Voe Store taken over by new company

Tagon Stores in Voe has been sold to a local couple, it has emerged this week.

Current owners Scott and Phoebe Preston put the shop up for sale in January, and yesterday Mr Preston confirmed that the sale had gone through, subject to final confirmation from the solicitors.

He said he was “delighted” that Ryan and Lesley Thomson, orginally from Unst, were taking over the business.

It will be run as a newly-formed company Shetland Convenience Stores Ltd.

Tagon Stores staff have already met the new owners and it is believed they are being kept on.

Mr and Mrs Preston have run the shop for the last three years, and intend eventually to move to the mainland to be nearer family.

Mr Preston said it would be “bittersweet” to leave Shetland. He said: “We have very much enjoyed our time in Shetland and are sad to be leaving. We’ve worked really hard over the last three years and will have a break in Shetland over the summer and then look for a business on the mainland.”

At the moment he does not know where this will be, but it will make them more accessible to family members.

During their time in Voe, the Prestons have played an active part in the community, with Mr Preston being on Delting Community Council.

He hit the headlines with a camp­aign to cut the price of petrol, which he regarded as an important thing to do “being part of a com­munity where prices are consistently higher than everywhere else”.

But, he said, the price is not the fault of retailers, it comes from wholesalers’ margins and government tax and duty.

Despite their sadness to be leav­ing the isles, Mr Preston said he was “delighted someone from Shetland is taking over the business”.