Aberdeen’s Budz Bar could soon be revamped as a £2 million entertainment mecca – with “tech-infused” crazy golf, a posh cocktail bar and restaurant.
The news sparked excitement among many glad to see the crumbling city centre eyesore receive such a glittering makeover.
And the plans sparked a trip down memory lane among those of us old enough to hazily recall evenings in the nightspot.
It closed almost 17 years ago. That’s right, 17.
Budz Bar served its final shots at a time that now feels very different.
Recollections of skidding across its dancefloor or downing potent pitchers were readily shared as revellers of a certain vintage reminisced about youthful nights out.
So turn up the volume on your iPod’s noughties playlist, pop on your Ugg boots, and let’s see what they had to say…
‘It was heaving all the time!’
Commenting on the Evening Express Facebook page, Greg Robertson said the shiny new plans marked a “fair change from the sticky floors and jugs of vodka Red Bull”.
Tee Guthrie didn’t let the occasional loss of balance colour her thoughts on the venue.
She reminisced: “Another bar I fell down in a lot… Good memories.”
Marie Duncan added: “Oh man, takes me back, loved that bar, it was heaving all the time though!”
Kevin Brownlie wondered if businessmen would bring back the “epic jugs o’ vodka and Red Bull”.
Sam Strickland is such a fan of Budz Bar he thinks the developers should actually ditch their £2 million plans and carry out a careful restoration instead.
He demanded: “Bring it back to how it used to be.”
Aberdeen fans share memories of Budz Bar’s ‘deadly dancefloor’
Some remembered its quirks with a smile…
Kerry Sutherland said: “The dancefloor in there was deadly when it was wet.”
Cyndi Wilson added: “My old haunt! Always a good bounce in there, even with the sticky floors.”
How much would a shot of vodka set you back at Budz Bar?
Many wistfully looked back on the pricing structure of the Union Street hostelry.
Indeed, Budz Bar gained a degree of infamy in 2007 when the Evening Express launched an investigation into attacks fuelled by bargain booze at city clubs.
Reporters found that a shot of vodka in Budz Bar would set you back a mere 69p.
That price was beaten by a Granite Mile rival, who poured out measures for 50p apiece.
This sort of offer came to an end when the Scottish Government put an end to happy hour deals in 2009.
Camera phones weren’t quite the same in 2007, as this footage of a gig at Budz Bar proves:Â
Aberdeen employees share Budz Bar memories
One former worker joined the chat on our social media channels.
She said: “Well well well, ain’t that a blast from the past… Served a few pains in the derriere in there, and many brilliant memories.”
Do you have memories of Budz Bar? Let us know in our comments section below
The bar is the oldest empty unit in Aberdeen city centre.
Our tracker provides ongoing updates on the state of Union Street and the surrounding area.
Read more about the new plans here:
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