M&S has announced plans to demolish its former Aberdeen flagship store. If the move goes ahead, it would see the end of a historic building that has stood for over eight decades.
Historic Building Set for Demolition
The high street giant's now vacant unit on St Nicholas Street initially spanned 80,000 sq. ft across three floors. First opened in 1944, it marked the department chain's first Aberdeen store before it was closed in May 2025.
It came as bosses decided to invest a staggering £15 million into expanding the Granite City's Union Square branch. Now almost doubled in size, the newly expanded venue is the city's 'modern flagship' for the brand.
Empty Since Closure
Since its closure over a year ago, the landmark building has remained empty. Now it has been confirmed that a pre-application to demolish the landmark building was lodged with Aberdeen City Council last month.
The British high street giant has not confirmed the reason for the decision to tear down the building. It has only been confirmed that if approved, it will liaise with the community and stakeholders on the proposed plans.
Previous Attempts to Repurpose
The confirmation comes after a period of back and forth between local authority leaders and potential takers in a bid to come up with an alternative for the huge site. There were even plans to convert it into an arts venue or new museum, reports the Press & Journal.
An M&S spokesperson told the Daily Record: "We can confirm that a pre-application for the proposed demolition of the closed St Nicholas Street store was submitted to Aberdeen City Council last month. Subject to approval, we will engage with the community and key stakeholders on the proposed plans."
Concerns Over Vacant Building
There have been growing concerns for the vacant St Nicholas building, which has already been the subject of vandalism following the departure of M&S. Tory North East MSP Liam Kerr said the demolition would be "a sad loss" for the city.
He said: "This decision highlights the huge difficulties in finding tenants to fill multi-storey buildings of this size, which in the case of the old M&S, have become a haven for vandalism and antisocial behaviour. The depressing sight of businesses closing then knocking down buildings to save money on extortionate rates and energy costs should act as a wake-up call for ministers, both in Holyrood and at Westminster. We cannot allow any part of our city centre to become derelict wasteland, which is why the council must urgently work with M&S to ensure this land is immediately brought back into use if demolition is granted. If done correctly, it should be the perfect opportunity to breathe new life into this part of Aberdeen by creating something fresh and vibrant to occupy this prime space within our city centre."
Part of Wider Store Rotation Programme
It's not the only M&S closure to affect Aberdeen recently, as it was reported back in May that the department chain would be shuttering its Foodhall located in Stoneywood as it was "no longer viable."
The move marks part of the retailer's massive store rotation programme that has pumped a staggering £300 million into its UK wide estate, with many existing stores receiving fresh upgrades and new areas, while new stores are planned for the future.
It was also announced that the retailer's Glasgow Fort branch could be upsized by more than 32,000 sq. ft as part of the shopping centre's expansion plans, essentially turning it into a new Scottish flagship for the firm.
