As the last brick in Aberdeen’s iconic indoor market has now been torn down a large space exists at The Green where its presence used to dominate the skyline.
Plans to replace the building with a modern, continental-style food market are well progressed with planning permission granted last month.
It was hoped by the last Labour-led administration that it would breathe new life into the city centre, with its creation paving the way for a pedestrianised Union Street.
And with £20 million of levelling up funding secured to help towards the substantial cost of the project, it feels like a done deal, right?
But since the completion of the demolition – which you can watch in our video below – people have become outspoken online as to what they believe is best for the site.
Is another new building really needed on Union Street to replace the Aberdeen market?
With countless empty units already littering Union Street some members of the public are questioning whether another building is needed, especially when they see what the space has created on The Green.
The building which once stood tall now leaves a hole which allows the light to flood into the historic space.
Local businessman, Steve Bothwell, who owns Cafe 52 on the Green took to social media to express his thoughts on the space.
“An opportunity now exists to not replace the Aberdeen Market with another one,” he said.
“Soon, the site will be cleared and we’ll be able to engage again with the historic layouts around the Green.
“And there’s an opportunity for the local authority to engage with the owners of the Union Street buildings which back onto the Green to market the parts of their properties that have lain empty for several decades.
“Knocking up another mall to pull people away from Union Square is clutching at straws and an inevitable costly defeat.”
Watch the demolition of the building from start to finish in our video
He said he believed creating more covered retail, or worse, a “hanger-sized” food court had been “done to death, and never provided anything but generic soullessness”.
Mr Bothwell suggested that instead of building a new market consideration should be given to “opening up the abandoned basements”.
He said this would provide the citizens of the city a “historic mosaic of memories, stories, unique spaces, unique atmospheres and unique opportunities that were lost when Aberdeen sold its soul to developers who rode roughshod over anything meaningful by knocking down quality.”
He said the area would benefit instead from an informal garden, winding paths and lovely trees and wildflowers with spaces for market days too.
His post was liked by 159 of his followers and generated dozens of comments with people keen to share their thoughts.
Perhaps surprisingly there appeared to be overwhelming support for his sentiments.
Let us know what you think should be done with the space in our poll and new comments section below
Local architect Richard Tinto, who actively campaigns for city regeneration and has been outspoken on the pedestrianisation of Union Street said: “I’d not really considered it but I do see the logic when there is a huge amount of empty space kicking about. Doing more with what we have is definitely the sustainable route.”
More is less where Aberdeen is concerned
Barry Thompson added: “I’m starting to think that less is more where Aberdeen is concerned.
“It was once a city full of character and that came from the old buildings and old lanes and tunnels that were removed.
“The Green is a cracking space where we could maybe forge a sense of community in the heart of the city whether business or local.. rather than whack up another building.”
Meanwhile on Twitter Jordan Jack, who heads up the Campaign for North East Rail, also called for it to remain as an outside space to benefit the city.
Hi @AberdeenCC, @AberdeenSNP, look at all this amazing space!! Instead of building a new market, how about installing some greenery and making the green a beautiful airy outside space for the city. It's just like Marschial College was before that horrible glass building went up. pic.twitter.com/SgbuzIDBpo
— Jordan Jack 🚲 🚂 (@OdnCkk) June 9, 2022
Margaret Preston added: “Aberdeen is just going downhill because balance on what actually makes somewhere attractive and enjoyable is not being achieved!
“The Green has an amazing opportunity right now to be even better in a much different way while being so central and accessible. Give people what is lacking and needed not more empty buildings.”
What would you like to see done with the space – take our poll below?
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