A north-east businessman who has bought the remaining 27-year lease for the Cults Railway Station has lodged plans to turn it into a cafe.
John Mackenzie, who works in the oil and gas industry and runs family business Skyline Trampoline Park and Cafe in Inverurie with his wife, Julie, hopes to turn the rundown building into a cafe.
Located on The Royal Deeside Railway Line, also known as the Deeside Way, John is looking forward to restoring an “old gem” for the area.
Living in Cults with Julie and their three children, he has had his eye on the building for years and is hopeful the plans lodged will be accepted.
Estimated to seat around 100 people inside and 100 people outside, the large premises are ideally situated and the railway line itself is a popular area for walkers, runners and cyclists.
He said: “We’re going to try and keep the building as original as we can and try and get the platform back into use really. I think everyone just wants to see it tied up. It has been in a state of disarray for a while now, so it is getting very exciting. We want to keep the history and character it has, I think people will really like that.
“I’ve had my eye on it for ages and we are keen cyclists and use the line quite a lot to walk along to Duthie Park. I always said if it ever came up I would try and take it on. I noticed it was empty last year and got a friend to dig about and find out what had happened to the joinery firm which used to be based there. The owner had retired and I made contact with him and asked if the building was up for sale.
“It is an Aberdeen City Council-owned building. He was selling the lease so I bought it from him. There’s 27 years left on it.”
Clean up operation
The station building was constructed in the early 1890s, operating until the line closed in 1966, and boasts a huge amount of space having contained a booking office, waiting hall, staff accommodation and toilets as well as a goods yard back in the day.
John, his family and friends have been busy preparing the area, removing any old debris and rubbish.
“We’re in the process of cleaning it all up and making it safe. We’ve removed a lot of debris and rubble from the area and we’ve made some minor repairs to the building. We’ve patched it up and are giving it a quick paint.
“We just need to wait for the planning application to go through to move things along. It will depend if it goes to committee or not, it is getting a lot of attention so I think it will take a few months to then get through the planning process.”
Spring hope
Anticipating his plans, lodged under JJ’s Food & Drink Co Ltd, to take a few months to get through the system, John already has a back-up plan to get things moving along in time for the warmer weather, and will set up a separate unit outside called Box Car.
While the main building, The Station, will run as a cafe and bistro, this outdoor unit will be serving hot drinks, fast food and ice cream to customers.
If approved, there will also be an open plan dining area for customers who want a more formal meal or are in bigger groups and there will be a private dining room.
“We’re focused on the outside at the moment. We have a nice outdoor space so we’ll get that functioning first. I have a street traders licence so I can put a unit in the yard just now and operate from that. Then we’ll focus on the main building and the workshops at the back of it. It will all be done in stages.
“It will be operating by spring in some shape or form. Hopefully, later in the year we’ll be able to get The Station part of the building open, but we can run the street trader vendor until then.
“We are pretty certain we’re going to call it The Station. We call it that, our friends call it that, and we just think it works really well as I think everyone will know what it is. We’ll call the small unit outside Box Car in keeping with the railway theme.
“There will be food and drink being served from Box Car and we will focus on the simple stuff like cold and hot drinks, slushies, ice cream, tray bakes, sandwiches and wraps that sort of thing. Anything you’d like or expect to find at a venue like it in summer. We’ll look at introducing hot food like toasties, too.
“We’re planning for seating on the platform and the yard which is adjacent to it, and inside. The venue will probably boast seating for around 200. We’re looking at 100 inside and 100 outside. We don’t have an exact number but that is roughly what we are looking at. There will be an outdoor area for children and we’re in the process of getting those drawings all crafted. The current kitchen is too small so we’ll be adding a new kitchen to make it bigger.”
A design statement submitted alongside the application by Richard Dingwall Architects, states: “The numerous extensions to the building should be reclad to greatly improve their appearance. The proposals should contribute to the economic, social, cultural and sustainability aims of Cults and Aberdeen, by making use of a rundown historic building, providing jobs for the local economy and providing greater amenities.
“The Deeside Way is very popular all year round with local residents for exercise and leisure, and in the summer with tourists exploring Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
“During the recent Covid-19 pandemic, the Deeside Way has seen massive increases in use by cyclists, walkers and runners. However, despite its popularity there are very little services directly adjacent to the Deeside Way, except for the Park Café at the start of the route in Duthie Park.
“This therefore provides a unique opportunity to improve the amenities on the Deeside Way and encourage more residents and visitors outdoors.”
The informal outdoor seating will be temporary nature so it can be put away each night, and will only be used during dry weather.
Car parking will remain, and there will be a number of cycle hoops and a cycle repair station installed, too.
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