A traditional Aberdeen bar will be turned into a shop under plans rubber-stamped this week by the council.
Wordies Ale House, on Schoolhill, closed its doors in December after many years of trading.
It was put on the market at an asking price of £40,000 earlier this year, and passersby recently will have noted its barren state.
Pub fell victim to planning rules
But to get permission to create four flats upstairs, the new owner of the buildings was told to convert the old fashioned tavern.
Planning papers reveal that the flats would not be given the seal of approval “unless the change of use was implemented”.
Local authority staff said having a busy bar downstairs would mean those living in the properties wouldn’t have “an adequate level of residential amenity”.
Council papers state: “In this case, the public house use would have caused a conflict with residential amenity that would have been challenging to mitigate.
“It is therefore considered necessary to attach a condition requiring this change of use prior to residential units being occupied.”
Will Wordies Ale House be missed?
A look on TripAdvisor reveals that Wordies Ale House’s “unpretentious” style meant many visitors took it to their hearts.
One user described it as “a good honest bar with no pretensions and a good pint”.
He added: “Nothing special about Wordies, it is a quiet spot for a good pint in the town centre.
“Good seating area to relax with your drink after shopping.”
Another said: “There’s enough room to sit and speak and enjoy company.
“Definitely not for the craft beer crowd as it has no pretensions.”
Another added: “Any travelers to the city should pop in and see a traditional bar in the area.”
Why was it called Wordies Ale House?
The pub was built over what used to be a pend and stables used by Wordie and Co Carriers, which owned the horses that worked at the harbour.
The firm was based where the Bon Accord Centre now stands, and was so well known that “working as hard as one of Wordie’s horses” became a popular saying in the mid-19th century.
It was a link that continued to be honoured with a horse on the bar’s sign until the day it served its final customers.
What will change?
The first floor above Wordies was used as toilets for the bar, while there was also a betting shop on the upper level and there are existing flats on the second floor.
The council says the proposal for new housing “would bring into active use the first floor of the buildings, helping ensure the maintenance in the future”.
The type of shop Wordies will become is not yet clear.
You can see the plans for yourself here.
