate we have “This important matter will be considered again at our June board meeting “We will continue to keep our community informed as we progress.” The Old Balfour building was replaced by the new £64m Balfour hospital in the summer of 2019 There had been a hospital on the site of Kirkwall’s old Balfour since 1927 That was when the Garden Memorial Building was first opened The building found a new use during the pandemic However, it has largely sat empty since then, suffering a series of break-ins last year The Rotary Club of Kirkwall will no longer be organising the town’s public bonfire and fireworks display The club president says the traditional venue at the Peedie Sea is no longer likely to be “viable” This decision to step back follows concerns raised about the impact the event was having on the area’s swans These concerns led to the 2024 event being scaled back with a smaller bonfire and less noisy fireworks campaigners dubbing themselves “Team Swan” said it wasn’t good enough and the venue was no longer suitable Orkney Islands Council says work remains ongoing to find a new venue for the bonfire Options will be discussed at a meeting in May Kirkwall Rotary Club has been involved in the organisation of the town’s bonfire for around 30 years It has organised many aspects of the bonfire on behalf of the community council the club confirmed its intentions with a letter to the Kirkwall and St Ola community council confirmed the club’s decision to step back as one of the event’s main organisers with it looking likely that the event will have to change the club’s members have decided not to continue The age of the club members has played a part in the decision There are hopes that another organisation will step in But that will still depend on whether a suitable new location can be found He said: “We don’t think it’s going to be viable to hold the event at the Peedie Sea any longer and we wouldn’t want to take the risk of buying the stuff we sell to make it a fundraiser “There are various things that feed into the decision it doesn’t look like we’ll be able to hold the bonfire in the same form “But it seems like an appropriate time for us to stop doing it This decision is partly to do with the age of a lot of our participants “We need more and more folk to come in and assist a lot of us are not in the first flush of youth “We would hope that a public display can continue It proves to be a lot safer than everyone doing their own “If everyone does their own fireworks display there will be more harm to pets than if there were a public display “Hopefully somebody else can pick the event up – if they can identify a suitable place.” Mr Bruce was asked how the rotary members feel about the decision He said: “Some of our members did feel intimidated by the approach of some of the swan people You have to balance public safety against the issue of the swans “There was no evidence of any long-term harm to the swans but that’s an argument for another time.” The issue of whether the Peedie Sea should continue to be used came to a head during and after the 2023 event swans were seen repeatedly lifting off from the water and landing again overhead the bonfire’s spectators and the bonfire itself This led to a frenzy on social media and a petition being launched It asked for changes to be made to the display and gathered over 600 signatures within 24 hours took up the issue with the organising bodies Responding to the announcement from the Rotary Club Kelly Johnston from Team Swan said they are “saddened” but hopes the community council will continue the work to find a new venue She said: “We are saddened to hear that the Rotary Club no longer wish to organise the event “We were hoping they would take the opportunity to help make the event as enjoyable for the wildlife as it is for the people that attend “Team Swan hoped to have had the Rotary Club on board with the event being relocated to ensure continued support for the charities the event supports “We remain hopeful that the community council is looking into either a suitable alternative location or an alternative event.” Responding Mr Bruce’s points she said: “Team Swan have never had negative feelings towards the Rotary Club “We have given them numerous opportunities to attend the meetings held in conjunction with the community council but they have declined “The Peedie sea is no longer a suitable location for the event.” Orkney Islands Council has said it continues to work with the community council to find a new venue the council’s head of improvement and performance said: “The community council established a subgroup to take forward work to identify alternative venues to host the event which will be discussed at their next community council meeting in May “Orkney Islands Council will continue to engage with the community council on this matter.” Routine survey work is due to take place on the Kirkwall Town Hall this Sunday 9 March - weather permitting With a large crane on site and to enable the works to be carried out safely Broad Street will be closed to traffic from around 6am until 5pm She said: “This is a routine survey required for the good maintenance of an historic building and to help us plan for its upkeep as well as