Summit on the future on Union Street taking place today
It's aimed to protect the streets short and medium-term future
Last updated 9th Nov 2022
A summit on the future of Aberdeen's Union Street is being held today, but locals remain pessimistic about the famed Granite Mile.
With the City Centre Masterplan a long-term project, concerns remain about the short and medium-term future of the street.
And there's no doubting what Aberdonians think of it, one woman said: "It's not really a destination like it was in the past. A shopping trip to Union Street when I was younger was the highlight, but now I just walk along it to get to somewhere else."
Another moaned: "It's dreadful. It's not worth coming into shop, it's just sad to see Union Street the way it is."
And locals are just as sceptical about the summit, one man said: "If it does (help), it's about 10 years too late. You can't give up, but I don't think it'll make any difference.
Asked if she thinks it'll spark change, one woman said: "No, I don't think so. I can't see it - but I hope it does.".
But Chief Executive of Aberdeen Inspired, Adrian Watson, is upbeat about the event, though admits that action is needed urgently.
"Union Street has challenges, and one of those is the vacancy rate in the city centre.
"It's all good and well to come together for a summit but there have to be outcomes.
What we're looking for here is the collective thinking being brought into an action plan and then some delivery in the coming days, weeks, months and years that lie ahead.
"People have spoken about Union Street for many-a-long-year and seen a gradual decline, just like many other main thoroughfares up and down the country, but we need to do something about it.
"We have a masterplan for the longer-term vision, and we've already seen some delivery of it.
"But we have to build on it, because there are short-term issues, and with that, potentially, short-term fixes, that will make Union Street that much better."