Lerwick Town Hall will be closed for three months from 1st July to allow for work to upgrade the heating system, following the recent connection to the Lerwick District Heating Scheme.
The significant internal works to the Grade-A listed building will see over thirty cast iron radiators replaced with similar ones, that are as close a match as possible to the appearance of the existing radiators.
The single-pipe heating system will also be upgraded to a two-pipe system which will improve its performance, efficiency, and controllability. Improved zone and temperature controls will also be incorporated as part of the upgrade.
These works need to be done in the summer months, ahead of winter, and will be carried out by local contractors working on behalf of Shetland Islands Council. The work will mean that nearly all parts of the building including the main hall and meeting room (formerly the Council chamber) will be unavailable for bookings and visitors.
During the period of the works, there will be no access through the Town Hall. Town Hall staff normally based in the front of the building will move into Lystina House at the rear of the site.
Anyone with pre-arranged appointments to see the Registrars will be able to enter the building through the side door of Lystina House – and which will be signposted for visitors. There will be a private space available for the Registrations of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Any small marriage and citizenship ceremonies during this time will take place in the boardroom in Lystina House.
These works are the final phase of a series of efficiency improvements to the Town Hall in recent months. At the end of 2025, insulated pipes were installed in nearby roads to connect the building to the District Heating Scheme. The old oil-fired boilers in the basement were then removed and replaced with new internal pipework and heat exchangers. Additional loft insulation has also been installed.
The cost of the energy efficiency works has been supported by a £167,873 Scottish Government grant, through Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund. It is predicted this project will see annual savings of 32.71 tonnes of CO2 per annum and annual energy consumption savings of 204,568kWh.
Lerwick Town Hall is the main civic building in Shetland, built in the Scottish Baronial style and officially opened in 1883. The building hosts many events throughout the year and is well known for its impressive stained glass windows, considered to be among the best examples in Britain of the period.