A photographer is preparing to open his first shop within Aberdeen’s Bon Accord Centre just days after the mall revealed it was entering administration.
Johnny Forbes has admitted opening a new store could be seen as a risk in the current climate given the current ongoing cost of living and energy cost crisis.
But it’s one the 51-year-old is willing to take with Forbes Gallery & Gifts opening within the former Mr Pretzels unit on Friday (Sep 9) after agreeing to a 12-month lease.
It comes less than a fortnight after the Bon Accord shopping mall collapsed into administration.
Mr Forbes, 51, said: “Is there ever a right time to take a risk?
“I’ve always been a risk taker and I don’t mind taking a risk. It’s a bit scary thinking about how much money I’ve spent.
It’s a bit scary thinking about how much money I’ve spent.”
– Johnny Forbes
“It’s maybe not the right time but if I didn’t do it now then things might pick up and I wouldn’t have got the opportunity I’ve got now to get the unit.”
Support small businesses
Mr Forbes, who is married to Stephen, 56, will be selling local and Scottish items including photographic prints, cards, coasters, mugs, notebooks, candles and cushions produced by independent small businesses.
He first started selling his pictures in 2014 at the Belmont Street Saturday market and over the past few years has done a number of other markets, events and Highland games.
After seeing a number of empty units within the Bon Accord Centre he decided to look into the option of taking one over.
He said: “I’d been thinking about it for a long time and I thought I’d go and speak to them.
“The old Mr Pretzels had been empty for a long time and I kept walking past it. I was thinking ‘I wonder if that would be big enough or small enough to just have a little gallery and gift shop’.
“So I went to speak to them and it all turned out quite well.
“I’ve got a target in mind. Whether I reach that or not we’ll see.
“It would be great if I did because then I’d speak to the centre about getting a longer lease.
“But we’ll see how things go.”
Keeping positive
Mr Forbes has yet to speak to centre management about the administration process.
However, administrators at Azets have said they wanted to “reassure tenants, shoppers and stakeholders that it is very much business as usual”.
Mr Forbes, who completed a BA in commercial photography at Robert Gordon University, said: “I haven’t heard anything yet as I just got the keys.
“But I’m sure if there was any problems they’d have let me know before I started painting.
“I’m looking at it that nothing is really going to change here.”
Energy cost pressures
The Press and Journal has highlighted a number of local businesses facing pressures from soaring energy costs and inflation.
Business groups in Aberdeen are calling for the introduction of an energy price cap for smaller businesses, similar to the one which is meant to protect households from rocketing fuel bills.
Aberdeen sandwich shop Upperkrust is facing its energy bills rocketing from £400 a month to £2,000.
And the owner of a Torry takeaway, which has been shut for the foreseeable future, said he would need to sell more than 1,500 extra meals to break even amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Mr Forbes is unsure what to expect cost-wise until his shop is up and running.
He said: “Each of the units have got a smart meter.
“I’ll find out next month when I get my first bill as to how it’ll affect me.
“The only thing using electric will be the lights in the shop, the till and charging the tablet.
“I don’t have any heating. We will see how it goes.”
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