Aberdeen Inspired are behind the Aberdeen letters which are now an iconic image, synonymous with the Granite City. Image - Aberdeen Inspired
Aberdeen Inspired has thanked its levy payers for their vote of confidence in the city centre after giving the Business Improvement District a renewed five-year mandate.
Members of the BID have overwhelmingly voted in favour of another term - from 2026 to 2031 - for the organisation which works with and for city centre businesses to create a vibrant and welcoming city centre for everyone who works, lives and plays there.
A turnout of 53% of 614 levy payers voted 94% in favour of renewal in a ballot which closed yesterday (Thursday, June 25).
It will see Aberdeen Inspired continue to deliver a range of projects, initiatives and events, such as Aberdeen Gift Card, Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks, Nuart Aberdeen, and playing an instrumental role in bringing the Tall Ships Races to the city last year.
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: “We cannot thank our levy payers enough for this massive vote of confidence in the city centre and what the future holds for the heart of the Granite City.
“We know that so many of our city centre businesses are facing challenging times just now with soaring costs on so many fronts, so we do not – and never will - take their support for granted.
“Our pledge now is simple. We will work tirelessly for our levy payers, be their voice, champion their cause and strive to make our city centre vibrant, safe, welcoming and connected as we attract more people and their spending power into the city centre.”
The Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025, brought 500,000 visits to the city centre. Image - Kris Romanski, Sail Training International
Adrian said the Aberdeen Inspired team were humbled by and grateful for both the high turnout of voters and the overwhelming yes vote that came with it.
“This is the largest mandate Aberdeen Inspired has received since it first started in 2011 – and one of the strongest mandates ever given to a Scottish BID.”
Adrian said the renewed mandate for Aberdeen Inspired comes at a pivotal point for the regeneration of the city centre.
He said: “Within our five-year term, we will see the work on Union Street Central completed, the revamp of the Castlegate finished, and the exciting new Flint market built. All of this will set the stage for a rejuvenated and re-energised city centre.
“Aberdeen Inspired’s role will be to fill that stage with outstanding events, projects and initiatives to attract people from across the city and wider region into the city centre, give them good reasons to linger and, most importantly, encourage them to support local by spending with our levy-payers.”
Adrian said Aberdeen Inspired will not flinch away from the ‘tough stuff’ either, continuing its work in breathing new life into the upper floors on Union Street and leading on a renewed retail strategy for the city centre.
The BID will also act as a crucial business network for its levy-payers and make sure their voices are heard by movers and shakers in the city, he said.
Aberdeen Christmas Village is an essential part of the city's festive celebrations. Image - Glen Cairns Photography
“We have achieved so much already – the Aberdeen Gift Card being the most successful of its kind in the UK for the last three years, injecting £7.5 million into local bricks and mortar businesses, Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks is the largest of its kind in Scotland, and Nuart Aberdeen is recognised as one of the top six street art festivals in the world.
“We play a crucial role in bringing the joy of the Christmas Village to Aberdeen, we are working with Aberdeen Performing Arts on delivering the Aberdeen Comedy Festival and have partnered with Fierce Beer on the Aberdeen Beer Festival.
“We are looking forward to what more we can do in the coming years and what opportunities we can bring to our city and our levy payers as massive events, such as the upcoming World Rally Championships, arrive in the city.
“And, of course, we stand ready if there is ever an opportunity to welcome the Tall Ships back to Aberdeen.”
“The future is looking bright for our city centre, and Aberdeen Inspired will do all it can to make it sparkle even more for visitors, residents, and our levy-payers.”
Aberdeen Inspired is funded through a set levy paid by all eligible businesses in the BID area, which covers most of the city centre. The BID is also able attract additional funding for projects from other sources, such as public sector bodies including Aberdeen City Council, the Scottish Government, the UK Government plus other revenue streams it identifies.