A prominent family-owned business in the heart of the Granite City has put its support behind Aberdeen Inspired as the organisation campaigns for a second term.
Aberdeen Inspired is the banner under which the Aberdeen BID (Business Improvement District) operates. It is a business-led initiative within the city centre in which levy payers within the BID zone contribute.
Voting is currently open for levy payers to decide whether the organisation returns for a second five-year term. More than 200 votes have been cast so far in the ballot, which runs until March 17. The majority must vote “yes” to allow Aberdeen Inspired to return.
Christopher Carry, of Jamieson & Carry, which has had a presence on Union Street since it was established in 1733, has pledged to continue his support to the organisation as voting gathers pace – and backed their plans to clean up the busy thoroughfare.
Aberdeen Inspired has committed to a wide range of projects to improve the city centre aesthetic should it be successful, among them a concentrated multi-faceted focus on cleaning Union Street.
Christopher said: “I feel it’s extremely important that businesses within Aberdeen city centre continue to invest, engage and take a joined up approach in tackling issues within our city centre. I believe Aberdeen Inspired is our key to this. Our family run business has been delighted to call Union Street home for over four generations therefore a proposal to pioneer a multi-stranded clean-up of the Granite Mile can only be a positive step in the right direction.”
For the year ahead (2016-17), other projects planned by Aberdeen Inspired to boost the aesthetics of the city centre include more creative lighting projects similar to the successful installation within the city centre’s Golden Square as well as a continued summer and winter programme of decorative floral baskets and bedding.
Further ‘Adopt an Area’ and street art revitalisation projects alongside lobbying owners of vacant properties with a view to providing free and discounted space for pop-up enterprises and exhibitions are also part of the plans.
Gary Craig, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired said: “Support from well-known businesses like Jamieson and Carry is a great boost for Aberdeen Inspired during our renewal ballot. Christopher, who is a valued board director of Aberdeen Inspired, and his family have seen many changes to the city over the years and know the importance of an attractive centre to attract visitors to Aberdeen and the economic benefits that can bring.
“Union Street regularly tops the list of issues local businesses would like Aberdeen Inspired to address and we have pledged to make it a priority if voted through. This, along with other major enhancements to the BID and city centre all aim to drive footfall to the zone and increase dwell time. This is of huge importance to our levy payers, as well as to residents and those visiting the city. We are all passionate about making the city a better place and are confident that we will be given the chance to carry out our plans and continue to revitalise the city centre.”
Further information on the work of Aberdeen Inspired is available at www.aberdeeninspired.com