Union Square Aberdeen

Union Square Aberdeen

Location	Guild Street, Aberdeen, Scotland
Opening date	October 2009
Developer	Hammerson
Owner	Hammerson
No. of stores and services	56 (plus 12 Restaurants)
No. of anchor tenants	1 (currently)
Total retail floor area	700,000 ft² (65,000 m²)
No. of floors	2
Parking	1700 spaces (3 floors)
Website	Union Square

Union Square is a shopping centre located in the centre of Aberdeen, the third largest city in Scotland. Construction began in 2007 after years of delays. The building will open to the public in the Autumn of 2009. Costing £250 Million, it is one of the largest city centre shopping developments in the United Kingdom and in fact the 2nd Largest in Scotland after Glasgow's Buchanan Galleries, boasting an internal retail space of nearly 56,000 m².

Located on Guild Street and Market Street, this developments adjoins onto the side of Aberdeen railway station and new Bus Station creating a "transport hub". Before the mall was built, the northern end was used for rail freight,various derelict buildings and a very run down 1960's bus station.

The mall will house 56 shops, up to 12 Restaurants, a 10 Screen 2300 Seat Cineworld cinema (the largest in Aberdeen) and a 3 Star 203 Room Jurys Inn Hotel. The Hotel is scheduled to open before the rest of the scheme on 4th Sept 2009.

Hammerson has revealed that nearly 80% of the mall’s shop units have been let – three months before it opens its doors. The retail and leisure centre in Aberdeen’s city centre is due to open on Sat 31 October. Developer Hammerson said yesterday (3rd Aug 2009) it had secured tenants for 44 of the 56 retail units.

Opening Hours

The centre is expected to be open from as early as 6am to allow pedestrian access to the Train and Bus Stations. The retail outlets are expected to open at 9am up until 8pm Mon-Fri, which will be a first for Aberdeen. The restaurants have a applied for consent from Aberdeen City council to stay open and serve alcohol until 11pm, 7 Days a week. It has also been said that Thur/Fri/Sat the centre will be open until 2am to accommodate late film screenings at the Cinema. More info to come when confirmed.

Background Timeline

1998 Stannifer Developments acquired land at Raith’s Farm.

1999 Stannifer Developments enter in to a joint venture agreement with Railtrack Developments Limited and Union Square Developments is formed.

2000 Union Square Developments secure planning consent for the scheme.

2001 Hammerson acquire Railtrack Developments and thereby 50% of Union Square Developments.

2002/3 Railtrack taken into receivership and Network Rail formed.

2004 Chelsfield acquire Stannifer and thereby 50% of Union Square Developments.

2005 Multiplex acquire Chelsfield and thereby 50% of Union Square Developments.

2006 Hammerson acquires Multiplex’s 50% of Union Square Developments and thereby 100% ownership of the Union Square scheme.

2007 Union Square Developments lodge an amended planning application for the provision of a hotel and other minor amendments to the scheme.

Union Square Developments start on site with the construction of the new bus station.

Union Square Developments complete the construction of the first new rail yard. After circa.150 years the Guild Street site is now no longer a rail yard.

2008 Union Square Developments complete and handover new bus station to Stagecoach and new state of the art travel centre to First Scotrail.

Confirmed Tenants/ Tenants In Negotiations (as at 18 Aug 2009)

Retail Park Tenants

RTU= Retail Terrace Unit

• TK Maxx
• Marks & Spencer
• Boots
• Cult New to Aberdeen, 2nd store in Scotland
• Next
• JD Sports
• Clarks
• Outfit - Including - Warehouse,Miss Selfridge,Burton,Dorothy Perkins, Evans & Wallis
• Mamas & Papas new to Aberdeen
• Instyle Furniture

Shopping Mall Tenants

Ground Floor

• New Look
• Cotswold Outdoor new to Aberdeen
• H&M
• USC
• Zara First Store in Aberdeen
• Azendi new to Aberdeen
• Paperchase - Stationery - New to Aberdeen
• Apple - New to Aberdeen
• Bestseller - Two Stores Vero Moda / Jack&Jones
• Sole- New to Aberdeen
• ROX new to Aberdeen
• Barrhead Travel
• Costa Coffee
• WH Smith

First Floor

• Jurys Inn - Opens 4 September 2009
• Tinderbox - Coffee Shop - new to Aberdeen
• Frankie & Benny's
• Cineworld 2300 Seat, 10 Screen Cinema
• ASK new to Aberdeen
• Nando's - New to Aberdeen
• Yo Sushi
• Lab Sport - New to Aberdeen

Development Timeline

Key dates in the construction schedule are as follows:

• Roof work commences - July 2008
• Completion of structural steelwork - September 2008
• Cladding work commences - September 2008
• Development weather tight - November 2008
• Hotel shell handover to Jury's Inn- February 2009
• Cinema shell handover to Cineworld- May 2009
• Commencement of unit handovers - June 2009
• Laying of ground level carpark begins - Late June/Early July 9
• Removal of on site portacabins commences- July 2009
• Public Open Day - Sunday 23 Aug 2009
• Jury's Inn Hotels - Friday 4 September 2009
• Scheme completion/opening - Sat 31st Oct 2009

See also

• Retail in Aberdeen
• St Nicholas & Bon Accord
• The Mall Trinity
• The Academy Shopping Centre

External links

• Union Square official site
• Union Square Photo Group on Flickr