All
hands on deck
Fixits
on call
SAIL Shetland has appointed its own band of fixits. Garriock
Bros Ltd will be on call throughout the event to mend things,
plumb things in, set things up and generally lend a hand, and
their expertise, where its needed.
Managing director George Garriock said the company as a whole
would be shutting down for the week, but staff would be on call
at all times. He said they were delighted to be involved with
the project: "It is an excellent thing for Shetland. It
will be one of the biggest events ever held here."
Let
there be light
POWER will be brought to the people courtesy of Shetland Electrical
Services. The Lerwick-based company is in charge of wiring up
all the venues to the main electricity supply.
It will be no mean feat bringing power and light to the various
bandstands, marquees, toilets and stalls at Victoria Pier and
Holmsgarth. SES partner Jim Sellens estimates it will take them
a week to set everything up, although not so long to take it
all to pieces. The main difficulty, he said, will be tailoring
power supplies to meet the needs of individual stalls.
SES was the electrical contractor for Shipshape last year and
the company was happy to assist again, he said.
"Everybody better keep their fingers crossed for fine weather
-- and no power cuts,"he added.
Bogged
down
TOILETS - or the lack of them - can make or break an event. That's
why Sail Shetland has enlisted the help of Dyce-based company
Hewden Mobac to provide portable units for both Victoris Pier
and Holmsgarth.
The company is pulling in stock from depots right across the
country to meet the order for 36 toilets and 30 urinals for the
public and 32 toilets and 20 urinals for the ships' crews. They
also have to find 40 crew showers and several disabled toilets.
The problem of getting the essential units to Lerwick has been
solved by shipping company Shipping Line. They have offered to
transport the units at a reduced rate as their contribution to
the success of the Cutty Sark fleet visit.
Rock
steady
SECURITY for the event will be in the safe hands of Edinburgh-based
company Rock Steady. A team of 30 staff will be coming to Shetland,
most of whom will be from Aberdeen. The firm is well used to
the Cutty Sark Tall Ships Races, having been involved in Aberdeen
two years ago and Leith, in Edinburgh, in 1995. This year they
will be providing security at Greenock before coming north to
Lerwick.
Operations manager Peter Croy said the staff were very much looking
forward to their Shetland posting. Their main role will be to
ensure the safety of the public at the various venues, making
sure areas do not get overcrowded, answering questions and generally
taking care of everybody.
Mr Croy said they were aware that people would be drinking very
close to the quayside so they would be keeping a watchful eye
on the situation to ensure no-one falls over the edge.
He said they had never had any trouble at the other tall ships'
events and he was sure that the Shetland crowd would be a "good-natured"
one.
Youth
brush up on tall ships
HERALDING the grand event will be 100 calico banners strung around
the town and beyond. These are being designed and painted by
youth clubs throughout Shetland. They've been given free reign
with the art work, so be very afraid.
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