Sam 45 Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 That fancy one in Glasgow is quite nice, I forget the name. But i'm sure the St Enoch centre attracts much more customers.You are probably talking about Princes Square here. The St.Enoch centre is currently going through a major revamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ca_gere Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 You are probably talking about Princes Square here. The St.Enoch centre is currently going through a major revamp.Sounds right. It's got a big pendulum thing in the middle. I don't really 'shop' so not been in for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panda Strong Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 well i went this afternoon and didn't find it offensive in the slightest. it is just a shopping center after all, right? i mean, it adds something to that area of town that was previously a dive. coming out of it didn't feel like aberdeen - much more like glasgow/edinburgh. i dug it. there aren't any shops there that i'll be frequently going to (or that aren't already in town) though. another next is rubbish. having an apple store is nice. as mentioned the access isn't so great but i guess that wasn't really avoidable (???). that hamburger restaurant looks mint, not too $$$ and right across from the cinema. the lack of extraordinary architecture doesn't bother me at all. could it have been better? most definitely. but whatevvzzz. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaseyBoi Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 I checked out the robot at the opening on youtube seemed ok bit boring after 1 minute or so lol....An the flash dancers are on youtube aswell...Pure dead cringey so it is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigsby Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Went in this afternoon and was decidely underwhelmed. Maybe it's just a result of coming back from the states and having the massive centre at Livingston relatively nearby, but I thought it was really small. Hardly any shops in it.On the plus side the parking was reasonable and I like the way the bus and train stations are linked, good for encouraging public transport use.Disappointed to see a Hollister due to open, I just came back from America with a load of Hollister stuff on the basis that it would be a bit different, and now every fucker will be wearing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostwriter Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 I don't live in Aberdeen any more and so I obviously haven't had the chance to go and see this place for myself. However, it's pretty shocking that folk from Aberdeen, the 'Oil Capital of Europe', feel they have to travel to Edinburgh and Glasgow to do some decent shopping, it's about time they introduced some new shops to Aberdeen and updated the place a bit - it might even pave the way for other brands to follow suit and open up stores. And what with Aberdeen being home to some of the wealthiest people in Scotland, it would be good if they could spend some of their money there rather than pumping it into the local economies of other cities.All I'm saying is, although I haven't seen the building yet (and believe me, I have little doubt that the place will be yet another piece of grotesque 'new-age' architecture to add to Aberdeen's skyline), if you don't like Union Square then don't go.. but I'm sure there will be many people who will feel the benefit from it. So would you all stop moaning! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh_Jazz Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 I actually thought it looked pretty decent when i was in yesterday....a rare instance of something good happening in the city. Then again, even if the thing was an architectural marvel, there would still be some that moaned about it....but then that's Aberdeen for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloud Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 I agree Cloud, a bit of pride in the architecture wouldn't have gone amiss. Some creativity instead of a generic rent-a-mall. I mean, I still wouldn't go in but it'd be a nice addition to the landscape. There are some nice shopping centres dotted about the world but the ones that pull in the most money, im sure, are the ones where its wall to wall retail space. That fancy one in Glasgow is quite nice, I forget the name. But i'm sure the St Enoch centre attracts much more customers.Sadly so. When you look at what can be done, it's even sadder - and contary to popular belief, the Stary Browar shopping centre here was mostly pulled down and rebuilt to the same architectural style as the brewery - it's (mostly) not the original building. But it's all about keeping the majority happy and not having to spend too much to do it. The target demographic (Bams with credit cards, Young girls with daddy's money, etc) love this type of shit and don't care that it's just another step towards homogenous commercialisation or what it looks like. It's just somewhere they can go to on a saturday all dressed up and buy tonnes of stuff in the one place. Ah well.In most cases, it seems to be about spending fuck all. We've got a plague of souless shopping centres here too - one example that's just opened is the quintessential 'done on the cheap' type place that's already looking horrible six months after opening. What makes these places even worse is that they become Saturday afternoon entertainment for families - who the hell takes a 3 year old to a shopping centre for entertainment?!While I'm at it, there's another example of a fantastic conversion - Manufaktura in Lodz. Have a look at this - would you honestly believe that this is a shopping centre/entertainment complex? Look beyond the 1st page, you'll be amazed. manufaktura - Grafika GoogleEven The Academy in Aberdeen showed what can be done with a bit of imagination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimyReizeger