'My happy place': How polycrubs - a Shetland island invention - have improved quality of life for thousands

But now, the Polycrub - a super strong version of the traditional polytunnel - has gone well beyond what it first set out to do.

Invented in Shetland, these structures are made using strong polyethylene pipe, recycled from the commercial fish farming industry, and polycarbonate sheets strapped in by a concrete base.

Forming a shelter that is said to withstand winds of up to 120mph, Shetlanders have been able to grow a variety of plants without frustration of them blowing away.

As well as individuals who want to grow food, the structures are used by health centres, justice schemes and for groups supporting people with physical and mental health needs.

But the creations, which come in varying sizes - from the “Polycrub Classic” to one being developed called the “Polly Muckle” (muckle meaning large) - have evolved into multi-purpose shelters, from housing livestock to providing spaces for entertainment and leisure.

Shetland is home to a Polycrub called “Hensington Palace”, inhabited by some some well-sheltered hens, to another dubbed “the NightCrub”, where residents meet for a party. Some on the island also have hot tubs.

Who is behind the invention?

The Polycrub journey began in 2007, when a group of residents in the Northmavine community, to the west of Shetland, wanted to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

Even in 21st-century Scotland, communities in parts of the northern archipelago have a challenging time accessing fresh produce other than what can be grown in sub-Arctic conditions, such as potatoes, kale and carrots.

By the time a delivery vehicle holding produce that has travelled some 14 hours from the UK mainland to Shetland arrives in the more remote communities, the apples and oranges aren’t their best.

In keeping with the Shetland stereotype of locals finding solutions to problems, Nortenergy, a social enterprise set up by the Northmavine Community Development Company (NCDC), began work on building sheltered growing spaces.

“We couldn’t find anything to use that was going to put up with the Shetland weather, so we decided to come up with our own,” said Maree Hay, the managing director of Nortenergy.

Inspired by the traditional polytunnel and the historic Shetland “plantiecrub”, a small, circular dry-stone enclosure used for centuries by crofters for growing kale, the Polycrub was born. But so was the Polycrub effect.

“We built 12 Polycrubs in our community, each shared by four people, and that was to be the end of it,” Mrs Hay said. “But then other folk were saying ‘yon’s what we need, where can we buy one?’”

Mrs Hay said islanders had battled with standard polytunnels blowing away or greenhouses being smashed by flying objects due to extreme climactic changes on Shetland. In the summer months, gusts of up to 50mph to 60mph can be a regular occurrence.

So, more Polycrubs were made for a growing local market.

“But then folk coming here on their holidays would say ‘I live in a windy part of Scotland, how do I get one’?” Mrs Hay said. “So then we started selling them sooth and it just grew.”

The Falklands was the first international customer, followed by countries across the world, from Greenland to Switzerland to New Zealand.

Now, almost two decades on from the idea being born, there are more than 400 Polycrubs built across Shetland and a total of some 2,000 globally, with distribution centres in the Highlands, Outer Hebrides and Cheshire.

“Polycrubs seem to get to people’s hearts,” Mrs Hay said. “The comments we get back regularly from Polycrubbers is ‘the Polycrub is my happy place’.”

While they have charmed the world, the benefits the structures bring are tangibly felt on the doorsteps of Polycrub HQ and among Shetlanders.

In the small community of Northmavine alone, which had little in the way of jobs, Nortenergy has gone from employing one person to five full-time staff. Profits from the business are fed back into the NCDC for community projects.

And then there is wellbeing, better quality food and sense of community that Polycrubs bring.

Mrs Hay said she had not grown fruit or vegetables until she invested in one herself. Now, the Shetlander grows her own produce, including cherries, nectarines and tomatoes.

“I even have limes,” she said.

“Who would have thought we would be able to say we’ve grown our own lemons and limes on Shetland?

“There are a lot of people on Shetland who never grew anything, but are now growing their own food that’s fresh. It’s something they can also show their bairns and encourage them to eat fresh fruit and vegetables.”

All the schools in Northmavine have a Polycrub, with others dotted about Shetland hosting arts and crafts and other activities for children.

“Polycrubs are so much more than just for growing fruit and veg,” Mrs Hay said.

“The practice of looking after it, looking after produce, but also just enjoying the space, whether it’s having a cup of tea inside one reading a book while it’s blowing a hoolie like it is today, they are great for your wellbeing.”

For those who are not so green-fingered, there are initiatives on the island to grow fresh food to fill local community shop shelves.

Karlyn Garrick helps run Growing Local, a project headed by NCDC, which has its own, large Polycrub. “We have two community gardeners here and grow fruit and veg for our two local shops in the parish of Northmavine,” she said.

Ms Garrick said as well as supplying better quality produce, the initiative “massively brings down food miles”.

“What can take more than 14 hours for some fruit and veg to get here from the mainland can be reduced to less than ten miles thanks to Growing Local,” she said.

“Polycrubs have been a huge benefit here. Knowing that we can have fruit and veg that has been grown here and not had the long journeys with the wholesalers is something to be thankful for.”