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Business toolkit

Business toolkit – creating a more resilient city centre

The Business Toolkit has been devised to signpost resources and deliver training to Aberdeen city centre businesses with the intention of creating a more resilient and adaptable high street. The Business Toolkit will support best practice, knowledge sharing and networking, and a proactive approach to the challenges and opportunities of a changing high street.

Over the past years, there have been several factors influencing changing high streets across the UK. Shifts in consumer behaviour, pandemic recovery and rising energy and living costs have all impacted why and how often people visit their local high street. The reality for high street businesses is that adapting and diversifying in line with this transformation of consumer habits and needs is essential.

It is increasingly recognised that an evolving and future-proofed high street needs to attract new footfall and cater for more audiences. A mix of high street functions to include retail, hospitality, culture, leisure, work, green spaces and residential, with each prioritising an experiential offering, is required to deliver a truly vibrant high street which attracts locals, visitors, residents and tourists again and again. Embedding local businesses at the heart of the city centre contributes to the sense of place and creates a cornerstone for our city centre economy and local communities.

Recognising the role of thriving businesses to a prosperous city centre economy, Aberdeen City Council is playing its part by investing millions of pounds through the City Centre and Beach Masterplan which will help regenerate the city with a new market building, attractive new streetscaping, better linking in the city centre, and revitalising the beach area. There is also direct help for businesses through projects such as the Union Street Empty Shops Grant Scheme, the City Centre Events Grant Scheme and this Business Toolkit.

Since the launch of the supporting Union Street Empty Shops Grant Scheme and through collaborative activity with partners including Our Union Street, Aberdeen Inspired, and Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, the number of vacant units on Union Street has been steadily falling as business confidence grows and public realm improvements are being delivered.

  • The Business Toolkit will be updated through continued collaboration with city centre businesses, networks and partners to support city centre regeneration, revitalisation and resilience. If there is specific resource or training you would like to see offered as part of the Toolkit, please complete our questionnaire. 

Monitoring footfall data can be very valuable for city centre businesses. Utilising this information will improve your understanding of visitor demographics and emerging trends, support sales forecasting, operational efficiency, and can factor into store planning, growth and expansion plans.

Huq data provides ACC with footfall insights based on mobile phone signals, aggregating data over a 24-hour period to provide a comprehensive overview of visitor patterns and behaviours.

The map below shows the area of footfall data, and information gleaned from 1 January 2024 to 31 October 2024 includes:

  • Total number of visitors for the year to date has risen 13.2% on last year
  • Total number of visitors to date compared to 2019 (pre-Covid) is down 2%
  • Total number of visitors in Q3 2024 is up 23.3% on the same quarter last year
  • Busiest day of the year so far was Friday 30 August
  • The highest percentage of visitors (24%) were recorded from 3pm to 6pm, followed by 12midday to 3pm (22%)
  • Next highest percentage of visitors was 9am to 12midday (17%), 6pm to midnight (16%), 6am to 9am (15%), and 12midnight to 6am (7%)
  • 79% of the visitors to the city centre came from the North-east, 17% were from the rest of Scotland, and 2% the rest of the UK
Map showing the area of footfall based on mobile phone usage

 

 

The Business Gateway service is a team of friendly advisers operating across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. While many entrepreneurs will engage with Business Gateway for start-up support, the Service offers a wealth of fully funded support – always free for you to access – to support your business at any stage.

 

Digital Business Support

The Digital Support for Business Programme is a free service designed to strengthen the digital skills and knowledge of SMEs in Aberdeen city.

The Programme provides targeted support to help increase  digital capabilities, enabling improvements in business efficiency, while innovating, growing, and staying competitive. The impact of digital advancements on retail businesses is significant as customers welcome the convenience, choice, and competitive pricing available online. More than ever, retail-based businesses need to consider how they balance numerous sales channels, an online presence, and an experiential in-store offering.

The Programme offers businesses an opportunity to undertake digital training in any of the following areas:

  • Artificial intelligence
  • Customer relationship management (CRM)
  • Cyber security
  • Data analytics
  • Digital marketing strategy
  • Existing website review
  • Information Technology
  • Social Media
  • Website Support
  • Complete the online form (Apply for Digital Business Support online) indicating which type of training would support your business and an adviser will be in touch to make arrangements. Training may be delivered via one-to-one sessions, or group coaching, supporting city centre business owners to develop digital knowledge and skills independently.

Website Review

With the opportunities posed through e-commerce, online booking software, and CRM systems, a well-developed website and online presence is more important for businesses than ever before. Your website needs to deliver functionality, up-to-date information, and align with wider marketing communications and branding.

