Scott Begbie: We should be making MORE of empty city centre spaces to discourage Aberdeen street drinkers and troublemaking youths
With the Tall Ships hoving into view, it's great to see all sorts of plans and visions surfacing to make the most of this once-in-a-generation event dropping anchor in July.
So good on the licensing board for giving a thumbs up to the Ibis Hotel on Shiprow who want to transform a rooftop space into an al fresco bar with a crow's nest view of the ships when they berth in the harbour.
It was a close-run thing by the sounds of it, with concerns over safety and noise being aired – but one particular comment had me cocking my head to the side and saying: 'Sorry, what?'
A licensing officer opined that issues would arise from the plan due to this being an area where 'we've had problems with street drinkers and problems with young kids congregating'.
Oh, so because of ne'er-do-wells hanging about, we can't have nice things?
Eh, how about flipping that one around and tackling head-on the now-admitted problems, especially street drinkers?
We all know it's happening and where. Just stroll past the soon to be defunct Markies at St Nicholas Square and you will be treated to a bit of street cabaret fuelled by tinnies and God knows what else.
The shouting, the swearing and the occasional full on rammy is the mood music to ordinary folk trying to get on with their shopping and business. And it bleeds out along the east end of Union Street, into Adelphi and some reaches of the Merchant Quarter.
Yet nothing seems to get done – not even when you point out what's going on to city wardens. I know. I've tried.
The irony is this anti-social – in many cases criminal – behaviour is happening at the epicentre of a multi-million pound regeneration of the city centre.
It bemuses me that with so many stakeholders and organisations – including the city council – doing and spending so much to make the city centre vibrant, the authorities – including said council – are doing so little to tackle one of the most visible obstacles to the grand plans.
Yes, the people creating havoc are troubled souls with chaotic lives and need a helping hand. Yes, moving them on merely shifts the problem somewhere else.
But I think we can all accept one place the problem shouldn't be is in the heart of Aberdeen, especially during a sustained campaign to regenerate it as an attractive place to live, work, shop, eat, drink and play.
Perhaps we can all play a part in helping the powers-that-be recognise and tackle the problem. Don't just tut and walk past the rowdy yahoos. Report anti-social and criminal behaviour to 101 – and if you get no answer report it online.
Drop your local councillor a line asking what steps the council is taking to address this alarming problem. City centre safety is, after all, a local authority responsibility.
If everyone objects to what is going on, then perhaps the authorities will listen and bring much needed peace and calm back to this troubled section of our city centre.
Scott Begbie is a journalist and editor, as well as PR and comms manager for Aberdeen Inspired.
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