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Case Study: Pete and Linda Glanville

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Pete and Linda supply organic vegetables locally.

Pete and Linda Glanville were among the many who first came to Shetland in the mid-1970s in order to help bring North Sea oil ashore. Pete and Linda arrived in 1976; Pete had a three-year contract for work at the Sullom Voe Oil Terminal, which was then under construction. Like others, they decided to put down roots in the islands.

When we arrived, Shetland seemed quaint and unsophisticated compared to the small European town we’d just come from. It struck us as remote and relatively poor, with little in the way of shops or cafes, and with a very low population density.

After being here for one year, we decided to stay and we bought our present house in Tingwall in 1977; however, it needed lots of work and it was December 1979 when we moved into it, which coincided with taking up a new job in Lerwick. We wanted a chance to live the ‘good life’, inspired by John Seymour and others. We had no experience of that kind, but we found that some houses with land were available.

When we first moved to Shetland, we lived in an ‘expat’ community in Brae, and we were befriended by the Balfours, a local family. When we moved to Tingwall, we were invited to join in local activities, including the SWRI. We were on the Hall Committee for 15 years and felt accepted as part of the community. We also became involved in the Tingwall & Girlsta Development Association and Linda was Secretary of the Althing Social Group, a debating club, for almost 20 years. Pete was Chair of Shetland Conservation Volunteers and has more recently become involved in the Shetland Organic Producers’ Group and Shetland Food & Drink.

There are many positive things about living in Shetland. People are friendly and there are opportunities to be as involved as you want to be in local affairs. You have easy access to any official you need in life: the doctor, the bank, the local councillors and Council officials are all approachable. There’s a range of cultural activities, too, such as concerts, art, theatre, the film club and the photographic club.

The main disadvantages are the climate and the need to have a car. The public transport system isn’t adequate.

In a business sense, access to markets in the south is more difficult and expensive. In other respects, though, Shetland is a good place in which to operate. There’s access to funding, training and advice, all helpful when you’re self-employed. There are certainly opportunities for initiative and for innovative business. Small businesses aren’t deterred from trading, for example we’re supplying organic vegetables to Scoop Wholefoods. That said, there’s still a lot to happen in the provision of local food. On the other hand, we have to accept that gardening is a challenge here.

There are good reasons to come to Shetland to live and work. The educational and medical provision is good. It’s still relatively crime-free, especially in rural areas. There are good opportunities to advance professionally. There’s no intrinsic class structure, although there are differences in wealth and they’re becoming more apparent.

Any move should, though, be considered with caution. One partner may succeed in getting a good job, but there may not be a job that matches the other partner’s skills, so he or she may have to retrain, do voluntary work or be prepared to be housewife or househusband. It’s also important to be self-sufficient to some degree, because you won’t have easy access to family, friends and the usual entertainments.