We’re ready to dish up Aberdeen Restaurant Week!
Aberdeen Restaurant Week is here and it’s off to a great start with many restaurants already booked up for the first week!
Running from 1 - 14 November, Aberdeen Restaurant Week provides the perfect platform for restaurants and cafes across Aberdeen to showcase what they have on offer and gives diners the chance to experience a wide range of cuisines while taking advantage of the special deals offered by all the participating eateries. Make sure your customers know you’re taking part by downloading our media pack here.
We're still accepting last minute restaurant sign-ups, so if you want to take part please visit our website here for more details.
Over 40 restaurants, bistros and cafes from across the city have signed up to take part, it’s a great chance to take advantage of unique dining offers with colleagues, friends and family so be sure to make your reservations soon. Remember to tell your staff, friends, and family about Aberdeen Restaurant Week so they can get out and about to support the local dining scene and help make this the biggest and best one the city has ever seen.
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 Hamish Munro, 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. Read more here.
If you’d like to find out more about placing a corporate order or want to accept the card (free to be part of) please email roule.wood@aberdeeninspired.com or simply click this link to place an order.
Customised/branded card holders can be offered and are free for bulk orders over a certain value. To find out more about the gift card you can also visit our website.
New businesses join the Aberdeen Gift Card scheme
With around 200 businesses in Aberdeen City already signed up, the Aberdeen Gift Card is delivering a much-needed boost directly back into local economy. We have had several new retailers and hospitality businesses join the free scheme recently, so here are some of the new places where you can spend the Aberdeen Gift Card:
- Kirkview Café - Bloom Lifestyle Salon
- Mi Amore Restaurant - Breadmaker
- The Ashvale Fish Restaurant and Takeaway
Want to join the free scheme? Click here & check out our full list of businesses that accept the gift card here.
We would also remind all businesses that accept the card to ensure all staff are familiar with how to take payment using a gift card as we head into the busy Christmas period. We know many of you recruit seasonal staff so make sure they are briefed to how to process the card. If you need training or support materials get in touch or read our merchants payment guide here.
Christmas is back at Curated in the Quad
Ho Ho Ho! Our Holiday Christmas Market is returning to Marischal College's Quadrangle this year in partnership with Curated Aberdeen by Charlie House.
Levy payers, such as Lush and OGV, have taken part in successful markets in previous years and applications have been rolling in from city businesses and local traders.
The deadline for applications has been extended & we are specifically looking for stallholders for the opening weekend! Applications can be submitted online here.100% of stallholder fees will go to Charlie House, to support the incredible work they do in our local area. Curated in the Quad will run every Friday - Sunday starting from 19 Nov until 19 Dec.
Curated Aberdeen within Bon Accord will still be operating as usual throughout November and December with both markets providing a perfect shop local option to the city centre scene this Festive Season.
‘What’s On’ at Aberdeen Performing Arts
It’s been nearly 2 months since Aberdeen Performing Arts reopened all their venues. They have loved welcoming audiences to live entertainment and the atmosphere has been brilliant. Their new Autumn/Winter brochure is available online now, or you can pick up from His Majesty’s Theatre, the Music Hall and the Lemon Tree.
Hit shows include musicals The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Rock of Ages, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, plus Penn and Teller’s comic catastrophe Magic Goes Wrong, and beautiful family dance production The Lost Happy Endings join a packed line up at His Majesty’s Theatre, which includes some of the biggest shows from the West End. The line-up at the Music Hall includes the return of Scotland’s national orchestras, rock legends including Paul Weller, and a feast of huge comedy talent from Sarah Millican to Alan Carr.
Spectacular pantomime Beauty and the Beast is set to fill His Majesty’s Theatre with festive cheer this Christmas. They’re all very excited to have panto back on the stage this year and we know they can’t wait to see you!
To find out WHAT"S ON click here to view the latest brochures for HMT, The Music Hall and The Lemon Tree.
Chancellor confirms millions for new Aberdeen market development
Last week, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak kicked off the Autumn 2021 budget with a commitment of £20 million to the new market development in Aberdeen City Centre, through the UK ‘levelling up’ fund.
Aberdeen Inspired is committed to seeing further roll out of the City Centre Masterplan in the coming weeks and months, as we aim to build a regional city centre that we can all be proud of. Of course, like most other large towns and city centres there is a challenge or two, but all the more reason for us to drive forward in meaningful partnership, in building from the heart of this great city out.
Read the full article from the Press & Journal here.