Posted November 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 I think the inside is reasonable aesthetically. Wide passageways, revealing upper-deck cutaways and plenty of light. Gives a nice expansive feel as opposed to others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fraser Mac Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 I like it, it is however very cold, cant wait till it quietens down a bitty, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemonade Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 I haven't been in yet, though I'm not against the idea of a new shopping centre at all. Plus it's provided a cinema in the city centre that you can actually fucking park at. I'll wait a couple of weeks between the "new opening" rush and the Christmas rush and check it out then.Isn't the Bon Accord Centre looking pretty shiny and new these days? They've upped their game a bit now there's a new kid in town. The downstairs where Virgin / Woolies / Adam etc used to be is looking really nice since they put in all those new lights and stuff. Big improvement. Even the St Nicholas is starting to look a bit better, that was basically just a shithole tunnel for years.The upshot of all these centres is (hopefully) that some local independent shops might be able to open on Union Street again.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hog Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 Went to it today.40 for a sushi meal with the Mrs at Yo Sushi. It's a lot smaller than what I thought it would be. Going to avoid it at Christmas so I don't have to jump out of the way of people who are so blinkered they forget to have any spacial awareness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gladstone Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 I haven't been in yet, though I'm not against the idea of a new shopping centre at all. Plus it's provided a cinema in the city centre that you can actually fucking park at. I'll wait a couple of weeks between the "new opening" rush and the Christmas rush and check it out then.Isn't the Bon Accord Centre looking pretty shiny and new these days? They've upped their game a bit now there's a new kid in town. The downstairs where Virgin / Woolies / Adam etc used to be is looking really nice since they put in all those new lights and stuff. Big improvement. Even the St Nicholas is starting to look a bit better, that was basically just a shithole tunnel for years.The upshot of all these centres is (hopefully) that some local independent shops might be able to open on Union Street again....Never thought about it like that... hopefully... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigsby Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 I see the cinema doesn't have Imax, which seems like a missed opportunity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Mac Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 I see the cinema doesn't have Imax, which seems like a missed opportunity.Indeed, surely this should have been one of the first things they sorted out.Useless.A missed opportunity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaki Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 My girlfriend doesn't like it - "shite location, confusing layout and full of bams". She still came back laden with bags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Korps Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 i thought the place would've been better suited to a "printworks" style place, a la manchester. just purely cos the weather is poop constantly it'd be a winner to have bars/clubs/cinema/restaurants in one place, again to keep all the bams in one place!and yeah before you say it we don't need anymore bars/clubs, just like we don't really need more copycat shops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Easy Wishes Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 I am quite surprised there isn't a bar in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Mac Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 I'm sure some bars will open, aren't there still loads of units unused? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scootray Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 I heard 80% of the place was bought up on the news the other day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Korps Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 i presume the upstairs bit at Jury's Inn is a cafe/bar?other than that i think it's just cafes or restaurants with bars or M&S food (when it opens) which may sell booze but don't suppose that counts! speaking of which i was planning going to go to M&S food (before i realised it was closed) to save me paying something like 1.59 for a bottle of juice from WH Smith, ended up going to Sizzlers!(aye i wis born in aberdeen, will walk for 2 mins to save 60p!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemonade Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 The bit of the Jury's Inn with the coloured windows is the restaurant, which is tiny. I'm not sure where the bar is exactly, I never saw it when I stayed there last month. Anyway it will be hotel prices in there, which will be about 3.50 for a pint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Stax Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 My girlfriend doesn't like it - "shite location, confusing layout and full of bams". She still came back laden with bags.That could be any part of Aberdeen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cynic Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 Especially the Council offices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 My girlfriend doesn't like it - "shite location, confusing layout and full of bams". She still came back laden with bags.Presumably she's a bam then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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