The owner of Orkney’s Albert Hotel is carrying out a major expansion after “turning away guests all summer”.
The venue is adding 12 new rooms and moving the customer entrance and reception around to the Junction Road-facing side of the building.
Though the project began at the beginning of July, it’s something Dawn Flett has been planning since before the pandemic struck.
However, it has become more noticeable over the last week, as the work means a small section of Kirkwall’s busy Junction Road – between the entrance to the Albert Street car park and Bourmouth Road – will be closed for around six months, according to Orkney Islands Council.
Dawn spoke to us as the work stepped up a gear.
Plans to extend Kirkwall’s Albert Hotel had to ‘wait their turn’ as contractors were too busy
The plans for the hotel, located just a stone’s throw from the pier front, were put together before the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
But, with the future looking uncertain, these were put on the back burner.
When things finally started to go back to normal all the local contractors had their diaries full up.
Alfred Flett Ltd took on the project, but Dawn said the hotel “had to wait its turn”…
Despite this delay, there is plenty of demand for extra rooms – and there will be for some time.
High hopes for bumper season next summer
The owner said the work should be done in time for next year’s tourist season.
This will include next summer’s Orkney 2025 Island Games, which will see a flood of people from around the world visit the county.
So, there’re no worries about filling the extra rooms, Dawn said.
However, moving the reception will give the hotel more visibility to those unfamiliar with Kirkwall.
She said: “We’re changing the focus of the building. It’s going to enhance the appearance.
“And it’s going to make us more visible to the customer.
“Many people, even people that have come here for donkey’s years, say ‘I never knew this place existed’.”
Island Games will see even further demand for hotel accommodation in Orkney
Asked about the demand she said: “We’ve been turning folk away all summer.
“What’s happened with the Stromness Hotel had a bit of an effect on demand this year, as it’s just meant fewer rooms available in the county this summer.
Dawn added: “But the new extension will do us a power of good.”
There was a scramble to find accommodation in Orkney this summer after an incident at the Stromness Hotel, which resulted in it being shut down at short notice by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS).
Conversation