An Aberdeen supermarket normally bustling with families and excited kids ready for the weekend was eerily silent this afternoon.
Asda Middleton Park, which is located in the Bridge of Don area of the city, remains closed after suffering smoke damage following a fire in the early hours of Monday morning.
Usually busy with people doing their shop ahead of the weekend and cars waiting to pick their children up from the various nearby schools, four days after the fire the car park was near deserted.
Four appliances were sent to the scene shortly after 5am on March 3 and at the store today “closed” signs remained.
Notices inform customers about the “temporary” closure and remind them the supermarket’s Beach Boulevard Retail Park shop is open.
The pharmacy located inside the fire hit Bridge of Don store is also closed, causing some disruption for those requiring prescriptions.
The pharmacy was able to run a limited service but this has been stopped.
Other local pharmacies, including Balmedie and Braehead, have said people can have prescriptions sent there.
There has been talk of the store being closed for another six weeks.
A supermarket spokesperson would not comment on the likely reopening date, but an Asda source said it will “definitely not” be shut for that amount of time.
Another said the cause of the fire is still “under investigation”.
‘Continuing to work hard to reopen our Middleton Park store’
A spokesman for Asda said: “We’re continuing to work hard to reopen our Middleton Park store and will let the local community know as soon as it reopens.
“We’d like thank customers for their understanding while the works take place and would remind them that our fantastic colleagues at the nearby Aberdeen Superstore are ready to welcome them into the store.”
Despite Asda’s closure, its petrol station and neighbouring businesses Domino’s, Greggs and Tasty Wok are open, as are Ladbrokes, Barnardo’s and Ardene House Vet Practice.
However, the Ashvale chipper – which is located closest to the supermarket – remains shut after going on fire in July last year.
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