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Is Sweaty Betty really coming to Aberdeen? Mystery as plans are withdrawn days after being submitted

Fans of the fitness brand have been left confused days after having their hopes raised about a shop coming to the city centre.

Popular plans to transform a vacant granite building in Aberdeen city centre into a new Sweaty Betty branch have been withdrawn.
Popular plans to transform a vacant granite building in Aberdeen city centre into a new Sweaty Betty branch have been withdrawn. Image: Denny Andonova/DC Thomson

Female sportswear brand Sweaty Betty sparked excitement last week when bosses unveiled plans to come to Aberdeen.

The firm revealed proposals to convert the former Nick Nairn cookery school on Back Wynd into a shop with its own hot yoga studio upstairs.

Papers confirmed that the building work would cost £150,000.

And as far as scores of our readers concerned, that would be money well spent.

An image of the Sweaty Betty shop in Surrey
The Sweaty Betty shop in Reigate, Surrey. Image: Ian Tuttle/Shutterstock

How were the Sweaty Betty plans received?

There are branches all over England, but the only Scottish stores are in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Hundreds of residents welcomed the prospect of a shop in Scotland’s third largest city on the Evening Express Facebook page.

Lorna Dillon exclaimed “about time!!!”, while Alison Griffin hailed the “great news” and Jill Cameron added: “Finally!!”

What’s happened now?

But now, the council’s planning website shows that the plans to alter the listed building have been withdrawn.

A screenshot from the council website shows the Sweaty Betty Aberdeen plans have been withdrawn
The online database simply says the Sweaty Betty plans for Aberdeen have been “withdrawn by applicant”. Image: Aberdeen City Council

This could mean a few things, and is not necessarily reason for Sweaty Betty fans to start perspiring.

Sometimes, plans can be withdrawn because architects decide they need to be tweaked.

On these occasions, they will be re-submitted in due course, with some explanation as to how and why the blueprints have been altered.

15 Back Wynd in Aberdeen
Could the empty unit be left vacant for some time to come? Image: Denny Andonova/DC Thomson

Do you hope Sweaty Betty remains committed to Aberdeen? Let us know in our comments section below


Sweaty Betty refuses to address speculation about Aberdeen store

What could be cause for concern, however, is Sweaty Betty’s silence on the matter.

We asked the firm for some clarification on Wednesday morning, and again on Thursday.

Thus far, no response has been forthcoming.

A blueprint of how the Aberdeen building would have been altered. Image: Sweaty Betty

So, as things stand, there are no plans to bring Sweaty Betty to the north-east.

Could Sweaty Betty join others in scrapping Aberdeen plans?

Recently, Homebase scrapped £850,000 plans to open up at the Beach Boulevard Retail Park.

And in April, a scheme to turn the former Jack Wills at The Academy into a steakhouse was abandoned after being approved.

You can see the withdrawn Sweaty Betty application for an Aberdeen store here, and read our article about the plans being lodged here.

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