City gets ready to serve up Aberdeen Restaurant Week
Get your forks and knives ready – Aberdeen Restaurant Week is returning! Running from 1-14 November citywide, we are now asking local businesses to get involved and sign up to take part to make this our biggest and best one yet.
As businesses in the city centre continue to recover from the pandemic, it is hoped the popular event will have a positive knock-on effect on local restaurants, cafes and bistros and encourage people in to shop, enjoy Aberdeen’s cultural offering or make a night of it and enjoy a stay in one of the city’s hotels.
Read more about Aberdeen Restaurant Week & how to sign up here.
The laughs are back this Autumn with Comedy Nights and a Big Weekender announced
While comedy fans will need to wait till 2022 for the next full line up at Aberdeen International Comedy Festival, a series of one-off Festival nights and a big Comedy Weekender are planned for the autumn and beyond.
The 2022 festival will run from 6 - 16 October and Aberdeen Inspired are calling for venues that can host comedy shows to get in touch. With headliner Jack Dee already on sale the 2022 festival is gearing up to be the biggest yet.
In the meantime, Aberdeen Inspired has set up a series of festival nights over the coming months and a special Comedy Weekender in a few weeks’ time to encourage people back into the city centre.
Mega laughs and happy groans can be expected starting with Tez Ilyas on 30 September closely followed by funny ladies Sara Barron, Olga Koch and Luisa Omielan who will perform as part of the big Comedy Weekender taking place from October 8 to 10 this year at locations in the city centre.
To find out more and book tickets, head to the link here.
Treat your team with an Aberdeen Gift Card
This festive season give the perfect gift to your staff with the Aberdeen Gift Card. Starting at just £10 it is the perfect little thank you that gives them a world of choice in their pocket!
Accepted by over 200 city businesses including national brands such as M&S, Next and Waterstones as well as independent local businesses like Andrew Begg, No.10 and Annie Mo’s the gift card gives so much choice on what and where to spend it whilst supporting hundreds of local businesses.
If you’d like to find out more about placing a corporate order or becoming a member of the scheme (which is free to be part of) please email roule.wood@aberdeeninspired.com or simply click this link to place an order here.
Customised branded card holders can be offered and are free for bulk orders over a certain value.
True North makes a welcome return this weekend
This weekend marks the return of True North music festival, running from 23 – 26 Sep 2021. With an inspirational and vibrant line up of musicians over one unforgettable weekend the festival, now in its 7th year, is sure to attract thousands of people to the city centre this weekend providing a welcome boost for city centre businesses.
We are delighted to see the festival back featuring both new and iconic artists like of John Grant and Corrine Bailey Rae. Check out Aberdeen Performing Art’s full list of what’s on and get ready for a busy weekend!
https://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/true-north/
CBRE help clean up the community
Earlier this week employees from CBRE helped the local community, helping with the upkeep of the St Nicholas church yard. We are also encouraging other businesses looking for volunteering opportunities to get involved in environmental initiatives. The litter pick also falls in line with Recycle Week, which is an annual celebration of recycling, encouraging a week of positive action for the planet!
Innes Walker, Aberdeen Inspired city centre manager, said: “It was great to see CBRE leading by example and showing their commitment to the local community in this way. We would like to extend our thanks to their team who gave up their time to help benefit the city.
“It is so important for businesses to engage in their city and efforts like this make a massive contribution to communities, individuals, visitors and the life of the city as a whole. We would urge others looking for volunteer opportunities as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility to consider doing the same."
Read more about Recycle Week 2021 here.
Nuart Walking Tours
Our free guided tours are still running every Saturday at 11am until the end of October, departing from the Bon Accord Rooftop Garden. Lasting around 90 minutes and approx 1.5 miles long, we know there will be lots of hungry walkers roaming around the city centre, so why not head to one of our great city centre hospitality venues?!
Tour tickets must be pre-booked to ensure a safe experience for all. This helps us ensure we have enough volunteers to keep you safe on the streets and provide track and trace if needed in line with COVID-19 regulations. Book here.
The next few weeks are fully booked, but you can still book for a later date. Why not take yourself on a self-guided tour? Check out these West End and George Street videos we made to help you guide yourself on your own walking tour.
Are you interested in a private tour? These can be requested but are subject to the availability of one of our guides, email info@aberdeeninspired.com for more details.
Conference Delegate Offer Card Scheme
Aberdeen Convention & Events Bureau, part of VisitAberdeenshire, is reinstating their Delegate Offer Card scheme to help conference delegates make the most of their stay in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire and to help you promote your product to this market.
They are inviting businesses to submit special offers for the scheme, which will be featured on a special website for all conference and events delegates coming to the region, giving your product excellent profile. Conferences attract high spending customers who generate 20% more income per visit than leisure tourists, stay for an average of three nights, and often look to extend their stay pre or post conference.
The Aberdeen Convention & Events Bureau team is working with conference organisers to promote the offers to their delegates. The delegate offer card will only be made available to organisations holding conferences and exhibitions in the city, not public events or concerts. Offers are for delegates only and they can redeem the offer by showing their delegate badge.
The type of offer you make is entirely up to you and could be, for example, a % discount on food bills, retail purchases, tours or entrance tickets, an upgrade or a 2 for 1 offer. You can also specify any restrictions, for example days when the offer is not valid or a cap on the amount of discount.
If you would like to submit an offer, please send an email to businessevents@visitabdn.com
The curtain comes up at Tivoli Theatre!
