Welcome to your latest In Touch newsletter
There is no doubt that 2026 has not got off to a great start for Aberdeen’s vital retail sector.
January is traditionally a lean month for retail as people rein in their post-Christmas spending and it wasn’t helped by the terrible weather hitting hard just as the January sales got underway.
That was why Aberdeen Inspired urged people to get back out and support their bricks and mortar shops as soon as they were able – a habit we urge people to get into all year round.
But it is far from all doom and gloom. Our shopping centres are flourishing, with Union Square, Bon Accord and the Trinity Centre constantly announcing new openings and reporting higher footfall and healthy spending figures from shoppers.
There are so many independent and niche traders in our city centre along with all the major brands and big-name shops you could want.
Aberdeen, for all its challenges, still offers the best retail experience north of the Central Belt by a country mile – one that attracts people in from across the north-east, including Inverurie, Peterhead, Fraserburgh and the like. Aberdeen is, and always will be, the regional city of the north-east of Scotland.
Our city is far from unique in suffering challenging times. You don’t have to travel far to find other cities and large towns facing the same problems as Aberdeen and faring far worse.
That's why there is a concerted effort by bodies across the UK to work together to find ways to regenerate, re-invent and re-energise our High Streets. Aberdeen Inspired sits at the heart of many of these both at a local, Scottish and UK-wide level.
One thing that has emerged from various discussions is places which do better are those where people are invested in their city or town centre, support it and want it to do well. That is why it is vital we talk Aberdeen up at every opportunity.
Our Aberdeen Gift Card is now supported by more than 300 traders who are reaping the benefit of every penny spent on a gift card being spent in a bricks and mortar business. It has generated £7.7 million for the local economy since it was introduced in 2020.
Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks is returning in February and we already have restaurants, bars and cafes rushing to be part of it, welcoming the boost it gives their trade in traditionally quiet months.
Over and above all those direct actions, we are pulling together a retail and property strategy, with expert input, to help revive the city centre.
And our trailblazing upper floors project is looking at all the empty or under-used spaces above ground level on Union Street to see how they can be brought back to life.
Be assured, every single thing Aberdeen Inspired does is to attract people into the city centre and to support bricks and mortar businesses here. That is, after all, our raison d'etre.
Best wishes,
Adrian Watson,
Chief Executive, Aberdeen Inspired
STORIES
Image credits - Aberdeen Inspired
Your chance to take a first look at Aberdeen city centre’s roadmap to retail revival
Join us for a business breakfast where Jonathan De Mello, founder of JDM Retail, presents the key findings from Aberdeen Inspired’s Retail and Property Strategy.
This evidence-based review was commissioned by Aberdeen Inspired, with support from Aberdeen City Council, to assess the city centre market, identify gaps in the retail, leisure and hospitality offer, compare Aberdeen with similar places, and recommend practical next steps to attract brands that add value and diversity.
Building on themes already discussed publicly, Jonathan will focus on what the strategy means in practice for city centre businesses, highlighting the key opportunities, challenges and priorities for Aberdeen.
Image credits - Aberdeen Inspired
Nuart Aberdeen will set phasers to stunning when it beams in this April
When Nuart Aberdeen arrives in the Granite City this April, it will be at warp speed with phasers set to stunning.
That’s because event curator Martyn Reed is boldly going where no one has gone before - creating the world’s first poetry and text-based street art festival.
And he is especially thrilled after having some “eureka” moments after several days scouting for city centre walls to be transformed by world-class artists.
Image credits - Aberdeen Jazz Festival
Aberdeen Inspired welcomes Aberdeen Jazz Festival
Aberdeen Inspired has welcomed the return of the Aberdeen Jazz Festival – saying it is an event that will help the Granite City hit the high notes this March.
The festival is back for its 23rd year with a rich and varied programme that lets music lovers experience and discover world-class talent, electrifying performances and community-focused events.
Despite the recent closure of one of its main venues - the Gallowgate’s iconic Blue Lamp - the broad and ambitious new line-up of sites and performers will offer something for everyone when it runs from March 12 to 22.
Image credits - Spectra Aberdeen
Get ready to trip the light fantastic when Spectra blazes into Aberdeen
Aberdeen Inspired is delighted to support Spectra, Scotland’s Festival of Light, which will burst into glorious life next week.
The hugely-popular event, which attracts thousands of people into the city centre, will return from Thursday, February 5, to Sunday, February 8, featuring giant glowing blooms, kinetic circles of light, fire-filled gardens, suspended handmade lanterns and architectural illusions. Key city locations, including Aberdeen Art Gallery, Union Terrace Gardens, Marischal Square and St Nicholas Kirkyard, will be transformed with an immersive programme of 12 installations and activations.
Aberdeen City Council is offering grants to local businesses to support their offerings throughout the festival. Businesses can find out more here: https://orlo.uk/kMgUA
Also, if you are a business that stays open during the festival and plan to run any promotions, please share these details with spectra@mucklemedia.co.uk
Image credits - VisitAberdeenshire
VisitAberdeenshire urges businesses to get on board for the 2026 cruise season
In 2025, Aberdeen welcomed 65 cruise ships and over 43,000 guests and crew, a remarkable 79% increase in visitor numbers from 2024.
With even more cruise ship calls expected in 2026, VisitAberdeenshire says this is the time to position your business in front of thousands of high-spending international visitors arriving at the heart of the city with their tailored Cruise Advertising Packages
VA say these offer unique visibility across: Quayside advertising opportunities, their popular visitor map, in print and digital formats, the Welcome to Aberdeenshire volunteer information trailer as well as VisitAberdeenshire’s high-traffic website
Each year, thousands of printed maps are distributed directly to cruise visitors by our Welcome to Aberdeenshire volunteer team, inspiring them to explore the city and surrounding areas to discover local businesses, attractions, and experiences.
Make your business part of their journey in 2026.
To find out more, contact Gemma Laing, Advertising Sales Executive: gemma.laing@visitabdn.com 07843 976 697
Image credits - Polish Mini Festival
Mini festival in Aberdeen celebrates close bonds between Scotland and Poland
The Polish-Scottish Mini Festival 2026 celebrates nine years of connecting cultures in Aberdeen.
The festival is now underway and will run to March, featuring a rich artistic programme featuring established artists and international partners, including exhibitions, music, cinema and dance.
That includes a Polish-Scottish ceilidh on Saturday, January 31, at Pittodrie Stadium. You can find tickets here.
For more information on the complete programme for the festival, click here.
Image credits - Aberdeen Performing Arts
REVIEW: A perfect January escape: Mamma Mia! brings Greek Island magic to Aberdeen
As a big fan of stage shows - and musicals in particular - I’m not sure why it has taken me over 25 years to finally catch a performance of Mamma Mia! But I’m glad I did.
For anyone unfamiliar, Mamma Mia! is a joyful, heartwarming musical set on a beautiful Greek island, where a young bride-to-be, Sophie (Lydia Hunt), sets out to discover the identity of her father by inviting three men from her mother Donna’s (Jenn Griffin) past to her wedding.
What follows is a story full of love, laughter, friendship, and family - all told through the iconic songs of ABBA.
Read the full review of Mamma Mia! Musical