A Shetland fish shop closed its doors for the last time yesterday, signalling the end for a business run by several generations of the McNab family.
Their involvement with herring goes back at least five generations and in relatively recent times they were involved in the seasonal migratory herring fishery, with their time split between Shetland, Great Yarmouth, the Isle of Man and Dunmore East in Ireland.
McNab’s present processing business, McNab’s Kippers, and the shop at Gremista in Lerwick date from the 1990s.
Managing director James McNab said cash flow problems had forced the family to reluctantly close their business, but go out with their heads held high rather than wait for bankruptcy.
Employees had found jobs at another fish shop and all debts would be honoured, he added.
Mr McNab said: “The price of fish has gone through the roof. We are paying more for haddocks than monks (monkfish) nowadays.”
Margins had become so low that the business was no longer making money, he said, adding: “It just got to a head where we could not carry on.
“It is a sad day but it just has to be.”
Mr McNab thanked Shetland Catch, Lerwick Port Authority and fishing agents LHD for their “excellent” co-operation and understanding in a difficult period.