Aberdeen Market Explained

Aberdeen Market
Location:Market Street and Union Street, Aberdeen, Scotland
Opening Date:29 April 1842 (original)
6 November 1974 (most recent building)
Closing Date:23 March 2020
Owner:Aberdeen City Council

Aberdeen Market was a shopping centre which faced on to Market Street in Aberdeen, Scotland.

History

The first indoor market on this spot was opened on 29 April 1842, but was destroyed by fire exactly 40 years later. It was rebuilt, and demolished again in 1971.[1] [2] The most recent building was opened on 6 November 1974 by William McEwan Younger.[3]

The British Home Stores branch closed in August 2016 following the collapse of the chain.[4]

A large mural was painted on the curved face of the building by the duo Herakut in 2017 as part of the NuArt Festival.[5] [6]

In 2018, the owners of the market building and the adjacent British Home Stores unit, Rockspring (now Patrizia AG), submitted a planning application for permission to clad the existing building and increase the number of windows. Concerns were raised at the time over the potential loss of the NuArt mural painted a year earlier. The proposals never went ahead, however later that year, another proposal was launched that would see the building demolished and a replacement built in its spot.[7]

The centre ultimately closed along with all non-essential shops in March 2020 as part of the COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom.[8] On 11 June, the operator of the building, Aberdeen Market Village, went into liquidation.[9] The following year, the building along with the connected BHS store were purchased by Aberdeen City Council.[10]

Shops

The market contained various independent retailers.[11] Following its closure, several tenants moved to different locations in the city centre,[12] including the Thai restaurant Madame Mews,[13] the DIY shop Nickel and Dime,[14] and the LGBT+ charity Four Pillars.[15]

Redevelopment

In May 2021, a proposal was published that would see Aberdeen City Council purchase the market and the former BHS store. The property would be demolished and replaced with a partially open-air space for retail, food and drink, and leisure.[16]

Plans to demolish the market were criticised by the local branch of the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland due to the environmental impact of demolition and constructing a replacement building.[17]

In October 2021, it was announced that the UK Government would contribute £20 million towards the redevelopment of the market, which is expected to cost £75 million in total.[18]

Demolition work was underway by March 2022.[19] [20] On 22 March 2022, demolition of the curved wall with the mural began.[21]

References

  1. News: 7 November 1974. Impressions of a 'march stealer'.... 6. Aberdeen Evening Express.
  2. Web site: New Market 1842~1971. 2021-01-26. www.mcjazz.f2s.com. 2021-10-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20211031110106/http://www.mcjazz.f2s.com/Market.htm. live.
  3. News: 6 November 1974. New Aberdeen £2 3/4 m. market opened. 11. The Press & Journal.
  4. Web site: McCann. Lee. End of an era as Aberdeen's BHS closes after 42 years. 2021-01-26. Evening Express. 16 November 2016 . en-US. 2021-01-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20210131032904/https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/iconic-bhs-closing-time1/. live.
  5. Web site: Beattie. Kieran. Calls for Nuart 'signature piece' to be saved in proposed Indoor Market refurbishment. 2021-01-25. The Press and Journal. 28 July 2018 . en-US. 2021-02-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20210202135920/https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/1529234/calls-for-nuart-signature-piece-to-be-saved-in-proposed-indoor-market-refurbishment/. live.
  6. Web site: 2017-07-20 . Aberdeen is undergoing a very unlikely revival . 2022-03-09 . The Independent . en.
  7. Web site: Aberdeen Market redevelopment reaches for the skies : November 2018 : News : Architecture in profile the building environment in Scotland. 2021-01-26. Urban Realm. 2021-02-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20210201232955/https://www.urbanrealm.com/news/7745/Aberdeen_Market_redevelopment_reaches_for_the_skies_.html. live.
  8. Web site: Cowgills appointed administrator of Aberdeen Market Village. 2021-01-25. Scottish Financial News. 16 June 2020 . en. 2021-02-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20210202113526/https://scottishfinancialnews.com/article/cowgills-appointed-administrator-of-aberdeen-market-village. live.
  9. News: 2020-06-15. Aberdeen Market operator placed into liquidation. en-GB. BBC News. 2021-01-25. 2021-01-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20210130080825/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-53049515. live.
  10. Web site: Gossip. Alastair. 2021-08-02. Exclusive: BHS and indoor market sites taken over by Aberdeen City Council as purchase sealed. live. 2021-08-02. Evening Express. en-US. 2021-08-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20210802064445/https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/exclusive-bhs-and-indoor-market-sites-taken-over-by-aberdeen-city-council-as-purchase-sealed/.
  11. Web site: Strachan . Graeme . Remembering the glory days and the lost shops of Aberdeen Market . 2022-03-09 . The Press and Journal . 7 March 2022 . en-GB.
  12. Web site: What now for the Aberdeen Market food businesses who have been left without a place to trade? . Bryce . Julia . The Press and Journal . 3 September 2020 . 2 May 2024.
  13. Web site: Madame Mews to reopen Thai restaurant in new city centre home . Bryce . Julia . The Press and Journal . 19 November 2020 . 2 May 2024.
  14. Web site: Aberdeen retailer looks to the future after move away from home of 22 years . Proctor . David . The Press and Journal . 23 October 2020 . 2 May 2024.
  15. Web site: Delight as LGBT charity finds new home after Aberdeen Market debacle . Robertson . Kirsten . The Press and Journal . 12 August 2020 . 2 May 2024.
  16. Web site: 2021-05-04. Council to discuss ambitious plans for BHS and Aberdeen market. live. 2021-05-05. Northsound 1. en. 2021-05-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20210505131652/https://planetradio.co.uk/northsound/local/news/ambitious-plans-for-aberdeen-market-bhs-building/.
  17. Web site: Buchan . Rebecca . 2022-05-29 . Pleas to re-use Aberdeen's 'eyesore' concrete buildings rather than harming environment by demolishing them . 2022-05-31 . The Press and Journal . en-GB.
  18. Web site: Hall. Jamie. 2021-10-30. 'It needs a bit of magic': City residents react to Aberdeen market plans. live. 2021-10-31. Evening Express. en-US. 2021-10-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20211030112147/https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/it-needs-a-bit-of-magic-city-residents-react-to-aberdeen-market-plans/.
  19. Web site: Gossip . Shona . 2022-03-08 . Diggers move in as Aberdeen Market demolition progresses . 2022-03-09 . The Press and Journal . en-GB.
  20. Web site: Hebditch . Jon . Rae . Steven . 2022-03-05 . Pictures capture inside of Aberdeen Market as demolition continues . 2022-03-09 . aberdeenlive . en.
  21. Web site: Andonova . Denny . 2022-03-21 . WATCH: Much-loved Aberdeen Market mural smashed to pieces during demolition . 2022-03-21 . The Press and Journal . en-GB.

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