After being closed for 17 months, the Tivoli Theatre is thrilled to announce that their curtain will rise again on August 29 with MJ Legacy, a tribute to the ‘King of Pop’. We can’t wait to attend the first show so look out for highlights on our social media stories.
With the reopening in sight, make sure and head over to their website to check out what's on and grab some tickets because the interval is over!
Levy payers in the city centre have welcomed the fantastic news that Shell will relocate to the Silver Fin building in the heart of Aberdeen.
The positive announcement has boosted confidence in the continued recovery of the city centre, with hopes that more companies will follow suit.
John Michie, of Charles Michie’s Pharmacy, described the move as one of great local and strategic importance. He said: “It is hugely welcome news, not just for our city centre but also wider Aberdeen and the UK. I think the knock-on effect of this announcement in terms of commercial pick up will be instantaneous, as this important decision removes any uncertainty about which way Aberdeen and the energy sector is moving.
“As neighbours of the Silver Fin, we congratulate all involved in making this happen and the Charles Michie pharmacy now has much more to celebrate than its own 100th anniversary.”
We will continue to work to encourage employers to make the move into the city centre, a key part of both the BID’s business plan and the city centre master plan."
Read more here.
John Lewis Vaccination Centre
The Aberdeen City Vaccination Centre is now open for business! You can drop in for your COVID-19 vaccination, anytime between 10.30am and 4.30pm, seven days a week. The centre is also open for booked appointments for COVID-19 and flu immunisation.
Aberdeen Jazz Festival returns
Aberdeen Jazz Festival has announced it will return to live performances with 18 concerts across the city this autumn. Following the festival’s successful online event earlier this year, it will be running from September 30 – October 10 with some of the leading names in Jazz performing at a range of venues.
For more information and tickets go to www.aberdeenjazzfestival.com.
Tour of Britain hailed a success
The UK’s top cycle race finished in the Granite City last weekend and event organisers hailed the “huge” potential economic impact. With TV coverage broadcast to millions of people around the world, it is hoped there will be a long-term boost to the region through increased tourism. The Tour of Britain will return to the North-East next year with the first stage setting off from Aberdeen, which could lead to a further boost for the area.
Read more here.
We are keen to find out what effect the Tour of Britain had on your business. Let us know by getting IN Touch with us at info@aberdeeninspired.com
Trinity team up with AB Medical in drug reversal treatment
Trinity Shopping Centre has teamed up with their training partner AB medical to provide comprehensive training to all their security team in the use of overdose reversal drug Naloxone. Naloxone is a drug which comes in the form of a nasal spray or an injected doze which can be given to someone that is suspected of having had an overdose; this drug can temporally reverse the effects of an overdose which can save lives.
Having been the first shopping centre in Scotland to have a Medical 1st response team which directly supports the efforts of the Scottish ambulance service, they have now completed another first in being the first shopping centre to have trained staff on site to be able to administer Naloxone.
Cheryl Jones owner of AB Medical commented: “I’m delighted to be doing another project with our friends at the Trinity Shopping Centre, they have been a great supporter of AB Medical & Dinky Doctors, and hearing about our recent training with our own team on the use of Naloxone they were keen to find out more and how to get involved with their team.”
Trinity Shopping Centre General Manger Linda Stewart said: “We are thrilled that we as a team can provide another first for the shopping centre, having fully trained staff being able to administer this potentially lifesaving drug. It’s fantastic that we can add this to our 1st response lifesaving equipment.”
Aberdeen Gift Card holders encouraged to ‘Spend it Soon’
It’s been nearly a year since we launched the Aberdeen Gift Card in November 2020, which has been hugely successful with over 5000 cards sold to date. Valid for 12 months from the date of purchase, some of these cards will expire in November, so we are encouraging gift card holders to spend it soon!
If your business accepts the Aberdeen Gift Card, then it is in your interests to push the message that the gift card is ‘accepted here’ as around 50% of people who are gifted a card will choose to use it at a new business and about 25% remain loyal customers after their initial purchase. Also, on average gift card customers will spend an additional 40% on top of the value on their card!
To help you promote your involvement we’ve produced a host of social media graphics to help you promote it. These templates can be easily added to your own social images, so your brand still sits front and centre but promotes the message that gift cards are accepted here.
Read more about the campaign here.
Alzheimer Scotland Business Lunch
Alzheimer Scotland’s very popular Business Lunch is back and would love for you to attend! Join them at the Aberdeen Business Lunch at The Chester Hotel from 12:00 – 13:30 on Tuesday 28th September.
This is a great opportunity to meet with a diverse audience of businesspeople in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. On arrival street food, tea and coffee will be available followed by an engaging presentation on the work Alzheimer Scotland is delivering with Scottish business. This will include an introduction to their award-winning dementia friend’s session and their new Brain Health Scotland initiative.
Read more here.
We’re Hiring – PR & Communication Officer
The Communications & PR Officer’s key responsibility is to foster positive media relations and generate compelling multi-channel external communications coverage for the organisation that further enhance our reputation with the media, levy payers and other key partners and stakeholders to promote Aberdeen City Centre.
Reporting to the Senior Project Manager (Comms) you’ll be shaping and delivering our media and public affairs work, which means looking after our proactive and reactive media work and helping us to engage meaningfully with levy payers, business partners, funding organisations, journalists, and decision makers.
Read more about how to apply here.
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