carry out any urgent remedial work that might be required "We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the road closure which is short notice due to needing to work around good weather windows.” Broad Street will still be open to pedestrians and the Cathedral’s Sunday services will go ahead as planned The road closure will impact some public bus services (the No 9 Town Service and the No 4 Airport service) - passengers travelling to/from central Kirkwall are advised to head to Kirkwall Travel Centre The Kirkwall Town Hall was designed by local architect TS Peace in 1884 It features beautiful stained glass by Ballantine and Gardiner depicting Henry Sinclair Earl of Orkney Kind James III and King Haakon IV of Norway (1890s.) It was the seat of local government before moving to School Place in 1975 Renovations took place in 1984 for the centenary of the building and it today remains a lively community hub and venue It is managed by Orkney Islands Council on behalf of the people of Orkney A man has been arrested after Kirkwall Airport staff received a ‘threatening communication’ on Saturday morning Emergency services rushed to Kirkwall Airport at 10.50am today after the threat which resulted in a number of delayed flights Officers attended but later said there is no evidence to suggest the threat was credible a 20-year-old male has been arrested in connection with the incident and is due to appear at Dundee Sherriff Court on Monday A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A 20-year-old man has been arrested and charged following a report of a threatening communication made to Kirkwall Airport around 10.50am on Saturday “There was no threat to the wider public He is due to appear at Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday Four flights were delayed on Saturday after the threat, including the 11.20am Kirkwall to Glasgow, 11.30am Kirkwall to Aberdeen, 1pm Kirkwall to Edinburgh and the 11am Aberdeen to Kirkwall flights police were made aware of a threatening communication made to Kirkwall Airport “At this time there is no evidence to suggest the threat was credible Enquiries into the incident are continuing.” The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed they were also in attendance Kirkwall Airport and Loganair have been contacted for comment Our reporters are working to bring you the latest updates on this developing story Please check back later for more and follow The Press and Journal on Facebook for breaking news.  © Aberdeen Journals Ltd 2025. All Rights Reserved. SearchMenuHome...Toggle menuCampusesOrkneyMaps and directionsMaps and directionsTravelYou can get to Orkney either by air or by car/bus/train and ferry While in Orkney there is a regular bus service between the two main towns of Kirkwall and Stromness For getting around and seeing more of what Orkney has to offer This is a popular choice for previous students who already have their own cars Hiring a car for the weekend is also another popular option Northlink Ferries run regular services between Aberdeen and Kirkwall and between Scrabster and Stromness (where campus is located)   Islander Discounts for ferry travel is available once resident in Orkney This can be a huge saving for students travelling on and off island.  Pentland Ferries run a regular ferry from Gill's Bay near Thurso to St Margaret's Hope in Orkney (around 30 miles from Stromness).    You can take a CityLink bus from central (Edinburgh & Glasgow) and northeast Scotland (Aberdeen) to Scrabster or the M96 from Aberdeen to Inverness and then from there take the X99 to Scrabster ScotRail operate rail services from centre and northeast Scotland to Thurso (around 2.5 miles from the Scrabster ferry port).    Kirkwall Airport is situated about 18 miles from Stromness and there are regular flights to the island. There is an airport bus that connects with the regular bus service between Kirkwall and Stromness There are also taxis available at the airport Exploring Orkney with a car is a great way to experience the islands at your own pace.  If you choose to take you own car it can a cost-effective way to travel.  Fuel is usually a few pence more than you would expect to pay on the UK mainland.   then hiring a car for a day or weekend to explore the island or get some shopping at the bigger stores in Kirkwall There are a range of different car hire companies you can choose from Stagecoach runs a regular X1 bus service between Stromness and Kirkwall as well as to St Margaret’s Hope in the east of the Mainland. Operating 7 days a week with varying times throughout the day. Specific times can be found on the Orkney Council website While taxis are a convenient way to explore Orkney they can be an expensive way to travel around Orkney Advance booking is recommended especially in the summer months but most are available on the day of booking icit@hw.ac.ukPhone+44 (0)1856 850605LocationHeriot-Watt University Orkney CampusStreet addressFranklin RoadLocalityStromnessRegionOrkneyPost codeKW16 3ANCountryUnited KingdomView on map© Heriot-Watt University Health chiefs say a new Kirkwall care home will finally open its doors next May – after a string of delays But the under-construction Kirkjuvagr House is expected to come in £325,000 over budget puts the £13.4 million project nearly one full year behind schedule In an update given to the IJB in summer 2023 members were told it would be finished by this June The delayed handover is due to problems connecting utilities and the need to address “individual design details on-site.” This followed speculation in the summer that there were issues with the roof when contractors had to remove parts that had been freshly installed The reasons for the delays were described to the IJB members by Shaun Hourston-Wells the acting strategic planning lead of the Orkney Health and Social Care (OHAC) Partnership Mr Hourson-Wells said that those issues should “progress quickly and there was just a small additional delay.” he also said poor weather conditions have also played a part in the hold-up The new care home, which is being built on the west side of Kirkwall, will replace the nearby St Rognvald’s House The old care facility will continue to operate as normal until the new one becomes available Mr Hourston-Wells said the same number of staff should be employed in the new care home It should also be the same cost to run as the old care home It was confirmed today that discussions are taking place to find a new use for St Rognvald’s Sheila Fleet Jewellery: ‘Our huge bronze Old Man of Hoy sculptures at new Kirkwall shop will make Orcadians proud’ Kirkwall ‘eyesore’ to stay as Scottish Government forbids owner’s demolition plan Kirkwall Travel Centre bus plans extended as council bends its own rules for cruise visitors A new set of plans has been submitted for a much-discussed derelict building in the middle of Kirkwall The developer’s original plan for 1 King Street was to knock it down But that was rejected by the local council result in the demolition of the building’s existing two-storey wing and the garage The slates on the roof of the remaining two-storey detached house would also be stripped The purpose of these plans is to make the site safe These plans are currently with the council’s planning department although no verdict on whether they can go ahead has been given yet A response from one consultee is attached from the chair of the Orkney Heritage Society Spencer Rosie he states that the society “is glad to see something being done with this site and looks forward to seeing plans for its redevelopment.” These are the latest plans from local developer Lyall Harray and his agent S they had sought permission to completely knock down the empty building Mr Harray planned to build two houses on the site they said 1 King Street has been an “eyesore” in Kirkwall for 50 years They claimed there is no public benefit to keeping the building these plans were rejected by Orkney Islands Council’s planning department following consultation with Historic Environment Scotland the developer appealed the decision to Scottish Government ministers, but this was also turned down. The basis for this refusal came partly from the fact that the building is within the conservation area As such it is afforded some additional protection HES said the building still contributes to the conservation area The council also said that the developer hadn’t done enough to prove there was no other viable option than knocking the building down While the developer and his agent said there was subsidence at 1 King Street HES disagreed saying there wasn’t enough evidence to prove it The replacement buildings proposed by Mr Harray were also found to be unacceptable due to lack of external amenity space The owner of an Italian restaurant in Kirkwall has said the support for his business’s colourful makeover has been “absolutely outstanding.” Hundreds have championed the local diner after it was revealed that Lucano’s green paint job had come in for scrutiny from the local council’s planning department is both listed and in Kirkwall’s conservation area it was noted that prior permission had not been sought Restaurant owner Francesco Rubolino said he didn’t know he needed any And he’s now had to shell out £375 to deal with it Many have said they like Lucano’s new colour – and that they would like to see more makeovers like this around Kirkwall Others used the issue as an opportunity to criticise the council’s planning department The restaurant owner spoke to us over a coffee following the attention on social media He said he wanted to thank people for their kind comments “It has been absolutely fantastic for them to support me,” he smiled The paint job saw the front of the restaurant change from a greyish white to a vibrant green with a darker green around the windows Mr Rubolino said the choice was based on the “brilliant” colour of a restaurant he had in Edinburgh over 20 years ago He also said he agreed with commenters that there should be more colour in Kirkwall The businessman said:  “Especially on this street I think it should be a little more cheerful.” He also said he is trying to sell the restaurant – but not because he doesn’t like it Mr Rubolino wants to sell up because he’s getting too old He hopes all the recent attention will help him find a buyer The story first took off on Facebook with a link to the article on the Orkney Islands page last Thursday It later garnered more attention, with