City centre retailers are celebrating the reopening of a major street after enduring months of losses.
Aberdeen’s Upperkirkgate was closed to traffic from last June to February to allow for the £3.2million works on the pedestrianisation of Broad Street.
However, retailers on the street complained of a drop in custom and their struggle to take in deliveries – with one saying his takings were down 10% during the closure period.
Now that the works to create the “shared surface” are almost complete, the street is once again open to traffic leading to a rise in footfall in the area.
Colin Cameron, the owner of the Upperkirkgate Bar said: “I am pleased they are reopening the road because it is definitely going to bring more people around.
“I have noticed over the last month or so that there have been more people around throughout the day and throughout the evening.
“More tenants are moving into Marischal Square and this is an opportunity for businesses.
“Even if people think that All Bar One, Mackie’s or Costa might be competition to us, it is not that at all, it is only going to bring more people into the area and that’s very good news for all of us.”
Pedestrianisation works are still underway on Broad Street which are now set to be completed by May 14.
Jackie Wilson, co-owner of sandwich shop Upperkrust, said: “It was a nightmare when the works were at their worst, the noise was constant.
“Things have got much better since the reopening but we are suffering with the downturn like everyone else.”
Shoe shop owner Andrew Begg said: “The situation is better than before the Upperkirkgate reopened, but the extended closure of Broad Street is not encouraging anyone into the area. Deliveries are easier, but the continued sense of lack of urgency to complete the project continues and so with that, the interest of the public remains deflated.”
