The search goes on to find a tenant for the remaining Union Terrace Gardens pavilion – more than a year after the closing date for bids.
The three commercial properties were built on the lip of slopes down to the sunken Aberdeen park as part of a wider £30 million refurbishment.
But progress on filling them has been slow with only one currently in use.
Common Sense Coffee House and Bar opened its doors in the Rosemount pavilion in September.
And there are moves being made to base the Our Union Street taskforce, hoped to revive the Granite Mile, in the largest premises at the other end.
Chief Bob Keiller told The P&J last month that he was offering a “modest” rent to the council in return for being a placeholder occupant in the flagship property.
Initially designed as a restaurant, Mr Keiller has promised to make way for any longer term tenant should one emerge.
More than a year after the closing date… the Burns pavilion in Union Terrace Gardens is still empty
Meanwhile, between the Union Street and Rosemount buildings, the Burns pavilion – next to the statue of Scotland’s national bard – remains unused.
A deadline for notes of interest was set for February 28 2022.
At the time, then council capital convener Marie Boulton predicted “visionaries” would “bite our hands off” to secure the lease.
More than 400 days on, council chief capital officer John Wilson has told councillors “discussions are currently ongoing” with interested parties.
The pavilions are not being relied upon to cover the cost of the over-budget UTG facelift.
But their use is hoped to populate the park throughout the day and increase safety in what was a black spot for trouble before work began in 2019.
Turf laying ‘wholly weather dependent’
Meanwhile, in a report prepared for Aberdeen City Council’s finance committee, Mr Wilson has roundly blamed the remaining muddy mire in Union Terrace Gardens on the weatherman.
“Poor periods of weather” have left council staff looking to the skies as they try to plan when turf can be laid.
Mr Wilson said the local authority is at the mercy of a “favourable window” being forecast, given progress on the lawn is “wholly weather dependent”.
In recent weeks, artists have eyed up the barren patch as a canvas in the face of little sign grass will be put down immediately.
There are still some snags with the UTG refurbishment
Union Terrace Gardens (UTG) reopened in December after three years of multi-million-pound work.
Hit by Covid lockdowns and impacted by supply chain issues caused by global events like the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it took more than 450 days longer than planned.
The sky-high inflation also forced the final cost of the project up by £1.5m.
But while the job is “practically completed”, work has not stopped.
Concerns continue to be raised about the standard of some of the work, including pointing on the Union Street level stonework.
Rusty rings, the footprints of barriers lifted five months ago, continue to stain the Rosemount Viaduct pavement.
Lights surrounding the new – and already grubby – fountain surround of the William Wallace statue remain intermittent.
Mr Wilson – previously forced to defend the standard of the work after attacks by unions – is still in weekly talks with contractor on a snagging still-to-do list.
The city’s top project manager told councillors in December: “If it is not done right, it will be rectified.”
If you are interested in Union Terrace Gardens, give our UTG-themed advent calendar a read.
It’s not just for Christmas, consider it a ‘greatest hits’ as we counted down to December’s opening day.
Conversation