Aberdeen's Union Street tackles vacant shops with regeneration plan
A community-led initiative aims to fill empty units and revitalise the city centre's main thoroughfare.
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Aberdeen's Union Street, a historic main thoroughfare, is undergoing a significant regeneration effort to combat a high rate of vacant properties. The street, once known as the Granite Mile and a popular shopping destination, has seen a decline in footfall and an increase in empty units, with the former Marks & Spencer building now boarded up.
Community-led initiative addresses decline
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The Our Union Street coalition, a community-led group formed after an emergency summit, is spearheading the turnaround. Led by former FTSE 100 CEO Bob Keiller, the group has audited the street, identified absent landlords, and logged reasons for vacancies. Volunteers have assisted in cleaning and painting empty properties to make them more attractive for potential tenants.
The initiative offers a website listing available properties and financial incentives, including council fit-out grants and a two-year discount on business rates. This coordinated effort involves letting agents, the council, landlords, businesses, and a team of volunteers. Keiller describes their approach as supporting those who need help while being persistent with those who are uncooperative.
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Progress has been made, with 33 units now filled and 14 more in the process of being let. However, the challenge persists, as another 20 units have become vacant since the initiative began. Keiller maintains that the rate of filling is outpacing the rate of new vacancies.
Addressing the wider issue of vacant retail space
Nationally, one in eight properties on British High Streets are vacant, according to Green Street. A survey by Revo and Lambert Smith Hampton found that two-thirds of town centre experts believe there is still 20% to 40% too much retail space. Factors contributing to vacancies include the need for modernisation of older units, rising employment costs, and the ongoing shift to online commerce.
Aberdeen is also focusing on the underused upper floors of buildings on Union Street. Iain Nicholson, from the Vacant Shops Academy, is assisting in identifying barriers to bringing these spaces back into use, a common issue across many towns and cities.
The council is investing tens of millions into making the city centre a destination, with plans for an indoor food and drink market and a seafront redevelopment, aiming to create an 'experience economy' to draw visitors and residents back.
Questions this report answers
+How many shops on Union Street are now filled?
As of today, 33 units on Aberdeen's Union Street have been filled, with an additional 14 currently in the process of being let. This is part of an ongoing effort to revitalise the street.
+What incentives are being offered to fill vacant shops?
The regeneration initiative offers financial incentives to new businesses, including council fit-out grants for decorating premises and a two-year discount on business rates. A website also lists all available properties.
+What was the situation with vacant shops on Union Street in 2023?
In 2023, a total of 57 out of the 198 units on Union Street were empty. This figure highlights the scale of the challenge that the regeneration efforts are aiming to address.
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