Final confirmation that John Lewis in the Bon Accord Centre will not reopen is a blow, not just for Aberdeen but the wider north and north-east.
Hopes that the retailer might move the department store to smaller premises in the Granite City have also been dashed by branch head Jamie Wishart, who stated that the brand’s time in the area “has come to an end”.
“Aberdeen is a special place,” he continued, “And I wish the city every success in the future.”
What that future might look like, though, still remains to be seen.
Aberdeen city centre must have the best chance possible of bouncing back post-pandemic
The number of empty shopfronts in the city centre has been steadily increasing throughout the pandemic. It is disheartening that a company as large and popular as John Lewis feels it cannot buck that trend, even with a dedicated taskforce in place, which was intended to find a solution to the situation we now find ourselves in.
Currently the north-east is left without a department store and – perhaps more pressingly – with an empty 200,000-square-foot space where one once stood.
As we move towards emerging from the Covid crisis, timing is crucial. Energy must quickly be put into making productive use of the John Lewis site, ensuring that Aberdeen city centre has the best chance possible of bouncing back post-pandemic.
It is undeniable that the landscape of the high street as we once knew it has changed, most likely irreversibly
Aberdeen is a special place that deserves special attention
It is undeniable that the landscape of the high street as we once knew it has changed, most likely irreversibly. However, rather than grieving over what we have lost, it is time to focus on how the city centre can evolve in order to meet the needs of the people who live, work and play there.
This mammoth task will require input and support from the council, government and business owners but, crucially, from citizens, too.
Jamie Wishart is correct: Aberdeen is a special place, and it deserves special attention.
If the former John Lewis is left to rot, we fear that the rest of the city centre will soon feel akin to a graveyard.
The Voice of the North is The Press & Journal’s editorial stance on what we think is the most important story of the day
