Orkney Image Library

Close Encounter of the Fourth Kind

This looks west from Bridge Street along an unnamed (?) close between
Colin Paterson's shop (formerly Ivor Harcus's and the Co-op butchers) and the Eastern Spice Indian restaurant (formerly the Mumtaz, scene of the notorious murder, the Ship Inn, the Pirate Gow, Leitch's, a hotel, the Ship Inn...).

The green plaque records the visit of Sir Walter Scott in 1814.

Sir Walter enjoyed a memorable curry served by the surgeon's daughter wearing a red gauntlet in place of an oven glove, with a slider with Waverley wafers as sweet, chased down by a few glasses of Antiquary, and later often reflected how influential this stay was on his work.

'The Pirate' had something to do with this too, possibly.