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Name change sealed for once controversial Draft Project and new activities lined up

Motif has been trading in the former Draft Project premises in Aberdeen since July. Image: Ben Hendry/DCT Media
Motif has been trading in the former Draft Project premises in Aberdeen since July. Image: Ben Hendry/DCT Media

An Aberdeen beer tent, which gained infamy during the Covid pandemic, has sealed a name change with licensing bosses.

The Draft Project, run by PB Devco, hit the headlines when jubilant football fans were filmed shouting and hugging during the period bars were under stricter trading restrictions.

Last year licensing chiefs signed off on the semi-permanent marquee being classed as an indoor structure.

At the same time, they accepted an official name change of the venue as the Howff Garden.

Next door Union Street pub, the Howff, increased its capacity five-fold when it swallowed up the beer tent as part of its licence.

Aberdeen’s Draft Project has new name: Motif

But yesterday PB Devco gained permission to trade under yet another name, Motif.

The approval comes almost five months after the tent opened its doors under the new moniker.

The Union Street entrance to Motif in Aberdeen, next door to the Howff. Image: Ben Hendry/DCT Media
The Union Street entrance to Motif in Aberdeen, next door to the Howff and the front of the former Bruce Millers. Image: Ben Hendry/DCT Media

PB Devco has rebranded the venue, set in the footprint of the former Bruce Millers music shop, as a “shabby chic urban oasis, inspired by Budapest’s ruin bars“.

The firm’s solicitor David Scott described the latest move as “mainly a tidy up exercise” when in front of the Aberdeen licensing board on Tuesday.

On top of the name change, new activities have been permitted at the Langstane Place bar.

Dancing, theatre, film viewings, gaming and indoor and outdoor sports have been added to its offering.

Motif ‘not going to become an indoor disco’

Mr Scott, of Ledingham Chalmers, was quick to allay concerns about noise raised by Aberdeen City Centre Community Council.

He told the board: “There is not an intention to add a dance floor, it will not be a core activity.

“This is not going to become an indoor disco or anything like that.

“It is reflecting some of the activities which might take place at Motif.

“They have occasionally decided to have jazz afternoon, and it is possible people dance a little to that.

“It is allowing for that to happen and not be in breach of the licence.”

New games on offer before licensing chiefs signed off

Live sport is already back on the TVs in Motif, after Draft Project was previously barred from showing big games in light of the rowdy football scenes in November 2020.

That same night, Paul Clarkson – whose family own PB Devco – was arrested for dealing cocaine at the venue.

The main entrance to Motif is in Langstane Place, Aberdeen. Image: Ben Hendry/DCT Media
The main entrance to Motif is in Langstane Place, Aberdeen. Image: Ben Hendry/DCT Media

Instead, the sporting events now allowed to take place within the venue include pool, foosball and even cornhole – the popular North American lawn game.

“That is throwing beanbags into a board, sliding it into a hole,” Mr Scott clarified.

“We are not talking about anything significantly noisy or boisterous.”

What is cornhole, you ask? The game may not be boisterous, but this American Cornhole League crowd certainly were…

Some activities have already been on offer at Motif, before they were allowed by Aberdeen licensing board.

Council licensing solicitor Sandy Munro confirmed the application had come in after licensing staff had witnessed unexpected activity at the premises.

He said: “My understanding is this is largely to make the licence correspond with the actual operation on the ground.

“It is following a visit from the licensing standards officers.”

Mr Scott said PB Devco had “invested heavily” in Motif and didn’t want to “take any risks”.

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