An artists' impression of how Union Street will look once the works are finished. Image - Supplied by Aberdeen City Council.
Aberdeen Inspired will strongly support the clear message Union Street will remain “open for business” during the transformational works to upgrade the Granite Mile and build the new Aberdeen Market.
Aberdeen City Council has announced work on the £60 million facelift will start on April 29 in what is being hailed as the biggest upgrade in the street’s 200-year history.
Buses will be turned away from Market Street to Bridge Street to allow a £20 million facelift of the 300-metre section of Union Street Central, which is expected to take at least 20 months to complete.
The work will widen pavements, reduce the road to one lane each way and include bike lanes. The council will also build a new £ 40 million food and drink market in place of the long-shut BHS premises.
Look to future with an artists' impression of the Union Street Central once the work is done. Image - Supplied by Aberdeen City Council.
City leaders have made it clear that while there will be inevitable disruption during the work, pedestrian access to all shops and businesses on Union Street Central will be maintained during the upgrade and building of the market.
Council co-leaders Christian Allard and Ian Yuill both emphasised the city centre will be “open for business” when they announced the start date for the work.
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: “Let there be no doubt the £20 million revamp of Union Street Central and the £40 million new Aberdeen Market represent a significant investment in the future of the Granite Mile.
“But there is also no doubt there will be challenges ahead in the coming months – although the end result will be a better city centre for people to visit and enjoy.”
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, says the message Union Street is open for business cannot be said loudly enough or often enoughy. Image - Aberdeen Inspired.
Mr Watson said the “open for business” message was of paramount importance in the coming months and would be an overriding focus of the Business Improvement District.
“’Open for business’ is a rallying cry that cannot be said loudly enough or often enough - not just by the council, but by all the stakeholders invested in the future of Aberdeen city centre, including individual businesses.
“Aberdeen Inspired will be working tirelessly to get that message out – as I am sure all stakeholders will be. At every opportunity we will inform the public - both in the city and further afield - that businesses on Union Street and the city centre are waiting to greet customers and clients and that they need their vital support.
Union Street as it looks today. Image - Aberdeen Inspired
“We stand ready to help our levy payers in every way we can, from ensuring they can find the information they need during these works, to helping them tell their story and get their messages out to a wider audience.
“No one is under any illusion the coming months will be easy – but with everyone working together and with the support of the public, we can make it as painless as possible as we work towards a better Union Street and city centre.”
Full details of the work can be found in today’s Press & Journal.