Kirkwall is the capital and largest town of the Orkney Islands, an archipelago located just off the northern tip of mainland Scotland. Kirkwall is home to around a third of Orkney’s population. Its cosmopolitan main street, lined with hotels, restaurants, cafes, and a wide range of shops and independent retailers, heads south from the harbour.
The Requirement
There has been a huge investment from Scottish and English governments in the islands, with £900m guaranteed for infrastructure jobs relating to onshore and offshore renewable energy projects (wind farms). However, Orkney business Kirkjuvagr Limited needed specific asset financing to cover an audio/visual installation that fell outside government grants and loans.
The company behind the multi-venue entertainment destination Garden Square in Kirkwall, Kirkjuvagr Limited, developed a one-acre-sized venue on the grounds of a dormant, fire-damaged building in Garden Square, Bridge Street, in 2025.
The building now incorporates the island’s only seven-lane bowling alley, features a live music/gig venue for up to 650 people, and provides a bistro/restaurant, as well as a gaming area with 40 gaming machines, pool tables, and a family entertainment/play area for visitors and islanders alike.
Kirkjuvagr Limited approached Medialease to assist with media asset finance for staging/lighting and premium live sound equipment installed into the live music area and bar.
The Outcome
Medialease, working with our small panel of lenders who fund businesses in Scotland, funded all the equipment and installation elements – funding in excess of £200,000 of kit.
Items financed included:
- Aluminium decking “StageDeck” stage
- L’Acoustic KARA/A10 audio system
- ROBE lighting
- Chauvet/Champsys lighting controllers
- DiGiCo Q225 audio mixing console
- Stage lighting and “digital glue” to make the whole system work.
Solotech provided the AV equipment and complete installation.
Testimonial
Neil Stevenson of Kirkjuvagr Limited has been recognised in the British Business Awards for his creation of Kirkwall’s smart new venue, Garden Square. Stevenson was shortlisted for Entrepreneur of the Year for building the entertainment-led development, which opened in 2025 to help ‘reshape Kirkwall town centre’s leisure and night-time economy ‘.
The category honours founders who demonstrate outstanding vision, leadership, and entrepreneurial flair. Garden Square, which opened in 2025, brings together a bowling alley and arcade venue lanes, street food, an events space; The Garden, and nightlife venue; Rapture.
Stevenson said, “Being shortlisted for Entrepreneur of the Year at the British Business Awards was a real honour, and I’m genuinely grateful for the recognition. It’s a category that celebrates vision and leadership, and to be considered alongside so many impressive businesses was brilliant. I’m proud of what the nomination says about the journey we’re on at Garden Square and what we’re building in Kirkwall.”
