Here are the business stories making the headlines across Scotland and the UK this morning.
Could auction of landmark Aberdeen buildings bring new hotel development?
Prominent Aberdeen city centre buildings which were intended for a major hotel development are to be sold at auction.
Schoolhill, the former student union building overlooking Aberdeen Art Gallery, and the Clarke building were sold to luxury hotel chain Malmaison/Hotel du Vin Group a decade ago.
The group obtained conditional planning permission to create a luxury hotel in 2015. However, its plans for a 255-bed boutique hotel were never realised as the city suffered the impacts of a devastating oil and gas slump.
Read the full story in the P&J.
Archaeolink Prehistory Park owners reveal housing and hospitality future for Aberdeenshire attraction
The owners of Archaeolink Prehistory Park in Aberdeenshire have revealed their plans for the site after purchasing it earlier this year.
Mike Bisset and Shaun Scott acquired the Oyne land from Aberdeenshire Council in March and have brought the former visitor centre to the market for just £150,000 – in hopes a developer can add a hospitality hotspot to the area.
They are also in discussions with local contractors over building a range of houses on some of the 13.75 acres of land.
Hospital suspends visits after vomiting outbreak
NHS Grampian has suspended visiting to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin after an outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting.
The health board said three wards had been closed to new admissions and only essential visitors would be allowed at the Moray hospital.
It comes after a critical incident at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, which saw several patients diverted to Dr Gray's to help NHS Grampian cope with pressure on services. More than 50 patients and staff have been affected at the hospital, which has been operating at 124% occupancy for the last week.
Charity Super.Mkt to open more pop-ups amid rising demand for secondhand clothes
The secondhand clothing pop-up Charity Super.Mkt is set to head to Edinburgh, Leeds, Sheffield and the heart of London’s Canary Wharf financial district as it opens a dozen more stores next year catering to a rise in interest in shopping for preloved items.
The initiative, which has brought together 55 local and national charities in the UK, including Age UK, Oxfam, Barnardo’s, Traid and RSPCA, in about 16 stores since it launched.
About 10% of all gift sales are expected to be preloved this year, equating to £2.05bn being spent on secondhand presents, according to a recent report from analysts at Retail Economics.
Read the full story here.
Aviva must increase bid for Direct Line, insists Sir Peter Wood
The founder of Direct Line has said Aviva’s swoop for the company he started in 1985 might succeed … but only if the bid was raised by “several hundred million pounds”.
Aviva stunned the City last week when it made a £3.3billion approach to buy the company founded by Sir Peter Wood in Croydon, south London.
The cash and shares offer, which valued the motor and home insurer at 250p a share, was rejected by Direct Line, which called the proposal “highly opportunistic”. The board said it “substantially undervalued the company”.
Shops suffer worst slump since pandemic amid fears over economy
High street retailers have suffered their worst slump in sales since Covid, as fears over the economy hammer demand among shoppers.
Sales in November were down 5.8% year-on-year, according to a new report from accountancy giant BDO, with customers spending less both online and in stores.
It marks the worst performance for the sector since January 2021, when retailers were battling the UK’s third national lockdown.