I see an old pal of mine has been havin’ a bit of a laugh about Abermoaners – locals who keep complaining about the city.
Russell Borthwick, who heads up the Chamber of Commerce, used to be a colleague of mine on the EE donkey’s years ago and mony a laugh we used to have thegither.
He features in a satirical video aimed at drowning oot the Dismal Jimmys and urging them to get behind all the new developments in the pipeline.
Well Russell, m’loon, I suspect I’m one of the AberMoaners you’ve got in your firing line.
Yes, and I will continue to moan about these confounded bus gates which have caused a huge split not only in the council but also between the ruling administration and hundreds of traders fighting for their livelihoods.
Pretty sure your Chamber is not a fan either. As someone else said the other day, the plan is plain bonkers. A bosker of a municipal mistake as well as scandalously badly handled.
And yes, I’ve yet to be convinced about the rightly-described vanity projects, like ‘upgrading’ Union Street, Broad Street and all that Fantasy Island guff being planned for our dear beach, which needs nothing but a new adventure playground for kids.
And I’m still getting ower my disappointment about Union Terrace Gardens,which barely looks ony different from the wye it used to be before millions were ploughed into it.
Aye, that’s the rub, the Abermoaners begrudge huge sums being spent on such ’tarting up’ schemes when services are being pared to the bone.
Last year libraries were axed, this year council workers facing fewer hours and we dread to think fit else. And no, Russell, I’m afraid we are not a vocal minority. I suspect the majority of Aberdonians are just sad to see their beloved city being so misguidedly managed.
Moreen Simpson is a former assistant editor of the Evening Express and The Press and Journal and started her journalism career in 1970.
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