The new Scalloway Fish Market, built for Shetland Islands Council, more than doubles the capacity of the previous building.
The £5.6 million project required the creation of a temporary chilled market facility in an existing warehouse to allow for continued fish landings in a temperature controlled and hygienic environment during the demolition of the old building and the construction of the new market.
The Aberdeen based contractor, CHAP Construction, who also worked on the Peterhead Fish Market started work on site in December 2018 and completed the project ahead of schedule in February 2020.
The new market is just over twice the size of the previous building with floor space for 1000 boxes of fish. The improved chill facilities, which are designed to protect the quality of the fish, with no drying of the product due to forced air movement, are designed to the highest environmental standards. Fully controlled low energy air source heat pumps and static chillers mounted on the market ceiling maintain a controlled working temperature between two and five degrees Celsius and are significantly more economical to run than the previous market installation.
Improved health and safety was a design priority with increased space on the quayside for forklift manoeuvring and fish landing. The surface of the market floor is designed to make handling fish boxes safer and is also easy to clean. The building has improved welfare facilities for both staff and visitors.
The building has a broadband fibre connection for the online electronic seafood auction, providing direct access to the marketplace for buyers and sellers.
Photos by John Coutts