over 600 comments, after being picked up by BBC Radio Orkney Many showed their support for Lucano’s new colour scheme One person said: “Judith Glues [shop] has been turquoise for years the Highland Park shop has that mural on the end Sheila Fleet’s new shop is going to have a giant Old Man of Hoy I understand the need for planning restrictions when it comes to things that might damage a historic property but something which makes it more beautiful should be celebrated surely?” Others took aim at the council’s planning department over the situation One said: “Surely planning have better things to do than worrying about something that brightens up a dull street.” Another said: “OIC planning once again showing they are the most awkward in the whole of the country Another said: “Just imagine getting in bother for trying to improve your business exterior.” the council has issued a statement to the press Officials said the building’s listed building status and position in the conservation area means “certain planning criteria have to be followed” This would be the same for “any building within a similarly protected area anywhere in the country” “Colour can be a personal preference and what is pleasing to the eye for some The council has an “approved colour chart” for the conservation and Mr Rubolino’s shade of green fell outside that This chart features 60 colours based on what has “historically” been used in the conservation area The spokesperson also said the council anticipates that Mr Rubolino’s retrospective planning application “will be approved.” With the story continuing to gather comments, the council issued a second statement to tackle “misinformation”. social media reporting suggested that the green couldn’t be retained a misunderstanding that quickly grew momentum Traffic could be banned on Kirkwall town centre street as narrow lane ‘congested with people leaving pub’ This decision to step back follows concerns raised about the impact the event was having on the area’s swans. These concerns led to the 2024 event being scaled back with a smaller bonfire and less noisy fireworks. However, campaigners dubbing themselves “Team Swan” said it wasn’t good enough and the venue was no longer suitable. Despite this week’s announcement, Orkney Islands Council says work remains ongoing to find a new venue for the bonfire. Options will be discussed at a meeting in May. The Kirkwall Rotary Club has been involved in the organisation of the Kirkwall bonfire for around 30 years, according to the Kirkwall club president. It has organised many aspects of the bonfire on behalf of the community council, using the event raise funds. However, the club confirmed its intentions with a letter to the Kirkwall and St Ola community council, which met this week. Speaking today, the president of the Kirkwall Rotary Club, Ali Bruce, confirmed the club’s decision to step back as one of the event’s main organisers. Mr Bruce said, with it looking likely that the event will have to change, the club’s members have decided not to continue. The age of the club members has played a part in the decision, he said. There are hopes that another organisation will step in. But that will still depend on whether a suitable new location can be found, Mr Bruce said He said: “We don’t think it’s going to be viable to hold the event at the Peedie Sea any longer and we wouldn’t want to take the risk of buying the stuff we sell to make it a fundraiser. “There are various things that feed into the decision, such as the safety aspect. “But, it doesn’t look like we’ll be able to hold the bonfire in the same form. “We may have been able to adapt something. “But it seems like an appropriate time for us to stop doing it. “We’ve been organising it for many years. This decision is partly to do with the age of a lot of our participants. “We need more and more folk to come in and assist. “Unfortunately, a lot of us are not in the first flush of youth. “We would hope that a public display can continue. It proves to be a lot safer than everyone doing their own.” STV News is now on WhatsAppGet all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Follow STV News on WhatsAppScan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country '+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text+' "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title+" "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text+" The RSPB has called for the annual Kirkwall bonfire and fireworks display to be moved to protect wildlife the popular event has been held at the Peedie Sea But concerns that swans particularly were left distressed by the event sparked a row over the location Now, the future of the event as a whole has been called into question after the local Rotary Club stepped back from its organising role. the RSPB has given its take on the situation Concerns were raised about the effect the bonfire and fireworks were having on the local swans back in November 2023 asking for changes to the event to be implemented which gained over 600 signatures within 24 hours The bonfire went ahead at the peedie sea last year but was scaled back with quieter fireworks and a smaller bonfire campaign group Team Swan said this wasn’t enough and the