IN Touch - Issue 11

Record breaking sales for the Aberdeen Gift Card

The Aberdeen gift card has been heralded as the most successful local scheme in the UK with record breaking sales reaching nearly half a million pounds since its launch a little over a year ago.

The scheme, brought to the city by Aberdeen Inspired, is part of the organisations drive to aid business in their recovery from the pandemic. Ground-breaking developments such as the digital version of the card, unveiled just before Christmas, and considerable buy in from local organisations have helped sales skyrocket to record levels.

Adrian Watson, Chief Executive at Aberdeen Inspired said, “It’s fantastic to see the people of Aberdeen supporting their city centre and in turn supporting local retailers, restaurants and the likes through buying an Aberdeen Gift Card. As we navigate through Covid-19 we are grateful for the support shown to the city centre by the public and continue to encourage North-East consumers to continue to safely support Aberdeen City Centre’s brick and mortar businesses, at a time where it has never been more needed.

“In December alone sales topped £190,000 up 37% on the previous year underlining the public’s desire to support the local economy and shop local at the hundreds of businesses who accept the card. On average a person gifted a card will spend an additional 40% on top of the cards value when redeeming it, so it really is delivering a much-needed boost to the local economy.

“We are reassured by how popular this scheme has become with companies such as Shell, CNR, Aberdeen Performing Arts and Aberdeen Harbour Board amongst many organisations who have showed support at a corporate level by choosing to purchase local gift card cards for their employees in the run up to Christmas rather than buying from a national scheme like Amazon.

“We are confident that it will continue to go from strength to strength with the introduction of the digital offering which opens the scheme up to the growing number of consumers who choose to use their phones as their primary method of payment. This also allows almost every business in the city the chance to be part of the Aberdeen Gift Card scheme as most places now accept mobile payment methods.”

The Aberdeen Gift Card scheme is free for any business to be part of and does not cost the consumer anything. Unlike single store gift cards the city scheme offers the consumer a wide choice of where to spend their gift and the more businesses which are part of the scheme the more attractive the product becomes. On average a person gifted a card will spend an additional 40% on top of the cards value when redeeming it, so it really pays for local businesses to be part of the scheme. Aberdeen Inspired welcome any business who want to join the scheme to get in touch here.

Read the full story here.

Aberdeen Launches First Digital Gift Card

Aberdeen is one step closer to creating a digital city centre after becoming one of the first places in the UK to launch its own digital version of the hugely successful Aberdeen Gift Card.

The local gift card is now available as an e-card which can be sent instantly to the recipient’s phone by text or email after purchasing the digital gift card online.

Recipients download the Love Local app, add the balance to their digital wallet on their smartphone and can then spend it in one of the 200 Aberdeen businesses which accept the card.

The introduction of the new digital gift card is the latest initiative launched by Aberdeen Inspired to support businesses and position Aberdeen for the future by enhancing digital connectedness. Read more here.

The more businesses that participate the more attractive the Aberdeen Gift Card becomes to customers as it gives them more choice on where to spend it. To join the FREE scheme, get in touch here & to view where you can spend your gift card, click here.

And remember, if your business accepts the physical version of the card please ensure staff are familiar with how to take payment. If you need training or support materials get in touch or read our merchants payment guide here.

Deadline looms for Hospitality Business Support Top Up Grants

The deadline for submitting the self-declaration form that entitles hospitality sector businesses to be granted their top up support payment is 31 January 2022.

By now hospitality businesses eligible to receive the grant will have received an email from Aberdeen City Council with the link to the form. Hospitality business support top up grants will provide some financial support to businesses in the hospitality sector affected by the latest public health advice.

Ewan Mclean, Evening and Night Time Economy Manager at Aberdeen Inspired said, “It’s imperative that hospitality businesses complete and return the form as soon as possible. The additional financial losses to the sector have quite frankly been devastating for businesses. The further restrictions came at a time when the sector should have been starting to recoup some of the costs from the previous years restricted trading, instead of which there were more disruptions to their operations which has had a major impact on their ability to stay in business.

“I encourage all businesses eligible for the funding to apply quickly. Hospitality businesses are entitled to the grant, and this will provide some support for the losses faced throughout the festive period. Aberdeen Inspired continue to lobby at both a local and national level to ensure that business gets the much-needed support it deserves, not just in the short term but going forward.”

All eligible businesses should have received an email from Aberdeen City Council and it is imperative that you fill out the form. The self-declaration form must be completed by January 31 to receive the grant for your business.

Almost a third of businesses have said they could face a risk of collapse if the pandemic is to continue. The Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG) said its members took only 20% of earnings from the previous year during the crucial Christmas trading period. It is estimated that each premises lost an average of £12,000 per week.

If as a previously eligible business you have not yet received the link to the self-declaration form today, please make sure to check spam and junk folders in your email. If the email is not found, please contact businessgrowthteam@aberdeencity.gov.uk.

For new hospitality premises which did not receive the SFBF last year or started trading after April 2021 may still be eligible for the fund but will need to apply through a new application from which can be found here.

