Retail Property Aberdeen Guide

Named as one of the UK’s eight super cities, Scotland’s third largest city is nicknamed the ‘Granite City’ due to its proliferation of granite buildings. It is situated 120 miles north east of Edinburgh, in the middle of Scotland’s northeast coast. It is the UK’s premier city for the oil industry and the city’s oil industry gateway is fast-becoming a tourist attraction in its own right.

Demographics

The population of Aberdeen is estimated to have over 227,560 residents.

• With over 1.3 million trips made annually to Aberdeen.
• With over 150 million visits to Scotland from around the world.
• Aberdeen supports 8,390 enterprises and 11,140 local units.

Transport Links

Aberdeen Airport, at Dyce in the north of the city, serves domestic and international destinations including France, the Netherlands, Spain and Ireland. Aberdeen also has a railway station which is on the main UK rail network and has direct trains to major cities Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness. With six major roads in and out of the city the A90 is the main arterial route into the city from the north and south, linking Aberdeen to Edinburgh, Dundee, Brechin and Perth.

Aberdeen Shopping Centre

Within Aberdeen holds Union Square, which opened to the public in 2009 and provides a combination of traditional mall shopping and a shopping park. Adjacent to Union Square shoppers can find Aberdeen’s central railway station for easy transportation. Some of the occupiers within Union Square include M&S, Cineworld, Apple, Zara, Hollister, H&M, Hotel Chocolate, Hugo Boss, Wagamama and Nando’s among many others. Some key facts on Union Square, £275 million was invested when the site opened in October 2009. It is a 41,800 square metre mixed-use retail-led scheme and has 2,300 parking spaces.

Retail and Leisure Park 

On average units in retail and leisure parks to rent are from £5000 per year up to £68.000 dependant on size, volume and location of the units. Another great retail park Kittybrewster Retail Park comprises an attractive and modern retail park, providing 154,078 square foot of ground floor accommodation. With 13 units let to the likes of TK Maxx, Dreams, McDonald’s the park is situated in a prominent position at the junction of Bedford Road and Powis Terrace on the A96. The A96 being on of the principle routes into Aberdeen city centre.

The future of retail in Aberdeen 

Bon Accord Shopping Centre is a great example of why the future of retail in Aberdeen is bright. With over 70 stores under cover and 460,000 square feet of retail space in a fresh, contemporary environment Bon Accord Shopping Centre is an established retail destination occupying a prime position within Aberdeen. The centre is situated in George Street, adjacent to the City’s vibrant Union Street. The main entrance is located at Schoolhill, where the Centre acts as a gateway to and from Union Street.