Greetings from a very blustery Lerwick, where I arrived this morning after a flight from Edinburgh and scenic drive from Sumburgh.

Shetland is much as I left it in June, albeit greyer and more wintery as the January clouds hang low and the gales give the place a good buffeting.

As I drove north I noticed one or two banners hanging from lampposts proclaiming that the digital TV switchover is coming. And many more remains of said banners, which had clearly been ripped off in the gales.

I can just imagine the gap in understanding between the marketing exec somewhere in London insisting Shetland be sent its quota of banners, and the local contractor dispatched to erect them knowing fine well they’d last perhaps a few days.

SIBC was playing on the radio as I drove, and the news announcer was describing the imminence of the switchover, explaning that there would be a series of events celebrating the move to digital “in the traditonal Viking style”.

How, precisely did Vikings celebrate digital switchovers? Perhaps by raping and pillaging their local Currys store, then holding a feast where warriors drank frothy beer out of the smashed casings of old analogue TV sets…