A popular Aberdeen city centre bar has announced its closure, blaming "utterly ridiculous" bus gates and Low Emission Zone (LEZ) for turning the heart of the city into a "no-go zone".
CASC, located on Stirling Street near Union Street, made the announcement via social media, delivering a stark assessment of the challenges facing city centre businesses.
The establishment, known for its significant presence in the UK cigar industry, took to X to share the news with its customers.
In a candid farewell message, the business likened the current state of Aberdeen to a dystopian scene from "Back to the Future 2", expressing particular frustration over the recent implementation of traffic restrictions.
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The LEZ became active on June 1, 2024PAIn its social media statement, CASC detailed how the business had struggled since the pandemic, with the city centrefailing to return to normal even after lockdowns ended.
The establishment revealed it had been forced to take on recovery loans to survive the initial impact of the pandemic.
"Even after lockdowns ended, town failed to return to normal. So, on top of recovery loans it meant we had to take on further debt to see us through to what we thought would have been normality in 2022," the post explained.
The business had remained hopeful for a return to normal trading conditions that would allow them to overcome their mounting debt obligations.
However, CASC explained that the unforeseen energy and cost of living crisis continued to impact their business, prolonging the economic downturn.
Despite remaining hopeful for the city's recovery, the establishment cited the introduction of LEZ and bus gates as "the final nail(s) in the coffin."
The business expressed particular frustration with these traffic measures, which they claimed had transformed the city centre into a "no-go zone" for many visitors.
Recent data found that Aberdeen's LEZ reportedly generated £2.2million in fines during its first four months of operation.
The LEZ, which was introduced on 30 May 2022 but only began enforcement from 1 June 2024, operates continuously throughout the year using automatic number plate recognition cameras.
The scheme aims to improve air quality and protect public health by restricting vehicles that don't meet specific emission standards from entering the city centre.
For non-compliant vehicles, penalties start at £60 and can escalate to £480 for cars and light goods vehicles, or £960 for larger vehicles like buses and HGVs.
According to the council, the LEZ operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, using Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras to monitor vehicles.
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Aberdeen LEZ boundary map ABERDEEN CITY COUNCILAbout 85 per cent of vehicles in the area already comply with the emission standards required by the scheme. The LEZ aims to create "a vibrant, accessible, and safe city centre" while supporting Scotland's climate change targets, the council noted.
Blue badge holders and emergency service vehicles are among those exempt from the restrictions. The scheme is part of a wider Scottish Government initiative that has introduced similar zones in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dundee. Retrofit grants are available to help some businesses upgrade their vehicles to meet the required standards.
