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NewsScottish NewsShetland lines up Barlow against Orkney's Rowling

Shetland lines up Barlow against Orkney’s Rowling

A REMOTE Scots library is trying desperately to get Gary Barlow to visit – after JK Rowling turned up to their rival’s event.

For years there has been an ongoing feud between Shetland and Orkney libraries over who can get the most famous people to follow them on social media.

The argument came to a head at the weekend when the Harry Potter author turned up unannounced to a discussion at Orkney library in Kirkwall.

Shetland Library tried to remain dignified after Rowling's Orkney visit
Shetland Library tried to remain dignified after Rowling’s Orkney visit

Their Shetland rivals, based in Lerwick, were determined not to be outdone and are now campaigning for a celebrity to pay them the same favour.

And it seems they have their sights set on the lead singer of Take That.

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JK Rowling delighted workers at Orkney library on Saturday by turning up to a discussion of the book A Cuckoo’s Calling, which she wrote under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.

Last week, the library had jokingly invited her to attend over Twitter, with the promise of her favourite cake and cups of tea.

Orkney Library was quick to boast about their special visitor
Orkney Library was quick to boast about their special visitor

No-one expected her to actually make the 300-mile trip from Edinburgh, and after her appearance the library uploaded and shared several snaps of their “very special guest”.

After seeing the pictures, devastated workers at Shetland Library wrote that they were “never going to hear the end of this”.

They added: “We wish to remain dignified in our response to the MANY tweets suggesting that Orkney Library are “winning” today…”

They included a picture of a cat sticking its tongue out with the tweet – to which Orkney Library replied by writing “In.Your.Face” and uploading even more photographs of Rowling.

Shetland Library are now trying to get Gary Barlow to visit
Shetland Library are now trying to get Gary Barlow to visit

Shetland Library left the dust to settle for a few days, but have now come back in full force to try and get a celebrity of their own to visit.

Over the past day they have been furiously tweeting Gary Barlow to try and tempt him to make the journey.

They have even began the hashtag #getgarytoshetland and have promised to bake him a cake.
One worker wrote: “Wonder if he’d come to my last staff meeting before maternity leave on Friday?”

They added: “@GaryBarlow could add something special to our Friday morning Bookbug session too.

“Once his people call our people, we should be able to make the correct arrangements.”

As the clamour around Barlow’s possible visit grew, they joked: “Knowing our luck, if @GaryBarlow did decide to visit, his plane would prob break down and be diverted to Orkney.”

Barlow, who has not yet responded to the barrage of tweets, has in the past turned up unexpected to fans’ weddings and performed some of his hit songs.

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