Spectacular SPECTRA returns to the City Centre next month

Spectra, Aberdeen’s festival of light will return to the city next month from Thursday 10 February to Sunday 13 February.

The celebrated event will see leading names from the UK and around the world creating a stunning lightscape across the city centre at locations including Marischal College, Upperkirkgate, Schoolhill, Marischal Square, and Aberdeen Art Gallery inspired by Scotland’s Year of Stories. The line-up includes artists who have previously created spectacular light, sound and sensory installations with works creatively named Museum of the Moon, Hypercube, Pendulum Wave Machine and Trumpet Flowers!

Popular with locals and visitors alike it’s a great opportunity for businesses in the city centre to showcase their products and services to the thousands of people who will come into the city centre after dark. Levy payers are encouraged to get creative and become involved by creating their own ‘festival themed stories’ for festival goers to enjoy as part of their visit. We have a few suggestions, bars could create a festival mocktail or cocktail which showcases the flavours of Scotland, shops could showcase of gifts which weave a nice Scottish tale or businesses could get creative with their own window and spaces by using light to add to the overall theme of the festival.

As part of the festival there is also an online catalyst conference which will concentrate on the theme #CultureIsNotALuxury and seeks to create new partnerships across heritage, arts, public space and education. More information can be found here.

To get in touch with the festival about how you can become involved as a business click here.

Local App developers encouraged to submit proposals

We are looking to create a bespoke app to promote the city centre to both locals and visitors. The app will be used to share information about the city, highlight special offers and promote Aberdeen Inspired events, such as the Aberdeen International Comedy Festival, Aberdeen Restaurant Week, the Inspired Nights street food festival and Aberdeen Christmas Village, as well as the street art created for the internationally renowned Nuart festival.

We are now inviting local companies to submit proposals for the development of the Aberdeen Inspired app, with the aim of launching the tool in the summer. Read more here.

To register interest in submitting a proposal, please get in touch here. The closing date for submissions is 24 January 2022.

Two more suspended signs added to city centre

Two more illuminated signs have been installed in the city centre to help highlight the city’s key areas and to enhance the current wayshowing offering. The latest signs added are on Windmill Brae and the other on Langstane Place. The final three signs will be installed in the coming weeks.

This project was made possible due to funding secured by Aberdeen Inspired from the Scottish Government Town Centre Fund in 2019 specifically for the design and install of signs to encourage pedestrian movement within the city centre.

New noodle bar to open in Union Square

Great news for foodies! Exciting plans have been put forward to fill an empty unit in Union Square with a new Itsu restaurant. Offering delicious, healthy Asian inspired food, this new to Aberdeen business is going to hit the spot for local food lovers seeking somewhere different to try.

This will be the second Itsu to open in Scotland after the first venue opens in Edinburgh next month. No opening date has been revealed as of yet, so look out for updates!

Read more here.

Regional Startup Accelerator – apply now!

If you, or someone you know, is looking to start their own business this year, or wants to be their own boss, the innovation team at Robert Gordon University are encouraging you to apply to their accelerator programme. The programme is open to anyone living in Aberdeen City or Aberdeenshire with ideas from any sector and is completely free to apply and take part in. The benefits you can get include:

£5000 funding for your business idea
Five months of business training from January to May 2022
Free city centre co-working space
Dedicated industry mentorship
Opportunity to pitch for funding at showcase event

Applications close Sunday 16 January 2022 – find out more and apply here.

Comedy comes to town

If the January Blues are getting you down then fear not we hope to bring two well-loved comedians to the city this month and next, if indoor events are given the go ahead. The dark but deeply funny Daniel Sloss will take to the stage at the Music Hall on 28 January followed by Scotland’s award winning funny man Gary Meikle, known for his social media rants about eyebrows on 18 February, both as one off ‘Festival Night’ gigs rescheduled from the postponed 2020 event.

We are busy programming the full line up for the October festival with acts announced so far including the droll but hugely entertaining Jack Dee, oversized collar comedian Harry Hill, off the wall and unmissable Milton Jones and returning festival favourites like Harriet Kemsley, Sofie Hagen and Jordan Brookes. Find out more here.

If you have a space that you’d like to be considered as hosting space for one of the comedy festival gigs then get in touch with us here.

BID Network Meetings

We have been busy reviewing our business engagement strategy within the BID and plan to launch our rebranded BID networks this year, to more clearly indicate their scope and purpose - a network for levy payers operating within the defined BID area of the city to come together to share information and contribute to Aberdeen Inspired’s overall strategy for the city centre. We plan to kick off with the Uptown/West End BID network (merged) and Union Street BID network and thereafter the Merchant Quarter BID network. The first two meetings will take place virtually and we are delighted to invite all levy paying businesses in those areas to join us. Union Street BID network
25 January at 3pm Uptown/West End BID network meeting
26 January at 10.30am The agendas at all future meetings will be organised under Aberdeen Inspired’s four key priorities:

Helping your business
Promoting our city
Attractive city centre
Safe and secure

Your contributions continue to add a great deal of value and we really appreciate your time and input. Any business wishing to attend should contact Roulè Wood, Business Engagement Manager here.

