The Aberben - Aberdeen

16/09/2026

Wow 100 comments! Thanks for so many of you recommending local businesses. I hope lots of you have discovered some new places and will go try them out soon!

There's quite a few I'm eager to visit and support!

Been a wee while since I've put up one of these posts. The last one did really well and it was nice to see so many amazing businesses tagged. 😊

So let's shout out about some of the amazing small local businesses in the North East.

Why do you love them?
What's your favourite product or service they offer?
Do you have a particular memory from a visit you'd like to share?

Tag them, if possible, or drop their website or even your own photos of the business or their products or the venues.

Let's hear them Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙

15/09/2026

🏎️ Could Aberdeen’s old Debenhams finally be brought back to life?

New plans have revealed a huge leisure hub for the former Debenhams unit in the Trinity Centre, which has been largely empty since 2021.

The proposals could see the three-level space transformed with electric go-karts as the main attraction, alongside a possible bowling alley, restaurant, pub and café.

The final mix has not been confirmed yet, as the Trinity Centre is still in talks with potential operators and tenants, so the plans could still change.

If it goes ahead, it would be one of the biggest changes to the Trinity Centre in years and could bring a major new reason for people to head into the city centre, as well as giving Codona's some much-needed competition.

I wonder what the latest is on the old John Lewis building on George St too, which was also said to be getting go-karts and other fun family activities in, but it seems like no work has started yet?

Would you use it in Trinity or outside Bon Accord? And what would you most like to see included in the old Debenhams space?

15/09/2026

Aberdeen is about to get a lot funnier...

The Aberdeen Comedy Festival is back for 2026, taking over the city across three weekends from Saturday 19 September to Sunday 4 October.

After a brilliant response last year, this year’s festival is even bigger, with leading names, rising stars, local favourites, stand-up, improv and plenty of work-in-progress shows across venues including The Lemon Tree, Music Hall, Tivoli Theatre, His Majesty’s Theatre, Breakneck Comedy, Wild Goose and more.

Here’s the full line-up from the current listings:

Saturday 19 September
Russell Howard: Don’t Tell The Algorithm
Breakneck Comedy: Al Thompson

Tuesday 22 September
Maisie Adam: Whatsherface [SOLD OUT]

Wednesday 23 September
Alasdair Beckett-King: King Of Crumbs

Thursday 24 September
Andrew Ryan: Honest Capacity
Mark Thomas: 40 in Stand-Up Years

Friday 25 September
Susan Calman: Tall Tales [SOLD OUT]
Kim Blythe: Puzzle [SOLD OUT]
Breakneck Comedy: Shazia Mirza
Craig Hill: You’re Not Even Safe Up The Back
Late Night at the Lemon Tree

Saturday 26 September
Breakneck Comedy: Shazia Mirza
Alexandra Haddow: Deadly (WIP)
Fred MacAulay: Good Evening!
Late Night at the Lemon Tree

Sunday 27 September
Fred MacAulay: Good Evening!
Ted Hill Teaches You Science, Most of Which Is True
Robin Grainger
Ted Hill: PowerPoindexter

Tuesday 29 September
John Kearns: Tilting At Windmills
Tony Roper’s The Steamie

Wednesday 30 September
Killian Sundermann: Killian Dollar Baby
Tony Roper’s The Steamie

Thursday 1 October
Janet Street-Porter: Is Still Off The Leash at 80!
Shane Daniel Byrne: Baby This Time
Tony Roper’s The Steamie

Friday 2 October
Sophia Wren: The Best Girl in the World
Connor Burns: FLOW
Shaparak Khorsandi: Work in Progress
Breakneck Comedy: Rab Mulheron
Late Night at the Lemon Tree
Tony Roper’s The Steamie

Saturday 3 October
Balloonatic
Comedy Club 4 Kids
Larry Dean: Hellbent
Grace Campbell: The Lady is a Tramp
Laura Lexx: Yo-Yo
Connor Burns: FLOW
Breakneck Comedy: Rab Mulheron
Late Night at the Lemon Tree
Tony Roper’s The Steamie

Sunday 4 October
Comedy Club 4 Kids
Connor Burns: FLOW
Billy Kirkwood: Mayhem

There is a huge mix this year, from big household names to up-and-coming acts and family-friendly comedy too.

Which show are you most tempted by?

Aberdeen Performing Arts Aberdeen Inspired

14/09/2026

Been a wee while since I've put up one of these posts. The last one did really well and it was nice to see so many amazing businesses tagged. 😊

So let's shout out about some of the amazing small local businesses in the North East.

Why do you love them?
What's your favourite product or service they offer?
Do you have a particular memory from a visit you'd like to share?

Tag them, if possible, or drop their website or even your own photos of the business or their products or the venues.

Let's hear them Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙

12/09/2026

So August was bloody busy, but also a great month for catch-ups and spending time with family, friends, and fellow content creators and the like.

Added some selfies from fun things I did and people I saw in August (or the v end of July) above.
Such activities included:

Getting to see the opening ceremony and exploring the world's largest floating book fair.

Travelling to Sweden. 🇸🇪

Exploring Switzerland and graduating from a training academy with fellow JCI members, finally seeing a best friend after half a year, & made some new lifelong pals too!

Going on a fair few walks with fellow content creators and friends, including along the North Pier and Seaton Park.
Grabbing many, many coffees with pals in various local coffee spots.

Travelling up North to Aberdeenshire

Spent a week up in the countryside near my old stomping grounds cat-sitting for my cousin and spent some time with some childhood friends.

Celebrated my nephew's 8th birthday in the Broch.

Played a few games of badminton when schedules aligned!

Dined with old colleagues, pals and content creators for Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks and had some fantastic meals.

Made lots of content to help promote many local businesses for ARW from said meals!

Travelling to USA 🇺🇸

Spent time at a tractor fayre/exhibit with my family for my other nephew's 7th birthday in the USA

----

I count myself affa lucky to have experienced such a busy month filled with beautiful weather, spending so much time seeing so so many wonderful people that I am fortunate enough to call friends, as well as the incredible new people I've met both in Sweden and Scotland.

September has been a FAR quieter month for me so far, which is probably needed, to be honest.

Especially due to the fact I have been nursing a horrible eye scratch/viral infection in my left eye 😬, which has made going out, especially on brighter days of which there have been many of in Illinois, rather difficult.

But I am still thankful I am able to slow down and spend much needed time with my dear family who I only get to see twice a year while my vision is healing.
💙❤️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I hope you all had a lovely August too! 😊

12/09/2026

One chain out, another chain in...

Costa Coffee could be coming to Peterhead!

Plans have been lodged with Aberdeenshire Council to transform the former KFC drive-thru at Sandford Business Park into a new Costa Coffee.

Documents suggest around £655,000 could be spent converting the unit, with the site set to remain as a drive-thru.

If approved, it would add another major coffee name to the area, with Starbucks already open across the A90, alongside Greggs and McDonald’s nearby.

The former KFC site was previously marketed for £850,000 and is no longer listed for sale.

What do you think? Would you welcome a Costa drive-thru in Peterhead, or does the area already have enough coffee or chain options?

11/09/2026

The Closet - Vintage at Curated Aberdeen in Bon Accord Centre Aberdeen

11/09/2026

Fibbers Irish Snug opens tonight on Langstane Place in Aberdeen., in the former Orchid bar.

Do you think there's room for another Irish themed bar?

Although I'm a non-drinker, I am happy to see another new business opening rather than another unit sitting empty.

📸 courtesy of Let's go to the disco

10/09/2026

Love Drinnie's Observatory. Grew up just a mile or two away from it.
Looks very different with so many trees now gone from the area.