Business Gateway’s dedicated web advisers can help. They can conduct an independent and impartial review of your website including recommendations on increasing sales and improving digital connections. A website review can be offered completely free-of-charge - Apply for an Independent Website Review

Expert Help

The current economic climate is a very challenging time for all city centre businesses, no matter how established. With business owners having to focus on identifying and implementing efficiencies, increasing the bottom line and troubleshooting day-to-day operational issues, it can be difficult to maintain the energy and enthusiasm needed to consider or embrace any potential opportunities on the horizon.

Business Gateway’s advisor and consultancy expert help can provide business owners with support to reignite their focus, consider the bigger picture and longer-term, and drive the company forward over the bumpy short-term. Contact 01224 946510

Business Model Canvas

Business Gateway hosts regular in-person workshops focused on the Business Model Canvas, supporting businesses to develop a strategic template for your business model, and identifying how this can be used to support forward planning. These workshops also offer the opportunity to network and knowledge share with others in a similar situation.

Webinars

It can be difficult for business owners to step away from daily operations and invest time in attending in-person workshops, or sending staff to attend these. Recognising this, Business Gateway have a full calendar of online webinars nationally and locally which are free-to-attend.

In partnership with Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, Aberdeen City Council is offering several tailored training days targeting high street businesses. The sessions will be delivered by a range of industry experts with a broad wealth of knowledge and expertise around business in the North-east of Scotland. The topics covered will be focussed on providing the tools, knowledge and techniques that enable business resilience, recovery and forward planning against difficult trading environments. 

Up to 12 city centre businesses can participate in each training day at no cost. These are being held:

  • Wednesday 15 January, Marischal College – theme: managing resilience
  • Tuesday 18 February, Marischal College – theme: customer service excellence
  • Thursday 20 March, Marischal College – theme: social media for business

To register your interest in these sessions, please complete the online form. A member of the team will then reach out with information about signing-up which will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Attracting new visitors and increasing footfall are key to thriving businesses within a city centre. In addition to events programmes led by city partners and stakeholders, more business-led events in the city centre would be a major boost to the area.

Aberdeen City Council’s city events team has a wealth of experience in managing events around the city of all sizes and is happy to help.

Consult the Event Guidance, and Event Organiser Journey (small scale events journey is most likely to be relevant here).

 

FAQs

How long will it take to organise my event?

We would urge you to get in touch with the City Events Team as soon as you start your planning process. At a minimum, it’s recommended that you allow 12 weeks for a smaller event (and much longer for a large event – a minimum of 21 weeks).

 

What are the most common requirements for an event?

  • Risk assessments
  • Public liability insurance
  • An event manual
  • Site plan
  • Food safety documents
  • Medical plan
  • Traffic management plan
  • Crowd management plan
  • Accessibility plan
  • Toilet provision
  • Waste management

 

My event will have a stage, what do I need to do?

Although temporary demountable structures, electrical systems and lighting pose considerable risk to those who come in to contact with them and as a result, organisers must ensure measures are taken to reduce the likelihood and impact of this risk. Event organisers are reminded of their duty of care to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of those working or attending their event and are recommended to utilise the further reading provided to satisfy themselves that they understand the risks involved as well as the measures which would be deemed sufficient to mitigate those risks.

 

My event requires road closures, what do I need to do?

If your event requires any changes to the normal road operations, including road closures, waiting or parking restrictions and/or directional changes then a Temporary Traffic Restriction Order or Stop Works Sign will be required and there will be a cost to meeting this. Aberdeen City Council, as the Roads Authority under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, retain powers under section 16 of the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984 to facilitate road closures for events. 

 

Is there any funding available to meet the costs of hosting an event?

Yes! Support for City Centre Events | Aberdeen City Council

To support business-led city centre events, a grant scheme has been launched to encourage adhoc events in the city centre which contribute to vibrancy, engage community spirit, and add value to the local economy.

One-off funding awards of £250 or £750 are available for events taking place within the city centre boundary before the end of March 2025.

For more information, guidance, and the application form, go to City Centre Events Grant Scheme. 

Sole traders, Partnerships or Limited Companies who have set up within the Aberdeen City Council boundary since 1 January 2024 can apply to the Business Start-Up Grant Scheme. Grants of £1,000 to home-based business start-ups, or £3,000 for start-ups taking on a rateable premise or commercial space within Aberdeen, are available.

Businesses connected to Digital Tech, Tourism and Hospitality, and Food and Drink sectors may apply for one-off grants to support attendance at trade shows, conferences, or exhibitions.  This funding aims to enable SMEs to begin or progress their ‘learning journey’, supporting market knowledge and awareness, business growth, and export readiness.

