A councillor has been blasted for “victim shaming” after accusing hard-hit Aberdeen traders of hampering the city centre by daring to speak publicly about their fight for survival.
The SNP’s Michael Hutchison lambasted struggling local businesses, saying their pleas for changes to controversial bus gates had created a “negative perception” that the city was “closed for business”.
In a staggering swipe later condemned by business leaders, he even blamed them for a 10% drop in city centre footfall last week.
It came after scores of city businesses linked together in an unprecedented display of unity as they called for drastic change to the traffic restrictions keeping customers away.
Who spoke out against bus gates?
Respected figures like award-winning Mary Martin of the Douglas Hotel, ambitious entrepreneurs like Victoria Mutch of the Style for your Shape clothes shop, Trinity Centre owner Robert Keane and Union Street pharmacy stalwarts Michies were just some of those who came together to fight for a Common Sense Compromise.
Finnies the Jeweller, furniture store Annie Mo’s and various west end traders also shared their experiences as they issued powerful pleas for a policy change.
In a series of emotional interviews with the P&J, they each revealed how their battle to endure already tough trading conditions had been made all the tougher by traffic bans.
They all sought compromise on the bus gates, which were installed without the usual rounds of consultation under “experimental” rules.
Some of them said they may not survive the weeks ahead – and still, they wanted to reach common ground with council leaders.
But the SNP’s George Street councillor Michael Hutchison responded with an astonishing attack on these Aberdeen luminaries as he justified keeping them in place.
Aberdeen businesses accused of ‘building up perception’ by Michael Hutchison
Mr Hutchison launched a bizarre outburst after claiming that city centre footfall had been showing signs of progress before the Common Sense Compromise campaign was launched in late June.
He went on: “Look at city centre footfall two weeks ago, it was within 1% of what it was a year ago. Given the ongoing challenges with inflation and cost of living, that’s actually a pretty good achievement.
“But I have to say, after a week-long Common Sense campaign, which spoke about how supposedly inaccessible our city centre was, and it got quite a lot of coverage in the newspapers, footfall was down 10% from the same week in the year before.”
He claimed: “That’s not because of the bus gates. That’s because we are building up that perception that the city centre is not open for business, and is not welcoming to people.”
The George Street member also argued that “most people” in his ward were in favour of the bus gates.
‘I don’t think you’re listening’
Independent councillor Jennifer Stewart said she had been contacted by 85 firms ahead of crunch talks on the bus gates.
And she argued that her administration counterparts were “not feeling the pain of these businesses”.
Mrs Stewart added: “They are worried.
“I don’t think you are listening to the public. The city is in need of your help. You need to be listening with an open heart.”
Addressing Mr Hutchison, she said: “I’ve not met one resident who tells me the bus gates work for them… You’re running the city into the ground.”
As SNP group leader Christian Allard waved a leaflet emblazoned with the council’s “open for business” logo, Mrs Stewart added: “You might have a leaflet, but a piece of paper means nothing.”
‘What’s common sense for car drivers is perhaps not common sense for bus drivers…’
During the same meeting, independent councillor Karin van Sweedin – who was booted from the SNP amid a racism row last year – invoked the death of a child in London in 2013 as she questioned the Common Sense Compromise backed by 11,000 people.
The Tillydrone, Seaton and Old Aberdeen member brought up the tragic case of the girl who became the first person in the UK to have air pollution recognised as a factor in their death.
She said: “What’s common sense for car drivers is perhaps not common sense for bus drivers…
“More poignantly, thinking about the mother of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who died in 2013, I think her mother would also think common sense is to encourage mass transport”.
Michael Hutchison blasted for ‘foolish remarks’
Across Aberdeen, shopkeepers, hoteliers and business leaders were glued to the proceedings as they were streamed online.
Many reacted with incredulity to Mr Hutchison’s remarks, made as his group voted to keep the bus gates in place – with only the promise of temporarily lifting the Adelphi restriction and “looking into” other potential changes.
Our Union Street chairman, Bob Keiller, said: “This is called victim shaming!
“And it is shameful – ACC created this mess, not the local businesses.
“Councillors had the opportunity to simplify and clarify traffic controls yesterday and the decided to do the opposite.”
Russell Borthwick, chief executive at Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, was among those who helped to craft the Common Sense Compromise.
He said: “These are extremely foolish remarks which demonstrate a staggering disregard for the businesses which are having to live with the mess Mr Hutchison and his administration colleagues have created.
“He needs to stop talking and start listening to the 11,000 people who are calling for change to be delivered now.”
What do you think of Michael Hutchison’s remarks? Let us know in our comments section below
Councillor claims labelled ‘disconcerting’
Another business insider told the P&J it was “difficult” to listen to Mr Hutchison’s tirade – which came after council top brass attributed a year-long decline in footfall to a multitude of reasons as they sought to excuse the bus gates from blame.
She added: “It’s very disconcerting.
“When looking at the footfall figures over the course of the year, they say it’s important we consider the weather, the cost-of-living crisis, inflation and changing shopping habits…
“But when we look at the last two weeks, we can put blame squarely on one variable…”
Mr Hutchison later blamed a mocked-up design image in The Press and Journal for putting people off coming to Aberdeen.
He explained: “Unfortunately there was a big drop during the week in question, and I do think that was due, in part, to perception.”
Conversation