Aberdeen’s central district, once defined by its vibrancy, now stands as a symbol of the wider struggles affecting High Streets across the UK; however, a determined drive to regenerate the area is now gaining momentum, aiming to reverse longstanding trends of decline, vacancies, and disengagement among the public.
The Granite Mile’s battle with vacancies
Once upon a time, Aberdeen’s city centre bustled with shoppers from throughout north-east Scotland. Today, Union Street, often referred to as “the Granite Mile,” is dotted with empty retail units, closed shutters, and boarded facades after numerous store closures. According to data from Green Street, a property and retail analytics provider, one in eight commercial properties on UK High Streets is currently vacant—a statistic that lays bare the impacts of competition from suburban retail parks and the ever-increasing popularity of online shopping.
Locals like Marie Sim, who has lived in Aberdeen all her life, lament the area’s woes. She recounts, “I come to Union Street to take a bus somewhere else… there’s nothing to shop for now… it’s horrendous,” reflecting the sense of loss shared by many longtime residents.
Community takes charge to halt decline
Aberdeen has embraced a notably hands-on approach to reinvigorating its city centre—unlike most UK cities. Following an emergency summit, a united effort titled Our Union Street was launched, assembling letting agents, landlords, business representatives, the local council, and volunteers. At the forefront is former FTSE 100 CEO Bob Keiller, who leads the initiative on a pro bono basis. After collecting thousands of ideas from citizens, the group prioritised restoring empty properties and reigniting civic pride.
Volunteers surveyed each of the 198 units on Union Street, identifying which were empty, tracing absentee owners, and recording the state of every unit. They then began rejuvenating run-down properties by cleaning and painting exteriors. Meanwhile, a new website was created, compiling details of available premises and listing various financial incentives—ranging from two-year business rates relief to council-funded refurbishment grants—designed to attract potential occupiers.
The number of vacant units on Union Street has fallen from 57 to 33 since 2023, with a further 14 shops in the process of being leased. However, challenges persist: 20 additional vacancies have emerged in the same span. As Keiller observes, “The key thing is, we’re filling quicker than emptying.” This blend of digital outreach—using targeted social media campaigns and a new city app—alongside the council’s work on vandalism and litter, reflects the commitment to transform both the city’s image and its atmosphere.
Systemic barriers to revival
Challenges like those in Aberdeen echo throughout the UK. Urban regeneration expert Jackie Sadek cites fragmented ownership and ageing retail assets as significant impediments to revitalising High Streets. Frequently, properties are controlled by multiple, sometimes offshore landlords or complex legal structures, making collaboration tough. At the same time, the rising cost of doing business—due to increases in business rates and wages—combine with dwindling shopper numbers as consumers’ habits evolve.
According to a survey by Revo and Lambert Smith Hampton, 66% of town centre specialists estimate Britain maintains 20-40% more retail space than needed for actual demand. New national measures are starting to emerge, such as the High Street Rental Auction scheme, which permits local authorities to compel the letting of long-unoccupied commercial premises.
Aberdeen’s focus also extends to underused upper storeys. The local council engaged High Street specialist Iain Nicholson, whose research with the Vacant Shops Academy has shown that more than half of empty units across the country aren’t represented by letting agents. Nicholson praises Aberdeen for its unusually synchronised and forward-thinking project, advising that High Streets flourish when they diversify—introducing arts, leisure, and medical services alongside shops.
Transformation, investment, and a path ahead
Large-scale redevelopment projects are under way in Aberdeen. At the old BHS department store, for example, work is ongoing to create an entranceway for a £40 million indoor food and drink market, funded by the UK Levelling Up Fund and the city council. Public spaces are being improved with wider pavements for pedestrians; yet such progress has meant temporary street disruptions and new traffic rules, drawing complaints from some city dwellers.
In addition, the empty Trinity shopping centre—once home to Debenhams—was acquired in 2023 by local developer Robert Keane. His plans involve reducing rents and parking fees to lure new enterprises, including a national leisure chain. Though Lambert Smith Hampton reports that more than one in ten UK shopping centres may be facing potential demolition, Keane is confident that Aberdeen’s fortunes are turning: “I think by 2027 it should look and feel like a different city.”
Experts emphasise that simply filling vacant premises marks only the beginning. Real long-term renewal for UK town centres will require greater service diversity, more city centre residents, and substantive reform of the planning system. Next CEO Simon Wolfson suggests that accelerating these changes, not just adjusting business rates, should be at the heart of government strategy for revitalising High Streets.
Aberdeen’s ongoing revitalisation demonstrates the complexity of the issues behind retail decline, as well as the power of collective, grassroots responses. Local business operators like Lauren Reid capture the sentiment: “Rome wasn’t built in a day”—but consistent effort and creative solutions are laying the groundwork for a livelier, more resilient city centre.