For the second year running Aberdeen city centre was a shadow of its former Boxing Day self as Covid worries and newly-implemented restrictions meant shoppers largely stayed away.
On what is generally considered to be one for the busiest days in the calendar for retailers, the Bon Accord Centre and Union Street were a ghost town on the morning of December 26, 2021, in comparison to pre-Covid times.
There was a closer resemblance to the scenes on Boxing Day of 2020, when the country was gripped by restrictions and streets remained empty over the festive period.
Although there were smatterings of people searching out bargains at the beginning of the famous festive sale period, Aberdeen’s shopping centres and thoroughfares were noticeably quiet.
And as you’ll see from our comparison pictures, Union Street doesn’t have the same bustling nature that is usually associated with Boxing Day morning.
Our pictures from 2018 show healthy throngs of eager shoppers forcing their way down the likes of Union Street and Belmont Street.
However, using the sliding function on the pictures, you can see the stark contrast between then and now.
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New restrictions come into force on Boxing Day
From 5am on December 26 attendance at large events will be limited, which the government hopes will ease pressure on the emergency services as well as prevent the spread of Covid-19.
The new changes are:
- All outdoor events, like football games, will be limited to 500 people
- Indoor seated events will be limited to 200 people
- Indoor standing events will be limited to 100 people
Did you go shopping in Aberdeen on Boxing Day morning? We’d love to hear from you about your experience, how you found it compared to usual and more. Please email joe.cawthorn@pressandjournal.co.uk