Bad Timing

The Capitol cinema opened in 1933 and was apparently Aberdeen's most luxurious cinema at the time. It continued in operation as a cinema and concert venue until the 1990s when it was converted to a nightclub, finally closing in 2009.

For the last couple of years work has been ongoing to convert it to an office block, with a ten storey glass building behind the original frontage, a lot higher than any other building in Union Street. The building work will be finished in March this year.

The timing could hardly be worse. The local paper reported a couple of days ago that none of the space has been taken up so far. There is an ever increasing amount of surplus office space in Aberdeen, and unless they offer very tempting terms, or the oil price picks up, it is likely to remain empty.

Other proposed office and hotel developments have been withdrawn and some resubmitted as student accommodation. Before long there will be more student accommodation than students to fill it. Another office development is being constructed next door to this one, with completion scheduled for 2017. This second construction has not retained the original facade. Building work appears to continue, though to me it looks to be progressing quite slowly.

Another day of rather mixed weather. It was dry when I walked past this building this morning, but rain returned in the afternoon.