West end shops join forces to support P&J's Aberdeen bus gates fix

“The number of customer has drastically dropped since the bus gates came in,” Jacqui Thomson tells me from behind the counter of her empty store.

It’s about noon, and the 62-year-old is eagerly waiting for someone to come through the doors of her clothes shop Bellino on Thistle Street.

However, this has been happening less and less frequently in recent months.

And the businesswoman reckons the bus gates installed around the city centre have played a big part in that.

Even in the west end, some distance away from the traffic measures and with no direct changes to its transport network, the “perception” that Aberdeen city centre is closed is having an impact.

Bellino also threw their weight behind The Press and Journals common sense compromise over Aberdeen bus gates. Image: Isaac Buchan/ DC Thomson.

Just a few hours ago, Jacqui signed a petition in a last-ditch plea for the traffic rules to be tweaked in a bid to help traders like herself get back on their feet.

“There’s over half a million down in the football figures,” she sighed, referring to the damning figures recently published by Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce.

“That’s half a million people that haven’t spent money in a business – whether that’s retail, hospitality, or any other.”

Taking a stand to make a change…

Jacqui is one of thousands of people to back The Press and Journal’s Common Sense Compromise campaign.

Working together with local traders and business leaders, we have come up with six options aimed at reversing the “detrimental” impact of the bus gates.

And within the 24 hours, the initiative has already received overwhelming support.

We headed out to the trendy area nicknamed Aberdeen’s “Little Chelsea” to find out what local shopkeepers there think of the bus gates.

We heard:

One shopkeeper herself confesses that she avoids the city centre since bus gates were installed, instead only visiting Union Square
Veteran clothes store Esslemonts describes a drastic drop in trade
And they tell us why they back our Common Sense Compromise

The Press and Journal front page, Wednesday 26 June. Image: Roddie Reid/DC Thomson.

Bus gate fixes needed sooner rather than later says Esslemonts

For Norman Esslemont, this is something that can’t come soon enough.

His menswear store has been an Aberdeen staple for more than 160 years.

It was previously located at the bottom of Union Street, as part of Esslemont and MacIntosh, before moving to Thistle Street in the west end 27 years ago.

Norman Esslemont of Esslemonts on Thistle Street is fully backing the common sense compromise to fix the Aberdeen bus gate crisis. Image: Isaac Buchan/ DC Thomson.

But since the introduction of the bus gates, Norman has seen first-hand the “detrimental” effect the restrictions can have on a small business.

And he reckons he is not alone in this, with many noticing a dramatic drop in footfall due to customers “stressing” over how to drive into the city centre.

Calling for the council to take action, he said: “I think it’s well worth considering and should be acted on much sooner, sooner rather than later as it’s affecting business.

“It has definitely had a detrimental effect.”

Norman believes that Aberdeen's bus gates compounded with LEZs are scaring potential customers from visiting the city centre. Image: Isaac Buchan/ DC Thomson. — Norman believes that Aberdeen’s bus gates compounded with LEZs are scaring potential customers from visiting the city centre. Image: Isaac Buchan/ DC Thomson.

He adds: “In the last months we’ve certainly seen a drop in turnover and customers are all mentioning the stress that it puts on.

“They’re thinking where you can or cannot go in Aberdeen is just too much so they’re going elsewhere.”

Leafing through the pages of The P&J, Norman has a clear message for the council: “Listen to the people that are on the ground, the retailers and the potential customers…

“They are saying you’ve got to take some action now.”

‘Footfall has changed completely’ – Salon believes bus gate measures need trimmed

Creative director at nearby salon Bloom Lifestyle, Neil Smith, echoed Norman’s worries.

And he added that tweaking the rules for the sake of businesses makes “total sense”, backing the Common Sense Compromise campaign.

Neil Smith told The Press and Journal that a large amount of businesses in the west end have been hit hard by Aberdeen's bus gates. Image: Isaac Buchan/ DC Thomson. — Neil Smith told The Press and Journal that a large amount of businesses in the west end have been hit hard by Aberdeen’s bus gates. Image: Isaac Buchan/ DC Thomson.

“I think they (the council) should definitely listen to it, and go along and speak to people more about things,” said Neil, who has 15 years of experience in the field.”

He added many traders within that area fear what would happen to the “smaller guys” in the west end if the bus gates remain.

Neil added: “We’re all little local businesses here, and we’ve spoken about the differences that it [bus gates] has made and how much footfall has changed.”

Neil Smith is also backing The Press and Journals common sense compromise. Image: Isaac Buchan/ DC Thomson

Thistle Street Trader says complaints over bus gates are constant

Across the street, Mike Wood of West End Chocolates had similar thoughts.

Although his business hasn’t been directly impacted by the traffic restrictions in the city centre, he is empathetic to his customers’ experience with the bus gates.

With every sandwich sold, there comes a complaint about the bus gates, he said.

Mike Wood, of West End Chocolates, told the Press and Journal that customers woes over the bus gate crisis has been nonstop. Image: Isaac Buchan/ DC Thomson.

Mike has actually seen more customers come into his long-standing store since the opening of the Shell office nearby.

But that doesn’t mean he is indifferent to the struggle other traders in the area are facing.

“There’s nobody that hasn’t complained,” Mike told me, as he continued filling crusty baguettes with fresh veggies for the lunch-time rush.

“I don’t know anybody that seems to have benefited from these measures.

“From a business point of view, everybody’s complaining about the bumpy ride.”

Do you back The Press and Journals Common Sense Compromise? Let us know in our comments section below

Optician believes bus gates were short-sighted

Meanwhile, Lousia Kehoe opened her Very Spexy opticians on Thistle Street just four months ago.

But she says she is already wondering if the bus gates are affecting her store’s footfall.

Very Spexy opticians have put their weight behind the campaign. Image: Isaac Buchan/ DC Thomson.

“June’s been a quieter month for us,” she tells me.

“We’ve only been here a few months, but I have been thinking…Is it because of holidays? Is it because of the bus gates?”

Lousia fears potential customers are scared to come into the city centre, wary of being slapped with a £60 fine.

And she admits she is one of them.

The optician has only been open in the west end for four months, but says that bus gates could have contributed to a quiet month. Image: Isaac Buchan.

“It does worry me as well,” she adds.

“I know when I’m coming into town, I go straight to Union Square and straight back.

“I’m not going to the other shopping centres because of the bus gates – you don’t want to get caught out.”

Businesses stand together against ‘really unfair’ bus gates

As diverse as their experiences might have been, west end businesses have banded together to find a solution to the “really unfair” bus gate crisis.

In a strong statement to council leaders, traders are now putting their foot down in a plea that the needs of businesses be put at the forefront during next week’s crunch talks.

City traders and The Press and Journal are joining forces to solve Aberdeen’s bus gate crisis. Image: Roddie Reid/DC Thomson.

How you can help

The Press and Journal is standing side by side with Aberdeen businesses and business organisations in an appeal to reach a Common Sense Compromise.

But we can’t do it alone – we need your help.

If you would like to back our Aberdeen bus gate campaign, add your name to the petition launched by Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce HERE.

Other ways to show your support and have your voice heard can be found HERE.