Bon Accord Baths Survey

Working with Indigo Project Solutions, Bon Accord Heritage are undertaking the final stage of their feasibility study into the future of Bon Accord Baths.

The feasibility study is a key part of the project development process and the information provided will shape their next steps and how the project develops - they need as many views as possible so they can make the decisions necessary for the Baths to reflect what the community needs.

Complete the survey here > https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HBG3CV6

Hit the January sales!

If you haven’t been sale shopping yet, now is the time before all the bargains disappear. Head to Bon Accord Aberdeen, the Trinity Centre or Union Square or any of shops in the city centre to see what the city’s fantastic retailers have on offer!

Sale shopping is also the perfect time to spend your Aberdeen Gift Card if you received one for Christmas. Check out the full list of businesses who accept the card here, and if you are a business who wants to sign up to get accept the card (which is completely free!) then get in touch here.

Please remember to be respectful of staff, other shoppers and follow government guidelines when shopping.

Dining out for Veganuary

If you're vegan, looking to have a more plant-based January or simply setting yourself a challenge - our city centre restaurants and cafes have you covered with plenty of Vegan options for you to choose from. These are just a select few of our city centre businesses who offer up Vegan options:

Foodstory
Bonobo
Wagamama
Namaste Delhi
The Craftsman Company

Head to our Instagram to see our full guide to dining out this Veganuary.

What’s on at Belmont Filmhouse

January can be a quiet month, so why not treat yourself and head out to the cinema. Check out what’s on at Belmont Filmhouse below:

The Tragedy of Macbeth
Titane
Licorice Pizza
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain

For more information and to book tickets, click here.

Call for submissions for Aberdeen Arts Centre’s ‘Bar Scrawl’

Aberdeen Arts Centre is looking for promising new writers to submit their scripts and sketches for the venue’s upcoming creative writing event.

The theme this time around is ‘Twist - how you interpret that is up to you! They are looking for scripts featuring up to three characters (under 10 minutes in length) an the selected pieces will be performed ‘script in hand’ by a group of professional actors. Audience members will be invited to leave feedback on each piece to help you develop your scripts further.

Find out more and how to get involved here.

Outdoor Seating Permissions

Aberdeen City Council would like to remind pubs, restaurants & cafes that they will need permissions to retain outdoor seating from 25 January 2022 as the temporary relaxation of controls for Covid-19 will cease at 11.59pm on 24 January 2022.

These permissions may include:

Planning Permission
Street Occupation/Pavement Café Permit
Building Warrant
Licensing

If you want to retain / use a structure or outdoor seating beyond 24 January 2022, it is recommended that you contact ACC via the link here to find out which permissions are required.

Nominate a City Centre Green Space today

After successfully developing parklets at two very popular locations on Huntly Street and Holburn Street using the Scottish Town Centre Fund, Aberdeen Inspired have now successfully applied for further funding to allow the project to be expanded.

We are now asking for levy payers to suggest appropriate areas within the BID, where they believe such developments would be beneficial and also where businesses may potentially be willing to support the project by adopting limited responsibility for the installation. Get in touch with your suggestions here.

Aberdeen Art Gallery Highlights for 2022

As the Gallery sets up for another great year, we take a look at the line-up of exhibitions for 2022 that locals and visitors from beyond will be able to experience and enjoy in the heart of Aberdeen City Centre. The popular Schoolhill venue hosts a variety of exhibitions encouraging people into the city including displays which opened in 2021 but will remain in the gallery through part of 2022

Zandra Rhodes: 50 Years of Fabulous (until March 20)
Kenny Hunter: Sculpture Court (Until October 30)
Diamond Celebration: 60 Years of the Embroiderers’ Guide in Aberdeen (Until February 27)
Art Fund Museum of the Year Micro-Commissions (Until March 6)
Aberdeen Cares: Celebrating 150 Years of Voluntary Services Aberdeen (March 12 – May 29)
Frances Walker (March 19 – June 12)
Aberdeen Artists Society: Facing Forward (April 16 – July 3)
Galloway Hoard: Viking-age Treasure (July 30 – October 23)
Jerwood Art Fund Makers’ Open 2021 (November 19 – March 4 2023)

Online Exhibitions include:

100 Years of Insulin: The Aberdeen Story (until January 31)
Joan Eardley: Works of Paper (Until May 18)

For more information and to book tickets, click here.

Major Revamp proposed for HMT

New plans have been submitted from Aberdeen Performing Arts to help curb further losses for His Majesty’s Theatre as the city navigates through Covid-19. Currently performances have been cancelled until at least 16 January, with an opening date yet to be announced and dependent on the relaxation of restrictions on indoor events.

The plans include a proposed revamp for HMT to create more room for social distancing and allowing them to remain a viable business. The renovation will focus on the glass extension that was added to the building around 20 years ago.

The council owned building operated by Aberdeen Performing Arts was designated an A-listed building in 1973. To create some extra space near the box office and make additional room for people queuing, they plan to remove the staircase and get rid of the café. Instead, they will also create a new café bar on the floor above, offering striking views over the new Union Terrace Garden.