The Springfield Hotel - Now The Baltasound Hotel

The Springfield Hotel, later to become the Baltasound Hotel, was well known to many servicemen from Saxa. It was an alternative to the official camp bars and made a change from service orientated establishments. It also provided am opportunity to mix with the local population. Over the years the Hotel changed hands on a number of occasions but is still functioning today. (Left click on pictures to enlarge)

In February 1967 there was a serious fire. Fortunately no one was badly injured but the RAF Fire Tender and Ambulance were called to the scene. I have copied 2 newspaper articles below. It can be seen in the Shetland Times article that there had been another fire in the premises a short time before.

The main part of the Hotel was closed for a considerable period and the opportunity to refurbish and extend the premises was seized. A large Lounge and new Lounge Bar were installed and the Hotel reopened for full business early in 1969.

Just before the official reopening the new Lounge and bar were the venue for a wedding reception. The first of the two pictures below shows the happy couple in front of a mural painted by the local GP - Dr Robertson and the second shows the groom partaking of light refreshment (or should that be a pint of heavy!)

A large article was published in the Shetland Times just after the reopening. I have reproduced it below – I rather like the advert at the bottom right of the page, transport to and from the Shetland Mainland, full board and lodging for a weekend for 150/= (£7.50 in today’s currency). (Left click to enlarge and some zooming may be necessary)

In the 70’s the name was changed to the Baltasound Hotel and later expansion took place with the import of a number of Chalets.

 Another natural disaster occurred in 1979. As occasionally happens in Shetland a breeze blew up and a certain amount of structural damage was done. The event is recorded in the following clipping:

The Hotel is still on the go today, the photo below was taken in 2008.

Some refurbishment has been taking place recently and is nearly complete. The two photos below were taken in Feb 2010.

The name of the Springfield is remembered today in the name of the main bar - "Springers"

The website for the Hotel is below:

http://www.baltasoundhotel.co.uk/

 

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The Saxa Vord Resort

When RAF Saxa Vord closed in March 2006 things looked bleak for the economy of Unst. Local folk had found employment with the RAF as early as 1954, when many helped with the construction of both the Domestic and Top Sites. For over 50 years the MOD had employed civilian staff to help run and maintain the base and now a significant proportion of the adult population of the island became unemployed.

The MOD and Local Agencies were keen to find a way forward which would help ease the major blow to the islands economy. In March 2007 the Domestic Site and the road to the Ops Site were sold to a company, started by Frank & Debbie Strang (both ex RAF) which now operates and trades under the name Saxa Vord Ltd. They had previously bought the Domestic Site at RAF Buchan in Oct 2005 and renamed it Buchan Braes. Numerous developments have taken place there including the opening of the Buchan Braes Hotel in the old Officers Mess (after considerable refurbishment) – Link: -  http://www.buchanbraes.co.uk/

The Saxa Domestic Site was been renamed the “Saxa Vord Resort” - the aim has been to turn the area into tourist resort and natural and cultural heritage centre.

The Quarters at Nordabrake have been refurbished and are now offered as self-catering holiday houses and part of the Sergeants Mess has been converted into Hostel accommodation with single and twin/double bedded rooms. Full dining and bar facilities are available. The resort website can be found at:- http://www.saxavord.com/

Businesses have been encouraged to takeover some of the camp Buildings. Foords Chocolates operate a chocolate factory and café in the ex Medical Centre by the camp gates - http://www.foordschocolates.com/  and the Valhalla Brewery, up until now based at Baltasound, is currently moving into the ex MT Buildings - http://www.valhallabrewery.co.uk/

The following pictures of the Domestic Site and Nordabrake were all taken this month on a wet and windy day but will serve as a reminder to those of you who have been to Saxa. There have been number of changes; for example, the old NAAFI Shop has gone as has the perimeter fence and camp gates. I hope to return later, when the tourist season is in full-swing, to take interior photos. (Left click on photos to enlarge).

 

 

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Faeroese Invasion - 1972

There are many similarities between the Shetland and Faeroe Island groups, particularly with heritage, reliance on a maritime environment and self-sufficiency. However, there are and have been major differences. The Faeroes have double the population, have far more independence from central government and a far higher proportion of its citizens profess to be religious (mainly Lutheran). Another of the main differences has been the Faeroese attitude to alcohol.

Until 1992 the Faeroe Islands were officially dry (not to say alcohol wasn’t available). There were a few minor legal exceptions. I visited the High Powered Reporting Post (a radar station manned by Danish personnel) in 1983. I was fully briefed on the protocols regarding alcohol before leaving UK. One was allowed to drink with meals in the Hotels – however you had to bring your own alcohol, pay for a separate room and pay for separate service – not really economically viable. One bottle of spirits was the duty free allowance. Alternatively, if you were on base you were advised to bring a high quality malt whisky with you, place it behind the bar in the mess when you arrived and you would then be able to drink beer throughout your visit. The Danish military personnel had to import their own alcohol - each month they had to order the next months supply from Denmark, if they missed the order date they went thirsty!

