Following the announcement of the closure of Marks & Spencer’s flagship store in Aberdeen, readers have been sharing their thoughts on the sad news.
The high street brand first came to the Granite City 80 years ago, opening on St Nicholas Street in 1944.
It has remained there ever since while the area around it has transformed, and millions of shoppers have been welcomed through its doors.
Following the decision to undergo a £15 million expansion of the M&S at Union Square, the retailer had decided to close the St Nicholas store – to the shock of many.
The closure will happen sometime next year after the new and improved Union Square branch reopens spring 2025.
Hundreds of people have taken to our social media today to express their sadness and shock.
Scott McPherson wrote: “Another dagger in the heart of city centre.”
Natalie Strachan commented: “Saddest news! Utterly devastated – the café is the best one and staff are really nice – shame on Aberdeen city not doing all they can to keep this open and accessible – I’ve met countless elderly and people who use it as a daily venture out of their homes and maybe only time they speak to people.”
Jan Falconer commented: “This is so sad. Such a blow for the high street! I really loved M&S on Union Street.”
K Ann Burnett Geddes commented: “Loved this shop when I lived in Aberdeen, also had the pleasure working there too. Great memories so sad for all the staff.”
Heather Low wrote: “That’ll be a massive miss, I never go into town without shopping in Markies.”
Former M&S employees said they ‘had the best times there’
Ali Cronie said: “One of my favourite shops in Aberdeen. The way things are going the high st in next 10 years will be a ghost town.”
Caroline Mackland wrote: “That is a real blow to Aberdeen. With bus gates, the council have not made Union Square easily accessible to people arriving from the north end of the city.”
Lisa Hearle, who used to work the store, commented: “So so sad to hear this. Worked there for 13 years and can honestly say we had the best times there.”
Susan Greer wrote: “Noooooo this is the worst news ever. Best M&S store, easier to get to, have collect by car facility, better coffee shop for meetups. This is the end for Union Street. Aberdeen is getting so depressing and hope staff will be ok for jobs.”
Others expressed their disappointment, seeing this as a blow to efforts to revive the Granite Mile.
Ryan Simpson commented: “The days of Union Street as a shopping destination are long gone sadly, would love to see the street full of smaller local businesses since all the big names have pulled out, but with the rents and the size of most of the units it’s probably not realistic.”
Ross Turner wrote: “You try to keep positive and hope things will improve, but it’s hard for folk when it’s just constant negative news, it will take decades before this place reaches a decent level again, very sad news indeed.”
Denise Brady said: “The end of union street then and I won’t be trailing to union square, nothing there for us.”
Annie Brodie commented: “So sad it’s been part of people’s lives to shop there for years and years and it’s suits folk coming off the bus in union street.
“They would have to expand the one in union square to allow the shop to have a bigger selection of clothes etc. it makes any regeneration of union street harder to happen.”
‘Many people won’t go to Union Square’
Other people said they would have preferred the Union Square branch closed instead.
Gemma Sineath wrote: “Would rather the union square one closed and we kept this one.”
Anna Smith said: “This M&S is so much nicer than the dark cold Union Sq one! The council have ruined the city centre and this is the nail in the coffin for Union St/St Nicholas.”
Louise Hird said: “Lately I’ve found the Union Square M&S much busier and get what I’m looking for in there.”
Sarah Lawrence commented: “Close the one in Union Square and keep the one on Union Street. Been a part of many people life’s.”
David Jones commented: “Should turn it around shut Union Square one and keep St Nicholas one open it’s much better and bigger.”
Other people hit out at M&S, like Annie Begg, who wrote: “So much for Markies caring anything about its community. Aberdeen supported M&S for many years. Many people won’t go to Union Square.”
The closure had been long-rumoured and was no surprise to some people.
Christine Mackie said: “No surprise as rumoured for some time a loss for many a huge effect on the business community.”
Jacqui McKenzie commented: “That really is the final nail in the coffin. What’s the council going to do to try and rejuvenate the city centre, and turn it around from the sorry state of affairs that it’s gradually become??”
Conversation