Charles to visit new fish market in Aberdeenshire

The Prince of Wales will attend a special opening ceremony for a new state-of-the-art fish market on a visit to Aberdeenshire.

The new North Bay market building opened in June this year to accommodate the greater quantities of stocks being landed on the quayside at Peterhead, the UK’s largest white fish and pelagic port.

It replaces the former market at Merchants Quay and is part of Peterhead Port Authority’s £51 million project to redevelop the harbour.

In the first nine weeks of its operation, more than 250,000 boxes of fish were sold in the new fish market, rising to just short of 340,000 boxes in the first 11 weeks.

The new market has a capacity of 10,000 boxes and the latest refrigeration technology which, combined with good access for boats on the quayside and articulated lorries on the shoreside, ensures that product quality is maintained as fish pass through.

It also new has office space and a cafe.

Charles, who is known as the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland, will attend the opening ceremony on Saturday along with more than 500 invited guests.

There will be entertainment from local school pupils, Turriff Pipe Band and musicians Fiona Kennedy and Maggie Adamson.

The prince will also view exhibition stands and meet contractors who worked on the project, fisheries organisations and heritage groups.

He will also tour fishing vessels moored at the quay.