Business / John Leask & Son to cease trading in September
A FAMILIAR sight on Shetland’s roads will soon be no more after the owners of travel company John Leask & Son decided to cease trading at the end of September.
A Shetland institution, buses with the Leasks of Lerwick slogan have been providing public transport in the isles since 1919.
The company also operated a busy travel agents office at the Esplanade, in Lerwick, until the end of 2011 when they gave up against the ever-growing competition from online booking opportunities.
Since then the company has been operating from its depot at Gremista focusing on bus services and coach tours.
Managing director Peter Leask, the grandson of company founder John Leask, said on Thursday that the decision to wind down the business and to retire at the end of the season had been made the previous day.
“All the local authority contracts come to an end in August, and once the tourist season is over, if there is a tourist season,“ he said.
The closure of the company will affect around 30 staff but Leask said he was confident that most of his employees would be able to move on to similar jobs.
“We will be working on that from now on, there is always a shortage of bus drivers in Shetland, so I don’t think that side of things will be too much of a problem.”
Become a supporter of Shetland News
Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.
Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.
Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has over 600 supporters who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.
Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -
- Bring you the headlines as they happen;
- Stay editorially independent;
- Give a voice to the community;
- Grow site traffic further;
- Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.
Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.