Changes at Cotton Street...

Well, we survived the first week without Lynne, who has gone on to bigger and better things at Johnston Carmichael's marketing department. Definitely a quiet place without her.

Maaj is still on secondment for her professional quals, and is going travelling for a few months next year, after her stint with GE is finished.

However, 'plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose' and we are re-organising to accommodate our new team members -names to follow soon.

The fly in the ointment with TIF...

Aberdeen Council is talking about financing Sir Ian Wood Square by the TIF method. It's very scary that they think that the business community is behind these plans - and very poorly thought out that the local businesses will pay the TIF - they won't, they'll just disappear off out of town. The businesses immediate to Sir Ian Wood Square are nearly all offices, they won't pay this. They'll just move as they don't need to be there. 


The area will then be a desert for 4-5 years while 'regeneration' goes on, and the only businesses willing to move into the 'new' hyper-inflated rented offices will be the national companies - again taking further individuality away from the city. Lastly, the roads will be completely locked up due to the Denburn bypass being closed for years and also Union Terrace itself - which will be central to the development going ahead. 


So Aberdeen business will again be the losers - has the AGCC thought about this when they bang on about being the voice of North-East business - they're not getting my membership next year for sure, and I don't think I'll be the only one.