r/Aberdeen • u/DanteCorwyn • 1d ago
Wanted events in Aberdeen
I saw the below earlier and got me wondering, what events would people actually like to see in Aberdeen? We've got a massive exhibition centre, and a few smaller venues in town , but we do struggle to have things happen.
For example, I'd like a return of the outdoor markets that used to happen on Belmont Street, Union Terrace, Castle gate etc (obviously when the Castle gate is fixed up), and there was a big video game event about 7 years ago that had developers, universities etc. And TECA to get more acts up here, not just Boyzone or whatever boy band was a thing 30 years ago (and stocks for the brats throwing stones at the buses).
https://www.reddit.com/r/dundee/comments/1x5qn0s/saving_dundee_city_centre_we_dont_just_need_more/
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u/No_Contract9252 1d ago
Problem with TECA as it has been outsourced to a huge global company so there's no local focus. Above that the location is hardly ideal, parking is expensive (why should people have to pay to park there anyway) and the price of drink and food is extortionate. It's also just a step too far as Glasgow / Edinburgh is as far as large acts will go. People tried telling ACC this at the time but as usual were ignored.,
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u/Spare_Artichoke_3070 1d ago
The council approved plans to turn the old John Lewis into an indoor multi-floor go-karting track, with a bar and an arcade on the ground floor. That plan seems to have stalled now, but it would have provided a big boost to the bottom of George St which is a ghost town these days.
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u/kclct 1d ago
I feel like I'm in the minority who thinks the go-kart thing is such a fkn hugely ass idea 😩
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u/Spare_Artichoke_3070 1d ago
Go-karting isn't for everybody but we have to admit that the era of department stores is well and truly over, the only thing that's going to keep city centres alive are shops and services selling things that you can't buy online or providing experiences that you want to share with other people.
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u/kclct 1d ago
Totally agree yes, but the go-kart thing doesn't make a lick of sense to me, it's such a novelty idea I think that most people who do go would only ever go the once, and it's such a huge building to be taken up by the one thing that I think will get really boring for people really quickly.
Not a nice part of town for families to go too, not the worst of course but the whole of George St is a bit of a sad dump with nothing else going for it.
I think a multi use space would be so much better, how? I Don't know, i do think it would be really amazing to have a multi market space, would be amazing if we could get some smaller creative businesses in there, butcher, baker candlestick maker yadda yadda.
I'd just so so so hate to see it go to such a waste on something that I really feel ultimately would not bring anything of real substance to the city centre.
I do live right next to it too so maybe I'm particularly invested in what happens there, I just hope it's something worth while.
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u/Spare_Artichoke_3070 1d ago
We've got so many empty buildings in town that could be creative/multi-use spaces but as long as it's in the economic interest for the owners to knock it down instead (like M&S) they're not going to take the risk on something that won't provide them reliable revenue. I'm not sure what the answer is really, the council isn't even able to identify the beneficial owners of half of Union St to make them do something about their empty properties.
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u/Mrfish31 17h ago
the council isn't even able to identify the beneficial owners of half of Union St to make them do something about their empty properties.
There should be laws that allow the council to just assume ownership in such instances. If you're not doing anything with the property and you're not going to reveal yourself and why you're keeping it empty, then it doesn't seem like you need it at all, do you?Â
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u/williamthebloody1880 17h ago
I suggested to someone on here that John Lewis should have turned the ground floor into a multi market space and they replied it would just be filled with vape shops and phone repair places. As if the idea of it being curated was beyond them.
Course, their idea was to turn the ground floor into a Waitrose supermarket and jack the prices up on the other floors...
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u/Spiritual_Bell_3395 1d ago
More market stalls would be nice.
Also a carboot sale (In the city centre) would be absolutely ideal
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u/cazchaos 1d ago
I really miss the international market that used to happen every few months. Loved going to treat myself to a kangaroo burger and buying presents for folk.