New life for Kirkwall’s beloved former Frozen Food Centre building
Building contractor Alfred Flett Ltd has permission to build flats upstairs and hopes to create an office in the former shop area.
A building contractor in Orkney has plans for a Kirkwall building that was was previously home of the beloved Frozen Food Store for half a decade.
Alfred Flett Ltd has been given planning permission to turn the upper floors of 34 Bridge Street into two flats.
However, the firm said their main reason for taking over the property is to create on office on the ground floor and give the business “a presence on the street”.
They are hoping to move the architecture and surveying side of their business into the ground floor of the building.
Contracting firm hopes to gain presence in Kirkwall
The contractor is in the process of buying the building after the plans for the flats were given the go-ahead by council planners earlier this month.
Colin Leask, from Flett’s, said that decision to create two two-bedroom flats on the building’s upstairs floors is down to “the size and shape of the building”.
He said: “The main driver for the purchase and the development is to have our architecture and surveying side of the business on the ground floor and to have a presence on the main street.
“We now have to complete the building purchase and achieve a building warrant but it is hoped we can start work later in the year
Mr Leask said the whole project is likely to be complete by spring 2028. However, they hope to be in the offices in late 2027.
He said: “We started our architectural services in July 2025 with the surveying services following in January 2026.
“Both have been a very busy start and we would like to grow this side of the business further with more employees and hopefully a trainee in time.
“The new offices will allow this to progress and give the public easy access to us to provide the services mentioned.”
Mr Leask also said they are planning to create a “small commercial area” at the back of the building’s ground floor.
This will become available for rent or purchase later in the development, with hopes it will suit a “small local business”.
Demand for new flats in Kirkwall is ‘strong’ says contracting firm
The planning documents give a glimpse into the work ahead, in terms of the flats. They show permission has been given to create wall openings, install windows, doors and rooflights.
Asked about the need for more flats in Kirkwall, Mr Leask said the demand is strong.
He said: “We believe there is a strong demand for accommodation in Orkney, especially in Kirkwall.
“We’ve seen an opportunity to have our architecture and surveying offices on the main street in Kirkwall which was the main driver, but the whole building is too large just for us so it made sense to develop these other areas into accommodation which we hope there will be a demand for.”
Kirkwall’s Frozen Food Store shut due to rising costs
At the end of 2023, it was announced that the Frozen Food Centre would be closing down after 50 years of trading.
In posters put up in the shop’s windows, business owner and manager Neil Foubister said he was “deeply saddened” by the closure.
He cited rising costs as the main factor for closing down, but said there was a range of reasons. The shop shut its doors in March 2024.
The property went up for sale the following May, but has been sitting empty in the mean time.
Mr Foubister now lives in Inverness and works as a tour guide. He had run the shop in partnership with his parents, Jack and Ruby, who are selling the building to Alfred Flett Ltd.
Neil said he is “delighted” to hear about new plans for it.
[Source: Press and Journal]