Restaurant returns to Union Square
Union Square are excited to be welcoming Handmade Burger Co back. They are open every day from 11.30am to 10pm & Blue Light Card holders can redeem a 20% discount on their bill. Read more here.
In other news, Union Square celebrated their 12th year of opening last week! Pop in and check out what they have on offer, whether that’s for a bit of shopping, a meal or even heading to the cinema!
The Green House opens in Bon Accord Centre
Opening this week and based on the top floor of the Bon Accord Centre, The Green House is thought to be the only garden centre in the UK based inside a shopping mall. It’s great to see a new store opening up in the city centre and hopefully there are more to follow!
Bon Accord Centre manager Craig Stevenson said: “The popularity of gardening has grown exponentially in the past couple of years, and we are delighted that Bon Accord has opened the first city centre garden centre in Scotland.
“The Green House joins other recent openings Curated Aberdeen and Scone in providing a showcase for the best north-east businesses can offer.”
Read more here.
Under The Hammer opens tomorrow!
The wait is (almost) over. Under the hammer will be re-opening tomorrow, Friday 5th November at 5pm!
You can look forward to classic cask ales, award winning beers by Fierce Beer , signature cocktails by their team, sharing platters, extensive wine selection by Corney and Barrow and a lot more.
Read more about their plans in the Evening Express article here.
Free support to start or grow your business
Business Gateway Aberdeen City & Shire offers free expert advice and support to businesses at all stages.
Whether you are thinking about starting up, have newly launched your business, or are looking to grow your existing business in Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire, your local Business Gateway advisers are on hand to offer 1:1 advice over the phone, video call or email.
The team has a wealth of experience, resources and webinars to teach you everything you need to know to boost your business know-how. Business Gateway also hosts events for you to grow your network and connect with other local business owners.
Furthermore, your local Aberdeen City & Shire team offers in depth services which are designed to offer expert help in areas such as digital marketing, sales, strategy, recruitment and developing your workforce.
Find out more and contact their team here.
Union Street Business Network Meeting
Aberdeen Inspired are delighted to announce a Union Street Business Network meeting to be held on 15th November at 3pm at Orega, in the Silver Fin Building on Union Street.
Levy paying business owners and/ or managers trading on and around Union Street are welcome to attend by sending an RSVP by return to receive full details of the meeting agenda and venue information.
Key agenda items will include:
• Update on City Centre Master Plan
• Aberdeen Inspired Business Plan overview and key priorities for the next 5 years.
• Aberdeen Inspired events and projects update
If you would like to attend, please RSVP to info@aberdeeninspired.com
Aberdeen Local Transport Strategy Consultation
The Aberdeen Local Transport Strategy is the plan for the development of the City’s transport network over a five-year period. It includes a list of actions to be completed over the 5-year period & deals with different types and subjects of transport including walking, wheeling, cycling, public transport, freight, taxis, motorcycles, car sharing, car clubs, car and van use, parking, maintenance and low carbon fuels.
They want to understand what you consider to be the main issues currently facing the transport network in Aberdeen as well as what you think works well, what needs improvement and how you think things could be improved, so they are starting this process with their Main Issues Consultation
Make your views heard here. Consultation closes Sunday 14 November.
Aberdeen licensed premises urged to be alert to spiking incidents
A series of posts have been shared online about cases of spiking by injection in Scottish cities in recent weeks with an incident at an Aberdeen premises on October 15 under investigation by Police Scotland.
City centre licensed premises are being urged to take proactive measures to address any spiking issues and anyone with any any information or suspicion about spiking is urged to report these to the police as soon as possible by calling Police Scotland on 101.
The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has published guidance for licensed premises and customers. Click this link to read what you can do to safeguard your staff and customers.
Aberdeen Inspired will also be working and lobbying at a national level alongside the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM) to look at incorporating safety measures as part of the Purple Flag safer city accreditation which Aberdeen has held for 8 years.
Spot anti-social behaviour, call 101!
As the city centre gets busier, we have been made aware there has also been a rise in anti-social behaviour especially surrounding fast-food outlets, the City Church Yard and on the top deck of the Bon Accord Centre.
We strongly recommend our levy payers utilise the 101 system to report all concerning incidents. This is critical to ensuring that Police Scotland are fully aware of the issues in the city centre and can resource them appropriately.
Aberdeen Inspired are always willing to help assist our levy payers and wish to know about these concerns, however, we are not a substitute for reporting incidents to the police.
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