If shopping tops the checklist of your favorite pastimes, then Aberdeen Metropolis and Shire will not disappoint.
From designer boutiques to a number of excessive road names, you may discover all of the labels and top of the range retailers you’d anticipate from a significant metropolis.
The town has for hundreds of years been the principle shopping vacation spot for an enormous catchment space, and a well-liked vacation spot for European buyers taking a weekend break. With its placing skyline, historic old city and spectacular granite buildings it is a affluent, cosmopolitan metropolis.
The good vary of fantastic shopping centres ensures that you’re going to all the time have the ability to discover precisely what you are searching for and if it is one thing extra unique or somewhat quirky that you simply’re after, one among Aberdeen’s unbiased retailers will have the ability to present that too.
At a mile lengthy, Aberdeen’s Union Road is Britain’s longest excessive road and is jam full of a number of family names and excessive road favourites. On the higher finish you may discover the newly opened Hugo Boss, G -Star Uncooked and Cruise, together with premium shops like Jaeger and Jones the Bootmaker.
Cruise, which opened within the autumn of 2007, is without doubt one of the UK’s main unbiased luxurious retailers with a incredible repute not just for designer manufacturers, however as a showcase for contemporary innovative trend. Manufacturers presently obtainable at Cruise embrace Gucci, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, Versace, Dior, Hugo Boss, Paul Smith, Vivienne Westwood, Fendi, Chloe and Jimmy Choo to name a couple of.
On the backside finish of Union Road, simply earlier than it meets the historic Castlegate, is The Bon Accord St Nicholas Shopping Centre.
Proper within the coronary heart of the town it has a wonderful vary of shops and is the prime retailing space in Aberdeen. The most important shopping centre within the metropolis, it’s break up into two buildings and has three flooring extending to 630,000 sq ft over two ranges. In-built a serpentine form to maximise store unit frontage, it’s lined by a barrel vaulted glazed roof with a 90-ft excessive glazed dome.
Flagship shops embrace New Look and Monsoon, one of many largest in Scotland, a big Boots and Woolworths and retailers comparable to The Body Store, River Island, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins, Ortak and Oasis. A brand new Costa Coffee will revive essentially the most weary shopper, whereas the eating places inside the Higher Mall, John Lewis and Marks and Spencer, situated at both finish of the Centre, stay a poplar rendezvous for an off-the-cuff lunch and a catch-up with mates. And naturally, there is a Starbucks, with an outdoor sitting space, in case you fancy a spot of cafe tradition.
Simply throughout from the town’s Union Terrace Gardens, The Mall Trinity is a good, one floor shopping centre with round 27 shops together with Debenhams, Argos Additional, T-Mobile, HMV, Superdrug, Waterstones and a big Primark.
Cobbled Belmont Road, identified for its stylish bars, cafes, and art house cinema, can also be the situation for The Academy shopping centre. Surrounding an Italianate fashion piazza, it has a wonderful vary of upmarket manufacturers and particular person retailers, coffee retailers, bars and eating places, and the open-air piazza is usually a spotlight for dwell leisure all through the summer season months. Right here the fashion aware will discover unbiased retailers comparable to Attic, AB10 and Idea, which specialises in informal designer-ware for men. A real fashion chief in Aberdeen, Attic is continually introducing new collections together with U.A.R.M, Inexperienced Apple Tree and Six Pack. AB10 has every thing from footwear to accessories, with many fundamental stream manufacturers together with G-Star, Ted Baker, Miss Sixty, Replay, Firetrap and Gio-Goi.
Nicknamed ‘Little Chelsea’, the Thistle Road space of the town is the acknowledged fashion quarter of Aberdeen with a variety of unbiased retailers stocking every thing from clothes, shoes and accessories, along with gift retailers, delicatessens, French bakers, florists and art galleries. Bellino and Hamish Munro each have wonderful ranges of shoes by continental designers, and in case you want a costume for a giant evening out, attempt Frox – with every thing from funky to formal, it is night put on with perspective. Esslemonts and Esslemonts 2 inventory a classy selection of menswear and ladies’s trend from main manufacturers comparable to Camel Lively, Tommy Hilfiger, Remus, Hobbs and Turnover.