birds were still being noticeably distressed by the event a local representative for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RPSB) has given the charity’s view Senior conservation officer Alex Foulkes said it feels the event should be moved He said: “Our view is that the event probably should have been moved after the 2023 event and should be moved in the future We want to be very constructive in the process of helping the organisers find another location “We respect the people involved and respect that they are doing this on a voluntary basis.” Kirkwall’s bonfire and fireworks display had been organised by The Rotary Club for around 30 years with help from other organisations and volunteers on behalf of the Kirkwall and St Ola Community Council the club felt that the location is likely to change and it was a good time to stand down from its role Orkney Islands Council and the community council are looking into where else the bonfire could be held Their findings will be revealed at the next community council meeting in May someone else will need to be found to take on the Rotary Club’s role Chair of the community council Tom Rendall issued a statement earlier this week with seven months to go until the next bonfire night But he acknowledges work must be accelerated to identify a suitable site to host it He has asked members of the public to come forward with their suggestions for where the Bonfire event could take place Mr Foulkes said other wildlife could be affected at the Peedie Sea but there is a lot of other bird life throughout the year “Holding the bonfire and fireworks display significantly impacts bird life “Our approach is not to condemn what’s been done in the past for the event We want to work with organisers to find a new location.” Amid claims that there was no evidence of long-term harm to the swans He said: “An event like that can have a long-term impact on birds and other animals This is especially true when there’s young involved “There was a recent case in Edinburgh where a red panda was so traumatised it died in the zoo it can have a significant impact on the likelihood that wildlife will not continue to use that site “This risk would be mitigated if we were to move the event to a site where birds aren’t roosting.” Flights were disrupted at Kirkwall airport on Saturday from around 10.50am. Police were called to the scene and flights began operating as normal at around 2.45pm. UPDATE: Flights are now operating as normal.However there may some ongoing delays. Passengers should contact their airline to check the status of their flight. A 20-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with the communication. The force added there was no threat to the wider public. A summing up of road delays and closures due to road works underway or soon to start in the county - for the week starting Monday 10 March 2025 Broad Street will be closed on Road closure this Sunday 9 March (weather permitting) to allow routine survey work to be carried out on the Kirkwall Town Hall With a large crane on site to enable high level checks for safety reasons Broad Street will be closed to traffic from around 6am until 5pm SSEN will be carrying out some cable investigation works on Pickaquoy Road between Great Western Road and Junction Road starting 10 March 2025 and are expected to take a couple of weeks with the works being carried out under temporary traffic signals The works will affect all bus services that use Junction Road OIC will be carrying out essential barrier repairs at No 3 Barrier (Holm end) The works will be carried out under two way traffic lights and are expected to take around two weeks to complete This will cause some delays to the X1 public bus service (St Margarets Hope- Stromness) Reconstruction works started on Monday 17 February 2025 and are expected to take around 5 weeks to complete The road will be closed between School Place and Mill Street for the duration of the works There will be limited access to the King Street car park at the Council offices (next door to the former King Street dental clinic) and the car park at No 9 King Street with the car parks also having to be closed during some phases of the work Junction Road will be closed outside the Albert Hotel (between its junctions with the Albert Street car park and Burnmouth Road) for approximately six months as building works are carried out on the Albert Hotel A signed diversion for motorists and buses will be in place via Ayre Road Borough Road (past the Police Station) and Great Western Road Drivers are advised to keep to the diversions as much as possible and avoid using West Castle Street due to bus traffic Folks wishing to use the Albert Street car park will need to approach via the Kiln Corner roundabout Scottish Water is carrying out repairs to the water tank between Oaklee and St Clair Farm the works will be carried out under two way traffic lights and are expected to take around two weeks to complete Stromness - OIC will be undertaking essential ditch/carriageway maintenance on Outertown Road The works are scheduled to commence Monday 17 March 2025 for drainage works a further update to follow once dates confirmed for full road closure to carry out carriageway repairs works