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Marks and Spencer: Could empty shop become Aberdeen HQ for hundreds of civil servants?

Could the soon-to-close Marks and Spencer become a new Aberdeen base for hundreds of civil servants soon to move north from London?

Marks and Spencer's Aberdeen flagship will close in spring 2025. Image: Paul Glendell /DC Thomson
Marks and Spencer's Aberdeen flagship will close in spring 2025. Image: Paul Glendell /DC Thomson

The search is under way to find a new use for Aberdeen’s Marks and Spencer store – an ageing flagship soon to be abandoned.

Plans to invest £15 million in the brand’s Union Square shop have finally brought an end to the iconic St Nicholas Street premises, after years of speculation on its future.

Staff will move across to the new-look premises, annexing the current TK Maxx unit, in spring 2025.

But it leaves Aberdeen with a question: what next for the 80-year-old M&S-owned building left behind?

Aberdeen City Council has pledged to support the retailer in making the most of its towering property.

First Minister Humza Yousaf. Image: Kenzie Gillies/DC Thomson

First Minister Humza Yousaf vowed to “duly consider” supporting efforts to ensure the building is not empty for long.

The latest Union Street setback left the head of the taskforce setup to revitalise the Granite Mile, Bob Keiller, comparing his work to “trying to fill a bucket that has holes in the bottom” sometimes.

But on the future of the Marks and Spencer Aberdeen store, already ideas are flowing.

Marks and Spencer closure means UK Government can ‘walk the talk’ on Aberdeen city centre regeneration

Rich Tinto, the director of Tinto Architecture, thinks the vacancy could be a chance for the UK Government to “walk its talk” of supporting the regeneration of Aberdeen city centre.

Rich Tinto has suggested Marks and Spencer could become the Aberdeen based for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero once its empty. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson
Rich Tinto has suggested Marks and Spencer could become the Aberdeen based for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero once its empty. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson

Only last week, the Energy Security and Net Zero Minister Graham Stuart said work to revive Union Street would be “factored into planning” of moving 200 civil servants north-east.

The shift of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero jobs to Aberdeen city centre has been hailed as a “big victory”.

But will they salvage the forsaken St Nicholas Street building?

Office conversion of Marks and Spencer Aberdeen ‘very, very doable’

Energy Security and Net Zero Minister Graham Stuart being interviewed by DC Thomson reporter Allister Thomas. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson
Energy Security and Net Zero Minister Graham Stuart being interviewed by DC Thomson reporter Allister Thomas. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

Speaking to The P&J, Mr Tinto said: “If the government were to walk their talk with regards to levelling up and wants to evidence their desire to rebuild towns and cities, then you would like to think there’s an obvious use for M&S in Aberdeen.

“It is big enough to host the core staff plus the rest that may come, and there would be a knock-on impact of those people working, and conversely living, in the city centre.

“Those 200+ jobs located in the heart of the retail district we’re desperate for footfall in would be a pretty good news story.

“And it’s very, very doable and absolutely convertible. It would not be easy, but this is all about ambition.”

Government ‘best client’ to see M&S redeveloped as office space

Mr Tinto claims the days of seeking out new-build, super energy efficient, offices must be left behind in the name of sustainability.

New planning rules in Scotland make it more difficult to level existing buildings, so retrofitting is “something seriously needing looked at”.

“There would be challenges around construction costs and the return for a developer,” Mr Tinto added.

“But you don’t get a better client than the Crown: the government will pay the best rates and usually sign up to extremely long lease terms, up to 30 years.

“So if there was ever a chance of repurposing this building for a world-class office facility, then the Crown is the client to put in there.”

The former John Lewis building, Norco House, would prove more difficult to rework into offices due to a lack of natural light, claimed Mr Tinto. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson
The former John Lewis building, Norco House, would prove more difficult to rework into offices due to a lack of natural light, claimed Mr Tinto. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson

Lacking the stand-out architecture of the former Aberdeen John Lewis department store at Norco House would make construction “much more simple”.

And Mr Tinto also thinks a conversion would be more workable with M&S as it has lots more natural light.

Bringing so many more workers into the city centre could encourage residential development too.

Marks and Spencer Aberdeen office conversion ‘would have to work financially’

Aberdeen has five buildings offering what the property trade markets as Grade A, best quality, office space.

Industry expert, CBRE’s Derren McRae, says only around 10% of those 500,000 sq ft is still available, and there is “strong interest” in what remains on the market.

“So office conversion is a possibility” he told The P&J, “however like anything else, the financials would have to work.

“It is not a shock to hear of the decision to close the M&S St Nicholas store.

“But it is positive news to hear of their planned significant investment in upsizing their store at Union Square, a centre which has bucked the trend and is one of the best-let shopping centres in the UK.”

CBRE's Derren McRae said it was "no shock" Marks and Spencer is shutting one of its Aberdeen stores. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson
CBRE’s Derren McRae said it was “no shock” Marks and Spencer is shutting one of its Aberdeen stores. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson

The property expert added it was “encouraging” to see how former department stores were being repurposed, like the £40m Aberdeen market development in the footprint of the former BHS site on Union Street.

“Now is the time for imaginative, collaborative thinking around creating reasons for locals and visitors to come to the city centre,” Mr McRae said.

Union Street guru trusts M&S on future of Aberdeen flagship

But suggesting the UK Government looks at M&S for its Aberdeen energy security department offices was not something high on Bob Keiller’s agenda.

A collage made up of: M&S on St Nicholas Street, left, and Bob Keiller standing on Union Street in a black coat, on the right.
Bob Keiller, from Our Union Street, previously wrote to M&S to highlight the importance of the ‘flagship’ St Nicholas store to the Granite Mile. Image: DC Thomson.

The head of the Our Union Street campaign and business guru told us: “The M&S Aberdeen store is a building that’s 80-years-old.

“There’s no firm plan yet as to what to do with it.

“In the short term it could be used to offer potentially low-cost rents to showcase local businesses and the circular economy.

“Longer term, the options will be interesting. It won’t be easy to modify a building that old.

“When you look at the work M&S has done with local developers in Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow, you can see they stand by their word on finding a future use for the buildings they own.”

The closure of the Aberdeen WH Smith on Union Street has been confirmed.
The closure of the Aberdeen WH Smith at the top of Union Street has been confirmed. Image: Jamie O’Connor

Admitting the pending closure was a blow, along with WH Smith and Halifax planned shutdowns, he described Our Union Street‘s work as feeling like “trying to fill a bucket that has holes in the bottom”.

But there have been some wins, the high street tsar said, with premises being taken on and plans emerging for other empty units.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is yet to tell us whether ministers would consider the reworked M&S Aberdeen store as a future city centre base.

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