Verdict, additionally on Thistle Road, shares a variety of actually uncommon designer clothing and accessories which are each wearable and glamorous. From up to date night put on and related accessories by means of to informal denims and edgy tops, Verdict was named by fashion guru Caryn Franklin as one of many high ten independents in Scotland.
For trendy, basic designs Kafka, simply across the nook in Alford Place, has the most recent from Armani, Burberry and Prada, whereas Kafka for men will be discovered on Rosemount Viaduct.
Aberdeen’s up and coming space, The Inexperienced, is home to a variety of firstclass bistros and fine eating, and a number of trendsetting retailers have additionally opened within the space, together with Coco Violet, designs for the cool and stylish. It homes an eclectic assortment of trend for the girl that desires to face out from the gang, with gorgeous gadgets you will not discover wherever else in Aberdeen, not to mention the UK. For shoes with a distinction check out Fenner and Coburn at Netherkirkgate with a powerful assortment of distinctive designs.
In the meantime Zoomp, tucked away in Jopps Lane behind John Lewis, has a variety of clothing masking on a regular basis informal to Jimmy Choo and Matthew Williamson.
If it is a retro really feel you are after, head to The Closet in Jopps Lane for quirky, classic retro – an Aladdin’s cave of retro finds and one off items , or close by Retrospect, which was lately featured in Vogue journal, whereas Classic Phoenix in Chattan Place will tailor your finds to suit.
Jewelry, art and antiques
Aberdeen will not be often called the Silver Metropolis for nothing – the glowing granite buildings that make up a lot of the town are testomony to that – nevertheless the town can also be the home of some unbiased jewellers who can design that signature piece to rejoice a really special day.
Family-owned Finnies the jewellers, has Scotland’s largest inventory of diamond jewelry – and largest assortment of grandfather clocks. In addition to over 26 watch manufacturers, you may discover uncommon items together with silver snooker chalk holders. Jamieson and Carry is one other family agency, established in 1733. From pearls to pendants it is a agency favorite with jewelry lovers. You’ll be able to even fee a particular piece to be individually designed and made in-house. Sandy Menzies Designer Jewellers current a continually evolving vary of up to date jewelry. The design and manufacturing of commissioned items in treasured metals and gem stones can also be obtainable, whereas George Kite on Holburn Road incorporates a vary of recent Scottish designers.
For antiques, head for the town’s West Finish, the place you may discover Elizabeth Watt on Thistle Road, specialising in ceramics, silver and jewelry whereas Rendezvous, on Forest Avenue, has nice art deco finds in addition to up to date art. Thistle Antiques on Esslemont Avenue is the place to go for beautiful vintage mirrors and lamps, and Atholl Antiques on Nice Western Highway has high quality furniture and work. For vintage maps, go to Colin Wooden on Rose Road, who carries a really fine vary.
Gallery Heinzel specialises in up to date Scottish art from its base in Aberdeen’s Thistle Road. The gallery hosts as much as 10 exhibitions a 12 months showcasing the work of established and rising Scottish artists. The Carby Art Gallery, in a up to date art area, presents a singular gallery expertise. Resident artist Ian Carby, famed for his vibrant landscapes and shoreline scenes, displays alongside worldwide and native artists with sculptures, ceramics, jewelry and photography
When you’re looking for that particular gift that is somewhat bit totally different from the run of the mill, Nova on Chapel Road has lengthy been a favorite with Aberdonians. Its complete gift choice ranges from the cool and funky to the basic whereas Annie Mo’s, on Holburn Road and the underside finish of Union Road, additionally shares an uncommon vary of items together with some stunning furniture.
