Could Siberia’s very own sky bar bring back the buzz to Belmont Street?
The boss of the city centre institution, Angela Stirling, thinks so.
She explains that the plans, in their early stages, would be just the next step amid some major renovations to boost business over the past few years.
This comes as Belmont Street traders seek to shine a new spotlight on the area of Aberdeen, after a few closures in recent weeks and amid reports of sagging city centre footfall.
With the Big Belmont Bash street festival just around the corner, I popped in to chat with the Siberia manager about the future plans for the venue…
More than 20 years experience on Belmont Street
I visited Angela as staff bustled about getting ready for their usual busy Friday.
Luckily the 52-year-old boss managed to squeeze me in for a chat.
Angela has been involved with Siberia since 2002, having previously been the manager at the Long Island Iced Tea Shop on Bon Accord Terrace.
Siberia staff may be anticipating being rushed off their feet on this night, but all has not been well on Belmont Street as of late.
South American restaurant Tucan and Caribbean venue Tango Turtle shut their doors yards away, with the former blaming “no footfall” in the area for their closure.
Angela casts her mind back, and says there has been a “gradual” city centre footfall decline “probably since Union Square opened”.
So how has Siberia bucked the trend?
The Glasgow native tells me she “can’t complain” about how things have been over the past year – especially with Sibera proving a popular spot in the warmer weather.
“We are very much a summer bar because of the outside area, so winter is very slow but summer is very busy,” Angela explains.
“Overall for the year, it has been very good.
“The hotel has had great occupancy, there are lots of tourists in the city so during that period between June and October we have had fantastic occupancy.
“We have had a wide range of tourists. Swiss, Spanish, Italian, French, American, Canadian, you name it.”
Despite well-publicised traffic changes impacting on visitor numbers, is the city centre location to thank for this?
‘Belmont is more than pubs and clubs’
“Belmont is still a destination for people to come,” The Siberia boss tells me as she leans across the bar.
But Angela, and many others, want to let people know that both day and night time businesses can still thrive on Belmont.
Owner of Breathing Space Yoga Studio Laura Watt previously told us: “It’s not just clubs and bars, there is a lot of good stuff going on.”
Belmont bash hoping to bring the buzz back
Siberia is just one of the 30 businesses taking part in the Big Belmont Bash on Saturday, September 7.
Organised by Collective on the Cobbles, the event is aiming to bring the buzz back to Belmont Street with a day-long street festival.
Angela lays out what Siberia has in store for the day.
“We’ve got a garden party on that day to showcase what we do,” she explains.
“It will offer loads of entertainment, DJs, music, cocktails… Hopefully people can come, have a drink, and the sun shines!”
Is a sky bar coming to Siberia?
As we finish off, Angela leaves me with what Siberia has planned for the future – which could make it an even bigger destination during sunny days.
The Belmont Street stalwarts are looking to bring something completely new to the city…
A sky bar!
Angela doesn’t want to give away too much yet, but tells me they are “currently looking at getting planning permission” for their rooftop expansion.
“It won’t necessarily happen any time soon, but it could happen within the next year,” the bar and hotel boss confides.
Siberia’s current flat roof could offer views overlooking Union Terrace Gardens and Union Street, but time will tell what Angela and the team have in store for it.
The Belmont Street staple is also looking to undertake a major facelift to both its bar and hotel rooms as well.
It comes after Siberia underwent a bit of a revamp a few years ago, expanding into neighbouring units.
The owners took over the former Melt cafe, turning it into the Dough and Co doughnut shop, and it has also launched a new “multi-functional space”.
Its new Cavern space, hosts everything from cocktail classes to karaoke parties, can be accessed through a door in the beer garden.
Read more:
- Belmont Yoga Studio: ‘Why I don’t regret moving yoga studio from Aberdeen’s bustling west end to city centre – despite bus gate fouter’
- ‘Bring back Belmont Street buzz’: Traders plan festival to banish city centre blues
- Exclusive: Inside the Belmont Cinema as images reveal new look planned for Aberdeen venue
- Does Aberdeen city centre need a rooftop bar? We list 9 possible spots
Conversation