City chiefs have been urged to learn from the failure of Resident X so they don’t end up in the “same mess” with the new Aberdeen market.
The fate of the crisis-torn food hall at Marischal Square has cast a shadow over the upcoming destination venue.
Council-owned Resident X opened last January.
It was hoped the neon-themed attraction would become a mecca for independent traders and bring scores of visitors into the heart of Aberdeen.
But after two turbulent years – and a change of operator – it is now lying empty.
Dejected business bosses told us there was not enough footfall in the area to keep the financial black hole going.
And the similarities between the failed food hall and the market linking Union Street and The Green have now raised some red flags in the Town House…
‘We can’t make the same mistake with Aberdeen market’
The £40 million development linking Union Street and The Green is already under construction, with operators McGinty’s Group poised to take the keys once completed.
It’s hoped the attraction will transform the city centre’s fortunes and bring more people to the struggling high street.
City leaders were yesterday told that everything was going to plan with the project, with the opening date set for 2027.
And while the “mainly positive” update was welcomed during these crunch talks, opposition councillors questioned whether it could end up being another white elephant.
The closure of Resident X appeared to have struck a chord with councillor M Tauqeer Malik – who urged the authority to evaluate all the risks before moving forward.
“We do not want another Resident X situation – and we must learn from it,” he lamented.
“It is essential that the council truly understand the risk with the proposed lease, and we would expected that it is brought before us before it is agreed.
“We understand that this project was based on stimulating Union Street, but we need to understand the rental income and how much the council will obtain from the operators.
“It’s important that we don’t make another mistake like Resident X – we cannot go into this kind of mess again.”
‘There are so many questions around Aberdeen market’
Mr Malik requested assurances that the council will be protected should there be any issues.
And Labour’s Simon Watson added: “It is the legacy of Resident X that is at the forefront of our minds when we are looking at where we are with the new market.
“There are so many questions out there –Â what if the units aren’t let, what if the operator pulls out, where is the council going to lie in this major capital project?
“I do appreciate the skill and the diligence of officers who are trying to make sure everything happens smoothly – but there are factors outside of our control.
“And as councillors we would be held accountable for the decisions we are making.”
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New market ‘not about lining our pockets’
Bouncing off the remarks, the SNP’s finance convener Alex McLellan stressed that the new development was conjured up to boost the city centre rather than council coffers.
He said: “We trust the professionals to do the best deal for the council to achieve best value – and they have my faith that this is exactly what they would achieve.
“We need to be realistic about what the purpose of the market is – it is to stimulate the local economy and create an environment for small businesses that people can enjoy.
“It wasn’t seen as a massive money-maker for the local authority.”
And what about Cafe 52 delays?
Meanwhile, the months-long saga surrounding the Cafe 52 pavilion, which caused delays to the market project, was discussed in private.
The hut was removed to allow construction traffic to get to the site, after a legal fight from owner Steve Bothwell.
Mr Watson requested an update on the situation as he queried the redevelopment of the streets between the new market and Guild Street.
He voiced worries it had been delayed “potentially into the never, never”.
But officers told him this would be completed after the construction work.
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