Markets
Aberdeen’s Nation Honest is a month-to-month market with over 30 stalls of contemporary farm produce, native crafts, home-baking, food and drinks. The primary market takes place on the final Saturday of each month and there is a smaller weekly model each Saturday on the Academy Shopping Centre. One of many largest markets in Scotland, it supplies native farmers and crafters the chance to showcase their high quality home-grown and handcrafted products. A typical Aberdeen Nation Honest will function every thing from Aberdeen Angus beef, fish landed at Aberdeen and Peterhead Harbours, native fruit and greens, baking, cheeses, confectionary, Scottish whisky, wines and handmade
crafts.
Three or 4 instances all year long, and within the weeks main as much as Christmas, you may discover Aberdeen’s common Worldwide Market, one of many largest and most profitable of its form. The annual three-day occasion presents a variety of European and British meals with 70 stalls together with contemporary French fruit and greens, French, Dutch, Scottish and English cheeses, hams from Spain, biscuits from Brittany, and quite a lot of French breads. You may additionally discover an array of fine textiles, accessories, and humanities and crafts on supply.
Shopping within the Shire
You do not all the time want to go to the Metropolis for shopping, as Aberdeenshire additionally has an important vary of retailers. Quirky craft retailers abound, and there are a number of fashionable clothes retailers which are effectively price a go to. In Inverurie attempt Altro Designer Put on on North Road for D&G, Versace, Armani, Guess, Hugo Boss, and G-star. B’s Knees Too (and unique B’s Knees in Oldmeldrum) carries a wonderful vary of clothing and accessories from informal put on to unique night put on and a variety of bags, shoes and jewelry. A department of Attic has lately opened within the city too 우머나이저.
Thirty minutes drive from Aberdeen Metropolis centre, Royal Deeside is a treasure trove of galleries, craft retailers and unique retailers, a lot of them with Royal Warrants.
The royal village of Ballater has a wide variety of particular person retailers and boutiques, many carrying the Royal seal of approval. There are a couple of surprises too, such because the Chocolate Box, which additionally sells Lulu Guinness purses, and Cunning for an eclectic vary of clothes, jewelry and furniture.
Future developments
Aberdeen will see large modifications within the subsequent few years as a part of the Bon-Accord Quarter Masterplan which is able to utterly redevelop the town centre across the Bon Accord St Nicholas Shopping Centre, Marischal Faculty and St Nicholas House. This may contain constructing a second floor on the single-storey St Nicholas Centre after which connecting it to the Bon Accord Centre by way of an enclosed bridge throughout Schoolhill. Additional phases of the Bon Accord Quarter scheme will see the full retail area increase to in extra of 1million sq ft. The plans embrace a glass walkway to attach the Bon Accord St Nicholas centres and an improved hyperlink to the John Lewis division retailer, which is able to kind an anchor on the far finish of the shopping mall, with Marks and Spencer on the Union Road finish. The scheme is anticipated to be accomplished by 2010.
The Bon Accord Centre will even see a brand new entrance being constructed at Gallowgate with one other wing added to house extra retail items. That is presently below development and is due for completion subsequent 12 months, and can embrace an enormous new Subsequent, the biggest in Scotland.
A brand new retail centre on the nook of Market Road/Union Road can also be proposed. This may refurbish and reconfigure current properties, together with Aberdeen’s Indoor Market, to create fashionable retail area and it’ll additionally present improved entry to the historic Inexperienced space of the town.
Attributable to be accomplished in 2009, the Union Sq. undertaking will present Scotland’s second-largest shopping centre, full with a multiplex cinema and hyperlinks to a brand new transport hub on the close by Aberdeen railway station and the Guild Road bus station.
The brand new developments are anticipated to deliver a number of recent shops to the town and can affirm Aberdeen’s place because the premier shopping centre within the North of Scotland.
To search out out extra about Aberdeen Metropolis and Shire go to:
http://www.aberdeencityandshire.com