“It’s a mess.”
And, with those three words, a hush descended upon the room. Nearly 200 businesspeople stunned into silence.
The remark was one of many gathered from passers-by for a short film capturing the esteem in which Union Street was held by the people of Aberdeen. That was exactly a year ago, in November 2022, after an extended oil downturn, followed by the Covid pandemic, had left the Granite Mile a hollowed-out version of its former self.
It was played at the beginning of an emergency summit organised by Aberdeen Inspired and Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce; a warts-and-all look at what the street had become.
It was a sobering watch. Like most of us, I was familiar with the vacant units. But the bit I found hardest was the fact that people had clearly fallen out of love with our city centre.
It was a moment for reflection, for thinking about the missed opportunities of years gone by, but also time for a reset.
An idea was pitched: a new coalition that brought everyone together for a unique, community-led effort to deliver positive change. Our Union Street was born.
One year on, I think it’s important to reflect upon the huge progress that has been made since that afternoon in November last year.
Ideas, financial backing and an army of volunteers
That coalition now has seven major backers who have collectively pledged close to £1 million of funds over this and coming years. They include the Scottish Government, which has recognised the notable, community-led approach being taken here.
More important than any financial pledge is the backing of those who Union Street is for – and that is the people of this city and its surrounding Shire.
Before we did anything, we listened to input from anyone and everyone who wanted to improve the city centre. It was an invaluable exercise. We received 10,000 ideas, which became 17 action areas, and then five key themes.
Acting upon the public feedback, we now have a package of incentives in place which measure up to anything else on offer in the UK, including up to two years rent and rate-free on some of the Union Street units which have lain empty for the longest.
Work has also started on an enhanced digital presence, which will help us pull together details of all the vacant units in once place – a website which will underpin a major marketing effort due to get underway in the new year.
And, perhaps most importantly, we have an army of volunteers who are willing to give up their time and help make good things happen on Union Street.
Community effort can make this happen
People want Union Street to be a safe, busy, energetic, thriving thoroughfare that compares favourably with the best of the UK’s small cities. And they want somebody to take responsibility for addressing these challenges and improving the street; a consistent, concerted effort, with plans, actions and progress.
To date, there has been no single body that has the remit to take on these challenges and opportunities. That’s what we are all about.
We need to be realistic. We can’t turn back time and undo any historic actions and decisions – we can only start from now and make changes that improve the future.
It’s not a mess. It’s a city centre in transition, like many others up and down the country.
Everyone who wants to will get the chance to play their part
If Aberdeen feels a little more downtrodden than other peer cities, that’s because we’ve had greater challenges to deal with since the oil downturn to 2015. It can, and will, get better. But it will take a community effort to make it happen.
It feels like we are building one, and everyone who wants to will get the chance to play their part.
Union Street might be lacking shops at the moment, but it is clearly not lacking people power, and that gives me great optimism for the future.
Bob Keiller is chair of Our Union Street and of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, among other roles
Conversation