Aberdeen’s closed Marks & Spencer flagship store on St Nicholas Street is the focus of a new proposal by a local arts group, UnderWorks Art, which envisions transforming the prominent city centre building into a “cool attraction” and vibrant hub for urban art and music.
Marks & Spencer permanently closed its St Nicholas Street branch in May 2025 after 81 years of trading, a move that came slightly earlier than anticipated. This closure followed a significant £15 million investment by the retailer into expanding and revamping its Union Square branch, a short distance away. Since the St Nicholas Street site ceased operations, concerns have been raised about its boarded-up appearance and associated anti-social behaviour in the vicinity of the building.
Kristiina Nimmo, leader of the UnderWorks Art group, is appealing to M&S to engage in discussions regarding their plan for the empty premises. The project, known as UnderWorks Art, aims to showcase street art, murals, and music. Nimmo, who previously explored transforming the abandoned Woolmanhill Hospital, has assembled a team including regeneration specialist Peter Culley, Anatomy Rooms founder Jim Ewen, graffiti artist K.D Leiper, and musician Michael Fenton.
Ms Nimmo believes the former department store’s layout is ideally suited for this transformation. She told the P&J:
“The whole idea of UnderWorks Art is to create a space that would be open to the public – and 65% of the space would be free for the public. But it needs to be a space that has natural flow. A department store like M&S already has a natural flow of traffic designed to go through it. I think it would be great to turn this old destination into a new destination.”
The vision includes projection art displays alongside murals, drawing inspiration from successful immersive exhibitions.
The initiative has garnered support from prominent local figures, including Bob Keiller, leader of the Our Union Street regeneration group, which was established to revitalise the city’s central thoroughfare. Mr Keiller highlighted a precedent in Glasgow, where artists were permitted to use a vacated M&S store awaiting conversion into student accommodation.
He remarked: “When M&S left the building, they assured us that it would not be left empty. In Glasgow they allowed artists to use their vacated store until the work to convert it to student accommodation was started. It’s time to do something similar in Aberdeen.”
Scottish Conservative North East MSP Liam Kerr also backs the proposal, suggesting the former M&S could become a “world-class cultural centre.” He pointed to successful examples like SWG3 and The Briggait in Glasgow, and The Biscuit Factory in Edinburgh, as evidence that such projects can deliver “huge benefits for these cities.”
Nimmo asserts that the project would significantly boost city centre footfall, thereby benefiting other local businesses. “It would be a tourist destination. It would make Aberdeen city centre, especially this part of the town, more vibrant, more cool and more interesting.”
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She confirmed that her group has received correspondence from sales agents regarding the building, signifying a serious interest in the site.
“We are a serious venture and we do have a true interest in this building,” she stressed.
A spokeswoman for Marks & Spencer commented on the situation, stating: “We recognise the importance of the former St Nicholas Street M&S site to Aberdeen and remain focused on securing a suitable long‑term outcome.”