For guidance and application form - Learning Journey Support for SMEs 

For businesses seeking a new commercial premise, or expanding to additional premises, there are a number of incentives available to support uptake of ground floor vacant units on Union Street.

This includes the Union Street Empty Shops Grant Scheme, 50% match-funded grant awards of up to £35,000 to support internal renovation project works to enable reoccupation.

For available vacant units on Union Street – Our Union Street

For guidance and an application form - Union Street Empty Shops Grant Scheme

The challenge

Businesses in the Belmont Street area wanted to attract people in to the city centre and show the diversity of shops, cafes, bars, and restaurants. They also wanted to create something that was fun and entertaining which people would want to come to and enjoy.

 

The idea

Local businessman John Wigglesworth, owner of the ‘Books and Beans’ café and bookshop, came together with other businesses in the Belmont Street area and formed a group named ‘Collective on the Cobbles’.  They agreed to create a local festival designed to “celebrate the community, businesses and history of Belmont Street, Back Wynd, Gaelic Lane and Little Belmont Street”.

 

The solution

Over several weeks, the businesses with added support from Aberdeen Inspired discussed ideas for a summer event, designed to attract footfall to the area.

The group agreed on the idea that would come to be known as the ‘Big Belmont Bash’. This would be designed to be a one-day festival for all age groups that would include food, drink, poetry, dance, and sport to create a street party that would attract people towards the Belmont Street area to enjoy the diverse range of offerings that the area has to offer.

It was important to the group that the event wasn’t purely a money-making exercise. The group are passionate about Aberdeen, the local area, and providing a fun experience that people will come to and enjoy.

Another important aspect of the meetings was to make sure everyone bought into the project. Due to how different businesses were set up, some people had more time than others, but if the event was going to work, they needed to take responsibility for tasks and work together.

 

The outcome

The event was a success.  By the end of the day, the festival had attracted about 8,000 extra visitors to the area with a reported revenue increase on the day in the region of +30%.

In total, the event cost around £5,000 to set up and run for the day and the cost was split via generous cash donations from ‘Aberdeen Inspired’, as well as other private business contributions.

Security and first aid cover was donated by Greene King, and insurance was provided by business insurance from John Wigglesworth.

Credit should also go to staff and individuals who donated their time to organising the event, as well as the businesses that came out in force on the day to make the event a success with ‘Collective On The Cobbles’ already hard at work planning a further two events throughout 2025.

 

Learnings

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The challenge

How to increase offering, attract new people, and sustain existing customers while navigating the tough trading for traditional brick and mortar businesses across the country.

Stuart McPhie, owner of Belmont Street business Dough & Co, is all too aware of this modern reality.

 

The idea

When Stuart started out, he began with a simple idea to “open a coffee shop that served doughnuts”. As with most things however, this idea wasn’t and isn’t a static, unmovable concept.

As the business has now established itself in the area, Stuart is now looking to the future. How does he extract himself from the day-to-day operations, free himself up to be able to think more strategically and long-term, and how to diversify.

WHAT IS THE IDEA - IT IS NOT CLEAR XXXXXXXXXX

 

The outcome

As is often the case, there was and is no one size fits all “solution” to increasing the sustainability of a business. Stuart diversified his income streams so that, as one stream fluctuated, there were others there to support some of the load while other streams were further developed, or other items came back around.

As well as the in-store offer, Dough & Co has branched out to other places including Codona's Amusement Park, Union Square, and people can order via Just Eat and Facebook . Pop-up shops have also been put up at popular events such as Spectra, the light festival held in the city centre, and promotions have been held in the shop for students, and also for Whisky Week.

Several months ago, Stuart set up organising local collection points for his products near his home in Aberdeenshire through local Facebook groups where people could come and collect their donuts in the evening.  The idea was it would grow into setting up collection points in shops throughout Aberdeenshire but it turned into selling the goods within the stores.

INFO IN HERE ABOUT NUMBERS? XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Learnings

Diversification has always been an important part of running a business, but in the modern landscape, it is an absolute business imperative. Running a business of this type in the current market can be demanding and unrelenting but it can also be highly rewarding.

Stuart said: “It’s important to remember that not everything you try will work In fact you may well have more failures than you do successes, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth trying

“Sometimes it might work and that’s great, but sometimes it might open an angle that you didn’t expect which will lead you in another direction and sometimes it won’t work, and you’ll have to go back to the drawing board. Each of these things are valuable in themselves and you can take different learnings from it.

“I always come back to the offering. We think we have an offering that is good, so we try to keep that in mind and make sure that we are always learning.”

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