Union Street, Aberdeen
Encyclopedia
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
It was built, along with the adjoining King Street, in the beginning of the 19th Century under plans suggested by Charles Abercrombie to provide an impressive entrance way into the city
City status in the United Kingdom
City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarch to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city". Nonetheless, this appellation carries its own prestige and, consequently, competitions...
, and nearly bankrupted the city when it was built. Union Street in particular was intended to provide an impressive approach into the city from the south (and west); previously the route had been somewhat circuitous.
The street is approximately one mile long (0.8 miles)) and a feat of engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
skill involving the partial levelling of St. Catherine's Hill and the building of arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
es to carry the street over Putachieside.
The Denburn Valley was crossed by Union Street by Union Bridge
Union Bridge, Aberdeen
Union Bridge is a bridge on Union Street, Aberdeen, Scotland. It is the largest single-span granite bridge in the world, at 130 feet . It was built by Thomas Fletcher under some influence from Thomas Telford...
(constructed 1801–05), which has a single span arch of 130 feet (39.6 m).
There are long-term plans to pedestrianise Union Street from Union Terrace
Union Terrace, Aberdeen
Union Terrace is a single carriageway street in the city centre of Aberdeen. At the south end, it has a junction with Union Street, at Union Bridge and Bridge Street and at the north end, it has a junction with Rosemount Viaduct, with the Central Library and His Majesty's Theatre on that street.The...
to the Castlegate.
Shops and markets
Some of the large shops on, or accessed directly from Union Street include Marks and Spencer (on St. Nicholas Street), TopshopTopshop
Topshop is a British clothes retailer with shops in over 20 countries and online operations in a number of its markets. Its sales come primarily from women's clothing and fashion accessories...
, HMV
HMV
His Master's Voice is a trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record label. The name was coined in 1899 as the title of a painting of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone...
, two Waterstones bookshops (one a former Dillons), Hugo Boss
Hugo Boss
Hugo Ferdinand Boss was the founder of clothing company Hugo Boss.-Early life:Boss was born in Metzingen, Germany. After completing his apprenticeship and one year of employment, he founded his own company in Metzingen in 1923.-Support of Nazism:Boss joined the Nazi Party in 1931, two years before...
, Cruise, Jaeger, All Saints
All Saints
All Saints' Day , often shortened to All Saints, is a solemnity celebrated on 1 November by parts of Western Christianity, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in Eastern Christianity, in honour of all the saints, known and unknown...
, Austin Reed
Austin Reed
Austin Reed is a British fashion retailer founded in 1900 known for its menswear. It is an upmarket chain with over 70 retail outlets, with a large flagship store located on Regent Street, London....
, Debenhams
Debenhams
Debenhams plc is a British retailer operating under a department store format in the UK, Ireland and Denmark, and franchise stores in other countries. The Company was founded in the eighteenth century as a single store in London and has now grown to around 160 shops...
(in the Trinity Centre) and Sports Direct
Sports Direct
Sports Direct International plc is a British retailing group. Founded in 1982 by former county squash coach Mike Ashley, the company is now the UK's largest sporting retailer through a number of retail subsidiaries and sports equipment brands. Although now a publicly traded company on the London...
.
The street was home to Bruce Miller's notable musical instrument shop (established 1900) until June 2011 when it closed.
Shopping centres include the St Nicholas & Bon Accord and the Trinity Shopping Centre. In addition there are bars and a number of night-clubs on the street, a former cinema building, and a grand façade fronting the churchyard of the Kirk of St. Nicholas
Kirk of St Nicholas, Aberdeen
The Kirk of St Nicholas is a historic church located in the city centre of Aberdeen, Scotland. It is now officially known as the "Kirk of St Nicholas " as it is membership of both of the Church of Scotland and the United Reformed Church...
.
In April 2011, H&M
H&M
H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB is a Swedish retail-clothing company, known for its fast-fashion clothing offerings for women, men, teenagers and children....
closed their store and moved to the St Nicholas Centre. The unit is now a Sports Direct
Sports Direct
Sports Direct International plc is a British retailing group. Founded in 1982 by former county squash coach Mike Ashley, the company is now the UK's largest sporting retailer through a number of retail subsidiaries and sports equipment brands. Although now a publicly traded company on the London...
store. Other new stores coming to Union Street, HSBC
HSBC
HSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
bank into the former Internacionale unit, Hotter Comfort Concept shoes opened on the street in October 2011 in the former USC unit.
Jamie Oliver will also be opening an Italian restaurant in the former Esslemont & Mackintosh department store in December 2011.
In September 2011, Shoe Zone
Shoe Zone
Shoe Zone is a footwear retailer in the United Kingdom and Ireland which sells shoes at low prices. It has over 800 stores in different cities and towns throughout the UK and Ireland and around 5,750 employees. The company has an annual turnover of 239 million...
& Stead & Simpson have opened in the former Mountain Warehouse
Mountain Warehouse
Mountain Warehouse is a British travel and outdoor retailer selling equipment for hiking, camping and skiing. Founded with its first store in Swindon in 1997 it has grown to have over 140 stores throughout the United Kingdom as well as a store in Rathdowney in the Republic of Ireland and in...
unit.
