Shock new pictures have revealed the scale of demolition work at a former “landmark” West End hotel.
The Hilton Treetops, on Springfield Road, closed abruptly in February 2020, with the owners blaming “difficult trading conditions”.
Following the closure, the highly-coveted site was taken over by Kintore-based Malcolm Allan Housebuilders.
The firm wants to create a housing development at the site, although it has kept its plans firmly under wraps.
However, demolition work began late last year and the land on which the hotel once sat has now been cleared in preparation for the next phase of the redevelopment.
Hotel site completely cleared
Now fresh images, captured using a drone, show the land has been completely cleared with no trace of the once-popular venue.
Local councillor Martin Greig, who previously described the hotel as a “major landmark” in the West End, said he was “shocked” by the “devastated land”.
“It is quite upsetting to see the devastated land in these images,” he said.
“This part of town has a pleasant green environment and the sight of so much stark, bare earth is a shock.”
‘No demand’ for hotels
As demolition work began last year, bosses at Malcolm Allan said they had taken the decision because of a lack of demand for hotels in the city.
“It’s not of use anymore as a hotel as the market capacity in Aberdeen means it is not sustainable,” said director Bruce Allan.
“Just look at the number of hotels in the city that have recently gone into liquidation.
“There is no demand for any more hotels here.”
The Treetops opened in 1965 with a champagne reception and for more than half a century it hosted weddings, graduations, fairs and celebrities such as Ronnie Corbett, Stephen Hendry and Mel Gibson.
Its dining and leisure facilities also proved popular with the people of Aberdeen for 55 years before its shock closure was announced.
More than 70 staff were made redundant when it suddenly stopped trading just before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.