Holly McLellan
People everywhere are disappointed that events across the world are being cancelled as a result of the lockdown restrictions in place due to the Coronovirus, Covid 19.
In Orkney there will be no Stromness Shopping Week, Dounby and County Shows, Folk Festival, St Magnus Festival along with all other annual events that take people, locals and visitors, to Orkney.
Stromness Shopping Week Chairperson, Savannah Taylor, spoke of cancelling this year’s event due to Covid 19. She said:“The shops in Stromness would lose one of the busiest weeks of the year. Shopping Week was first started to bring people to shop in Stromness as we are a small town and sometimes find it hard to survive on just people who live here”.
When the committee decided to cancel, the decision was very difficult. Savannah said: “Shopping Week is something that brings so many people together and is something everyone books holidays off work for, so when deciding to cancel it I was worried I would be taking away a part of everyone’s summer.”
“Shopping Week brings people far and wide. Families tend to come for Shopping Week as they are sure that there is always something to do for any age group. We have many people coming down from Shetland as part of the Jarl Squad”.
Luckily, Shopping Week won’t actually lose money “as we did not put too much money out”, said Savannah. “A lot of our events are free to run, but the hidden costs are the queen and attendants and flower girl and page boys, the insurance, the fireworks, the bands, bringing acts or entertainment.”
Savannah felt heartbroken following the cancellation of the event. “There is so much effort and work goes into it behind the scenes. I felt like the kids had nothing to look forward to as many of them said at least we have Shopping Week, and I had been the person to take it away. I was worried about the businesses and what it would do to them, but at the end of the day everyone’s health is so much more important.”
Finally, she commented:”We hope to make 2021 even bigger and better than ever!”
Although the event is lucky in not losing out on potential costs, there will be a terrible effect on businesses, the tourist industry, shops, families who won’t get to have their visitors home, youths who won’t have the events and parties to go to, and children who won’t get the activities to go to. Hopefully Savannah is right that 2021 will be bigger and better, in every way.