Since 1992 alcohol has been available in clubs, bars and restaurants but the suppliers are centrally controlled and price is dependent on the percentage of alcohol in the drink.

The story below took place in 1972 and involves some thirsty Faeroese fishermen who managed to get unfettered access to alcohol on Unst. In hindsight it’s an amusing tale but I’m sure it was terrifying for some of those involved. The episode is described in the newspaper cuttings below(Left click on pictures to enlarge):-

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AOC's Inspection 1964

At the time of the AOC's Inspection in 1964 the Station Commander was Sqn Ldr Ken Whiley.  I believe he was a popular CO and I have been told that he was probably the last Engineer to be posted to Unst as the CO.  Judging by the number of medals he is wearing in the photographs he must have had a fairly distinguished past.

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Closure of RAF Saxa Vord 2006

After nearly 50 years of operational life RAF Saxa Vord closed on 1^st March 2006. The base had been a key influence on the islands economy and way of life for over half a century. Although the station did not open until September 1957 there had been servicemen and civilians working on its construction as early as 1954. The closure had a major effect on the local community - employment, schooling, property prices etc were all hit badly. Even for the resilient Shetlander it has had a significant impact. In a future section I hope to cover this impact in more detail and look at attempts to improve the situation on Unst.

The first photograph shows the Type 93 Radar being removed from the top site some time before the base officially closed. (Left click on photos to enlarge)

The next picture was taken more than 6 months before the closure but it was the last time that station personnel gathered for a formal photograph.

The next sequence of pictures shows the closing ceremony itself. An RAF Nimrod maritime Patrol Aircraft flew past as the RAF Ensign and Station Commanders Pennant were lowered for the last time. The Ensign and Pennant were then carried to the Station Commander Sqn Ldr Phil Carpenter by MOD Guard Ian MacKay. Sqn Ldr Carpenter then presented them to Pam Mouat and Brian Gregson for safekeeping.

Pam Mouat, an Unst resident, was the last Civilian Personnel Officer on the Base and lived close to the camp. Brian Gregson represented Unst as a councillor on the Shetland Islands Council and it was particularly appropriate that Brian should have been there. He served 2 tours at Saxa, the first in 1978/ 79 and the second as Station Commander (Jul 89 to Sep 91). His name also appears on the Red Star Board which features earlier on this blog. 

The text below is from an MOD article which was written at the time – the article has been considered important enough to be saved in the National Archive:-

Snowy ceremony marks end of RAF Cold War radar station

3 Mar 06

The RAF's most northerly station closed this week – under the watchful eye of a Nimrod Maritime Patrol Aircraft from RAF Kinloss.

Flypast by a Nimrod Maritime Patrol Aircraft from RAF Kinloss. 

RAF Saxa Vord on Unst in the Shetlands – the northernmost inhabited island in the UK with a population of about 700 - was a pivotal link providing early warning of air threats to the UK for more than 30 years and as such was a frontline Cold War station.

Its mission was to assist RAF fighters intercept long-range Soviet bombers entering UK airspace, shadowing them as they tested the reactions of our air defences until jets such Lightnings, Phantom F4s and more recently Tornado F3s escorted them "off the premises."

It was a game that might have had more serious consequences had the RAF not responded within minutes each and every time UK airspace was penetrated without authorisation. Had the Soviets not been intercepted before the bombers' theoretical launch point their political masters at the Kremlin might have believed they could launch a successful attack on UK cities. The intercepts of bombers and reconnaissance aircraft, with RAF Saxa Vord helping co-ordinate the air response, happened on an almost weekly basis from the 1960s until the Berlin Wall came down in 1989.

Mrs Pam Mouat, the Station's Civilian Personnel Officer, is presented with the RAF Ensign and the Station's Commander's Pennant. 

The station continued to provide air defence radar coverage for the next fifteen years but modern radar systems gradually reduced dependency on fixed installations and last year it was announced that the long-range radar cover provided by RAF Saxa Vord would no longer be required.

At a ceremony the RAF Ensign was lowered for the last time and it and the Station's Commander's Pennant, were presented to Mrs Pam Mouat, the Station’s Civilian Personnel Officer, who accepted it on behalf of Unst islanders.

Station memorabilia has been preserved on Unst in the hope that an exhibition can be set up in the future to mark Saxa Vord’s contribution at the frontline during the Cold War

Said Stn Cdr Sqn Ldr Philip Carpenter:

"It's the end of an era. Today was a solemn but quiet end to the radar cover from Saxa Vord and closure of the station. We shall miss the warmth and generosity of the islanders. The RAF's presence here has been an integral part of the community for more than 65 years. Luckily the weather was kind to us during the ceremony with just a few inches of snow – we normally expect to get up to 5ft of drifting snow at this time of year."

The last photo of this section shows Mrs Pam Mouat, the last Civilian Personnel Officer, symbolically locking the camp gates after the the RAF departure.

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