Latest News

An update (as at 16:00 on Monday 12 September) for inter-isles air passengers in Orkney on current service disruptions:

An update of road works and impacts on public bus services for the week starting Monday 12 September:

A local ceremony to proclaim King Charles III will take place outside St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall on Sunday 11 September at 2.00pm.

Following the sad death of the Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral on Thursday afternoon, her eldest son Charles becomes the new monarch, but that needs to be formalised through what is known as the Proclamation.

As a mark of respect and to honour the period of mourning following the sad passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the visit to Hoy and formal opening of Scapa Flow Museum by Sir Chris Hoy and the ‘Hoy on Hoy’ community events will not be going ahead on Saturday 17 September. 

It has been announced by Buckingham Palace that The Queen has died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.

Convener of Orkney Islands Council, Councillor Graham Bevan expressed his deepest sympathies to His Majesty the King and The Royal Family.

Royal Visit - 13 August 1987

The Queen visited Orkney to set a Royal seal of approval on a year of celebrations marking the 850^th anniversary of St Magnus Cathedral.

Royal Visit – 12 August 1978

The 93^rd County Show had the unique distinction of being graced by a visit by the Queen, who watched the grand parade of champions with her youngest son, Prince Edward, and presented three of the trophies.

Royal visit – 12 August 1960

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh’s first tour of Orkney was covered by around 70 reporters from national newspapers and the BBC.

With the bairns settled back into school after the summer, autumnal weather nipping at our heels, and a cost of living crisis affecting more people than ever before, it’s never been more important to ensure our school children have a hot, nutritious and tasty meal at lunchtime.

We need your help to continue making that happen – and it’s a chance for you to earn some money too.

There’s a number of jobs available across the county in our schools from cooks to kitchen assistants, permanent to relief posts.

The weed works at Happy Valley have been further delayed due to wet weather.

They will be carried out as soon as conditions allow and the area will be fully accessible after the treatment.

A herbicide approved for amenities will be used in a bid to control invasive species that would take over otherwise. This has been carried out for many years and helps maintain Happy Valley as a beautiful place to visit.