are expected to take around three to four weeks to complete Holm -  From Monday 24 March 2025 OIC will be carrying out surfacing works on the B9052 at Graemeshall and are expected to take around a week to complete Works will be carried out under road closure conditions with diversions via Moss Road Junction Rd/New Scapa Rd – Scottish Water are planning to carry out works to repair manholes covers on Various areas along Junction Road/ New Scapa Rd in early April 2025 The works will be mainly carried out under road closure conditions further information to follow closer to the beginning of the works  South Ronaldsay – OIC will be carrying out culvert repairs on the Haybrake Road South Ronaldsay starting 7 April 2025 and are expected to take around a week to complete Works will be carried out under road closure conditions SSEN will carrying out  maintenance to their substation on Pipersquoy Road The works will be completed under road closure conditions which will have an effect on the Number 9 Bus service (Kirkwall Town service) The works are expected to take day just one day to complete however is weather dependent so road closure date may change Further information to follow closer to the beginning of the works Councillors in Orkney have given permission for work to go ahead at a building a local councillor dubbed “the worst building in Kirkwall East” The local council’s planning committee met this week and approved plans to strip the slate roof from 1 King Street Permission was also given for the building’s owner to demolish the rear extension made of corrugated iron sheeting the walls of the original part of the building plans were submitted by Mr Harray which would have seen the building flattened with new houses built on the site However, with the building part of the conservation area, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) said it still contributed and should stay standing appealed the planning decision to the Scottish Government the council’s planning committee only viewed plans for the building’s roof and extension But they did not make any decision on the longer-term plans for the building which will have to come in a future planning application on the grounds that the original building could be damaged if the site was not made wind or watertight a condition of the planning permission is that it will be protected during the works the council’s planning department recommended that councillors grant permission The fate of 1 King Street has carried some strong opinions with it councillor John Ross Scott excused himself from today’s meeting He said his neutrality has “gone out the window” having publicly called the building “an eyesore” and “the worst building in Kirkwall East” While Mr Harray did not speak at today’s meeting his agent Mr Omand made his frustrations clear this building is a thing of beauty and we’re not allowed to demolish it After planning committee chair Owen Tierney asked if the building was “fit” to have a new roof installed “I’ve condemned that building more times than I can remember because it’s in the conservation area and we wanted full demolition “I’ve got 52 years of surveying experience with buildings in Orkney “That’s the system we have to deal with and we have to accept it.” Historic Environment Scotland were invited to respond to Mr Omand’s comments It said all of its consultation responses surrounding the building are publicly available on the council’s planning portal here. Orkney Islands Council’s planning committee has granted permission for a building in Kirkwall town centre to become a “boarding house.” councillors unanimously backed the plans for 3 Castle Street admitted the term “boarding house” sounds “slightly unusual” and “old-fashioned” he explained to the committee it will be a premises where people can check themselves into one of its en-suite rooms without any staff being present. The applicant for the plans was John McGregor Construction the plans include installing replacement doors and windows and an air source heat pump The building was previously used as a social club permission was granted to turn the building into three flats There was one objection to the boarding house plans from a member of the public including the rapid growth of short-term lets in Orkney and the impact that’s having on Kirkwall’s housing provision this was not deemed to justify refusal by the council’s planning officers and so was recommended for approval Councillor Leslie Manson said he had no “showstopper concerns” but found the boarding house concept “curious” He asked if there are “safeguards” against the abuse of an ungoverned accommodation such as this The hypothetical examples Mr Manson gave of such abuse were “crowding in half a dozen folk” and “sneaking in a microwave cooker or small oven” Mr Macvie said there probably wouldn’t be such safeguards through the planning process but the plans would have to comply with normal building regulations responsibility would fall to the business operator While Mr Manson may have raised this query he did not oppose the planning application Flights were suspended at Kirkwall Airport following the hoax on January 4. Ross Buchan appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday charged