Aberdeen FC teams up with Aberdeen Inspired in bid to revive city centre

Aberdeen FC has teamed up with Aberdeen Inspired and vowed to help paint the town red after answering their call to support the city's Business Improvement District (BID).

The club has said it recognises the importance of the city centre to the region, and wants to help Aberdeen Inspired to continue its efforts to transform the city centre at a time when its funding is being squeezed, as well as drive further improvements and fresh investment into the city centre.

The partnership will see the two organisations work together on initiatives to attract more footfall into the city centre and to build on the impact that the club’s on-the-pitch success is having on the city.

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Aberdeen FC chief executive, Alan Burrows, said: "Technically we’re not located within the city centre and not obliged to pay the levy for the BID but we fully recognise the need for Aberdeen to have a buoyant, thriving centre and are huge supporters of the work carried out by Aberdeen Inspired.

"By becoming a voluntary levy payer, we will help Aberdeen Inspired to continue their efforts on behalf of city centre traders and make sure that AFC has more visibility in the city centre. We hope our support will galvanise other organisations to back the BID.

"One of our strategic aims is to be at the heart of the community and promoting our city centre is very much part of this. With the club doing so well, on and off the pitch, there’s a palpable, positive impact on the city overall which includes a tangible boost to business in the city centre.

"But we want to do more such as helping to encourage people into the city centre by painting the town red in the run-up to key home games and using the power of our reach and our players to promote and attract participation in Union Street clean-ups and other initiatives that improve our city centre."

Around 700 organisations, which sit within the BID footprint, currently invest in protecting and enhancing the diversity, vibrancy and safety of the city centre through an annual levy payment of one percent of their rateable value.

However, the recent rates revaluation has reduced Aberdeen Inspired’s funding by 30%, squeezing resources at a time when there is much to be done to revive and reinvent the city centre.

Chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, Adrian Watson, said BIDs are able to recruit a limited number of voluntary levy payers whose premises are outside the city centre footprint.

"Every organisation benefits from a better city centre and, in the face of dramatic cuts, we are asking businesses outwith the footprint to consider supporting the revival and reinvention of Aberdeen city centre by becoming voluntary levy payers," he said.

"We’re thrilled that Aberdeen FC has stepped up to support us in our goal of sustaining and boosting investment in the city centre for the benefit of levy payers and all those who live, work, shop and visit there. With support from organisations outwith the BID footprint, we can continue to deliver and enhance our programme of events."

Mr Watson added: "Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire can only stand out as an attractive, worthwhile place to visit, study, live and work if it has a vibrant and appealing city centre that is rich in culture, retail and entertainment. With the help of extra levy papers, we can continue to our ongoing efforts to rejuvenate and reinvent our city centre.”

"Voluntary levy payments not only help deliver our events programme and improve the city centre’s look and feel, but also support the hundreds of micro and small independent businesses who make up the diverse and vibrant city centre experience and employ hundreds of local people.

"We are very grateful to our existing levy payers and our voluntary levy payers and would encourage others to join Aberdeen FC in supporting the city centre to bring clear benefits for everyone."

Since its formation, Aberdeen Inspired has looked to secure additional funding which would otherwise not have been available to invest in the city centre. The most recent analysis stated that for every £1 of each levy collected, more than £2 was reinvested in the city centre.

Aberdeen Inspired is also keen to attract major events to Aberdeen, such as the Tall Ships in 2025 and street art festival, Nuart, which brings in £10 million of marketing value and attracts 30,000 visitors each year.

It has also created its own events to stimulate footfall such as the popular Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks and, most recently, Shop Aberdeen.

The Aberdeen Gift Card also aimed to encourage people to make use of retail and leisure businesses in the city centre and the Christmas Village, which includes Curated in the Quad, was ranked as among the fifth best in the UK last year.

The organisation has also led on improvements to neglected or derelict spaces and have included the new Aberdeen letters – currently lighting up Union Terrace Gardens - suspended street lighting, the colourful ADHD Foundation umbrellas on Shiprow and the parklets on Huntly Street and Holburn Junction.

Aberdeen Inspired’s emergency summit to tackle the demise of Union Street led to the creation of Our Union Street – a partnership between Aberdeen Inspired, Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce and ONE – which is focused on enhancing and attracting people and business back to the Granite Mile.