Shetland Arts announce re-opening plans

Shetland Arts has set out a “phased re-opening” of their venues, starting with Bonhoga and Mareel.

The Bonhoga cafe will open to the public again from the 1st of August, albeit only outdoors and with reduced hours.

But cinephiles will have to wait even longer to get back into the cinema, with Shetland Arts announcing their screens will only re-open to audiences on Monday 31st August. 

There will also be reduced capacity, due to social distancing measures.

The Mareel cafe bar will re-open on that day too, as will the indoor seating and shop at Bonhoga.

There will also be social distancing in place at the cafes, the trust said.

Shetland Arts chief executive Graeme Howell said they were trying to re-open in a way that was “safe and appropriate” for the public and the venues.

“Planning a phased return allows us to focus on one facility at a time, to learn from our experiences and develop more sophisticated strategies as advice changes.”

He added that after a period of no income for the trust, the phased re-openings would allow them to “assess demand and manage the financial impact” during the current crisis.

Museums, galleries and cinemas are allowed to open from Wednesday 15th July with physical distancing in Scotland.