with making the threat to Kirkwall Airport on January 4. Flights were suspended at the airport after the “threatening communication” was received. The 20-year-old from Dundee is also charged with threatening or abusive behaviour and sexual offences. Buchan made no plea and was remanded in custody pending his next appearance in court within eight days. Orkney Islands Council is highlighting an upcoming opportunity for the public to offer feedback on the CMAL project to replace the two Northern Isles freight vessels currently operating on the Aberdeen to Kirkwall/Lerwick route The drop-in session in Orkney takes place on Thursday 20 March from 3pm to 6pm at the Kirkwall and St Ola Community Centre (Kirkwall Town Hall) and is being held by CMAL in partnership with Transport Scotland and Serco NorthLink to provide an opportunity for the community to learn about the project and offer their feedback Anyone with an interest in the project is encouraged to drop in at a time convenient to them to speak to the project team who will be on hand to answer any questions Councillor Kristopher Leask chairs the Council’s Development and Infrastructure Committee : “While this is not a Council project the future makeup of these freight vessels will directly impact our community and businesses we want to highlight this CMAL engagement exercise I strongly encourage folk  to  attend and raise questions they may have with the CMAL team on freight capacity or passenger-carrying capacity for example.” For more information, visit cmassets.co.uk/nifv or email nifv@cmassets.co.uk  Jamie Conley (above) has been working in the Fire Service with HIAL since his first posting at Dundee Airport in 2014 Making the most of the opportunities that HIAL has presented him with Jamie progressed through several positions before taking on the Kirkwall role using the skills and experience developed throughout his career Having recently completed a four-year Graduate Apprenticeship in BA (Hons) Business Management with Robert Gordon University Jamie said: “The framework of the degree was built around my workplace which has enabled me to put the knowledge I have developed into practice It has been challenging to balance my work and studies but it has been incredibly beneficial to my personal and professional development.” “It is an exciting time for Jamie to take up the role to lead the team at Kirkwall Airport HIAL is keen to support the progression of careers within the organisation Jamie’s ambition to succeed and his commitment to HIAL which has spurred his progression within the company who was previously Airport Fire & Operations Manager at Sumburgh Airport will be making a permanent move to Orkney to take up the post on 11th November and is keen to explore the area fully having gained a love of island life during his time on Shetland Dorset - has achieved two significant accreditations that position the company as a trusted supplier for military and defence contracts EasyJet is today celebrating the arrival of two additional aircraft at its Birmingham Airport base A total of 521 aircraft orders were placed in the first quarter – representing a 73% increase compared to Q1 2024 – as demand rises for both single-aisle and wide-body aircraft in partnership with World Fuel Services (World Fuel) have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of long-term supply of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for easyJet’s operations in Europe and the UK Kahootz and Shipley UK have announced a strategic partnership to enhance opportunity capture and bid management capabilities A new facility using cutting edge electron beam technology to build the next generation of semiconductor chips - and the first of its kind in Europe - was opened yesterday at the University of Southampton by Science Minister Lord Vallance Website by Silkstream The views expressed are not necessarily those of ADS or its members No responsibility or liability is accepted by ADS the editorial team or the publisher for any loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of any statement expression of opinion or belief contained within this site Kyle Christie appeared at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Monday where he faced a charge of attempted murder. Kyle Christie appeared at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Monday, where he was charged with assault to severe, injury, permanent impairment, danger to life and attempted murder. He faced a separate charge of assault to injury and danger of life. The 29-year-old from Orkney made no plea and was remanded in custody. He will appear before the court again in the next eight days. Oscar Mayo appeared in court on Friday charged with assault to severe injury, permanent impairment, danger to life, and attempted murder. The 22-year-old, from Kirkwall, was also charged with assault to injury and danger to life as well as threatening or abusive behaviour. Police were called to a premises on Burnmouth Road in Kirkwall around 9.40pm on October 15 following the incident. A 38-year-old man was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, where his condition was described as critical. A 39-year-old woman was taken to Balfour Hospital for treatment.