Commercial Street

Commercial Street on a rainy afternoon

Commercial Street, referred to as "Da Street" is the main street in Lerwick.
Da Street was named in 1845 by "The Commissioners of Police" as part of their exercise to officially name and number all of the streets, lanes and houses in the Burgh of Lerwick, before that it was just called "Da Shore", as it was just a stony path running along the beach.
In addition to being named Commercial Street all buildings were numbered south to north, odd numbers on the landward side, and even numbers on the seaward side. Various construction projects since 1845 have resulted in a portion of the original street numbers becoming "lost" through demolitions and rebuilds combining two or more adjacent numbers, etc.
From the North end where it meets Commercial Road, at the south end of the Fort car park below Fort Charlotte, to the South end where it meets Twageos Road, Da Street is the hub of all activity in Lerwick
At the south end of Commercial Street, the Lodberries, (Old Norse: Hlad Berg = Loading Rocks), are 18th century houses with their foundations in the sea, and areas for pulling up boats.

To see Commercial Street on Google Street View, Click Here.

Lodberries

ca 1950 - The man approaching the camera is Ally Gear, Director of LHD, Fish salesmen and fishing boat agents. PS1936 is a Wolsley saloon, first registered in 1949, owned by W K Conochie, founder of the newsagents business.

Da Street from South to North

Looking from the Knowe, with the foot of Leog Lane to the left, towards The Old Manse on the left and 2 - 8 Commercial Street with Copland's Lodberrie and Gillie's Pier on the seaside.

From the foot of Stout's Court, looking towards 10 Commercial Street and Lerwick Boating Club in the distance.

In front of Lerwick Boating Club, looking towards Craigie's Stane and The Lodberrie in the distance, on the right.

Below Quendale House, looking towards the building at the foot of Water Lane, (with scaffolding).

At the foot of Chromate Lane, with Queens Hotel to the right, looking towards the Old Tolbooth.

Beside the Old Tolbooth, looking across Church Road, towards Cuttin Edge to the left and Faerdie Maet to the right.

Beside Faerdie Maet, looking past the Post Office towards Market Cross

Beside Bank of Scotland, with The Camera Centre to the right. Tatties & Point at the foot of Bank Lane, and the Grand Hotel in the distance, on the left.

Beside Intersport, with Clive's Record Shop to the right, Boots The Chemists to the left, and Ian MacDonald, Insurance & Financial Services and J.K. Mainland at the foot of Charlotte Street.

Commercial Street Shops, Businesses and Organisations

Shops	Shops	Hotels, Restaurants, Cafes, Nightclubs, & Bars	Other Businesses & Services
A. L. Laing Anderson & Company Boots The Chemists British Red Cross Camera Centre Clive's Record Shop Conochies COPE - Pet Supplies D.E Shoes Dennis Coutts Fish Bowl, The Garret, The Hansel, The Harry's Department Store High Level Music Intersport Jamiesons Knitwear J. G. Rae Ltd J.K. Mainland J. R. White & Co. Kelly, C. Opticians	Klaize Klaize/The Hub Lodberrie Traders M&Co. Magpies Nest Malcolmson & Co. Miller Opticians Ninian North Rock Gallery Oxfam R. W. Bayes S & R Swanson Save the Children Scottish Hydro-Electric Shetland Art Company, The Shetland Fudge Company, The Shetland Soap Company Shetland Times Bookshop, The Smith & Robertson Smiths of Lerwick Spiders Web, The Stage Door, The Universal Stores Vaila Fine Art Wine Shop, The	Da Noost Faerdie Maet Grand Hotel, The Osla's Cafe Bar Posers Queens Hotel Tatties & Point	Alcohol Advice Centre Alliance & Leicester plc Anderson & Goodlad Baker Tilly - Accountants Bank of Scotland Clydesdale Bank Community Alcohol and Drugs Services Shetland Ian MacDonald, Insurance & Financial Services Lerwick Boating Club m2 consulting Michael Inkster & Co. MP and MSP Constituency Office Post Office Ltd. Richard Gibson, Architects Royal Bank of Scotland, The Shetland Alcohol Support Services Shetland Youth Information Service Tait & Peterson Visit Shetland

The Market Cross - "Da Cross"

Da Cross viewed from north

Da Cross

Perhaps the most famous gathering point in Lerwick. On New Years Eve hundreds of revellers from all over Shetland gather at "Da Cross", as it is commonly known, to bring in the New Year.
Da Cross is also the centre of attention at Lerwick Up Helly-Aa when the bill is displayed.

The Lanes

Commercial Street is joined on both sides by a number of small lanes and courts. In places they are just a few feet wide. The lanes and courts have undergone a lot of refurbishment over recent years.

Seafield Court and Scottshall Court

Queens Lane, formerly North Kirk Closs

Hayfield Court, formerly Nice Court