Will the McGinty’s Group’s local knowledge be the “great asset” needed to make a success of the relaunched Aberdeen Market?
Should bosses do more to cater to youngsters, and will they learn from popular facilities across the world?
The news of McGinty’s taking on the running of Aberdeen Market has certainly got our readers’ imaginations racing – prompting a varied reaction.
But as well as congratulations and suggestions on how to make it work, there have been concerns about the scale of the task when it comes to saving the city centre…
What’s the reaction like to McGinty’s operating new Aberdeen Market?
On the Evening Express Facebook page, Anne Donald wished McGinty’s boss Allan Henderson good luck, saying: “Your local knowledge will be a great asset.”
Mina Hedley suggested the management team, which includes former Taste of Grampian organiser Carol Fowler, should seek inspiration from elsewhere.
She said:” They should look at St George’s Market in Belfast.”
Jean Donald ladled praise on the idea of an international street food court.
She added: “Brilliant idea. Eat around the world, as you can in several places. With the cruise ships, this could be very lucrative.”
Martin McArthur hopes the “next generation” of former Aberdeen Market mainstays like Madame Mews and Taste of Hong Kong will be lured with affordable rates.
Will the new Aberdeen Market ‘need the SAS for security’?
Speaking as the news was announced on Monday, Mr Henderson told us of his hopes that an events area on The Green could provide family entertainment.
Margaret Kane thinks he should go one step further than that, and arrange ten pin bowling facilities or an ice rink for children.
Mark Walker disagreed, asking: “Why? Can’t we have somewhere to eat and drink without kids running riot?”
And the threat of youths causing trouble, which we recently revealed to be a major issue at nearby Union Square, was on Gordon Henry’s mind too…
He joked: “Hope they’ve factored in the SAS for security, unlike Union Square.”
But will road changes put people off even venturing into the city centre?
Some of the reaction focused less on McGinty’s running the new Aberdeen Market, and more on changes in surrounding parts of the city.
The news of the deal coming together came as workers started putting a controversial string of new traffic changes in place.
New bus gates are being installed on Bridge Street, Guild Street and Market Street to decrease car usage in busy areas.
‘How are people going to get there?’
Jim Davidson (not that one) said the new roads layout might put people off bothering to venture into the city centre.
He said: “How are people going to get there when you cannot have sensible accessibility with your car?
“Car parking charges are far too expensive for a start. Car parks are not convenient for the main area, where the public would wish to visit.
“They keep saying get people on public transport, but our public transport in Aberdeen is a shambles… There is much more needing sorting before any of these pipe dreams come to fruition.”
Gavin McKessock pointed out that the Trinity Centre’s 400-space car park is “right next to it”.
He added that “just about every single bus route will have a bus stop in the vicinity”.
And he highlighted the short distance from both the bus and train stations, and Union Square car park.
Mr McKessock concluded: “Expecting every attraction to have a roped-off red carpet parking space for your personal use, free of charge, is a wee bit unrealistic.”
How do you feel about McGinty’s running the new Aberdeen Market? Let us know in our comments section below
And where might competing Aberdeen indoor food market be..?
Meanwhile, yesterday morning we also revealed that a pair of Aberdeen charities are teaming up to open another indoor food market in the city centre.
Though they told us they had lined up a “terrific” location, they stopped short of naming the building in question.
And our readers were abuzz with speculation about that too…
Popular theories included the former Debenhams at the Trinity Centre, the John Lewis building on George Street and even Union Terrace Gardens.
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