by Hannah-Rose Lloyd.
Aberdeen City Council has introduced only two city centre ambassadors under a 12-month trial, in partnership with Aberdeen Inspired.
The scheme has been criticised for the low number of hires while Aberdeen’s population exceeds 230,000.
The roles are intended to have a welcoming presence in the city centre, and the ambassadors will interact with members of the public, support businesses, and respond to issues such as anti-social behaviour, safety, accessibility, and cleanliness.
Diya Chiriyankandath, a student at the University of Aberdeen, told The Gaudie: “I’m curious to see how having only two people take on these roles in Aberdeen will work as it is a large city, and many people won’t get to interact with them as there is little opportunity due to the small number of ambassadors.”
Despite this, she added: “It has the potential to make a real difference long-term, especially for newcomers like I was just two years ago.”
The introduction of the scheme comes amid widespread public concern over the state of Aberdeen’s city centre. Delays to redevelopment projects, extended roadworks along Union Street, and significant anxiety over frequent business closures throughout the city have brought increased uncertainty over what will come next.
Ambassadors are expected to be most visible in areas such as Union Street, social spaces, shops, and transport. Students’ experiences in and around the city centre will be central to the ambassadors’ roles.
Aberdeen Council Co-Leader Christian Allard said: “These new roles are part of a wider package of measures to support the city centre, alongside significant investment through the City Centre and Beach Masterplan projects. Together, these initiatives will help create vibrant, accessible and welcoming spaces, strengthening Aberdeen’s reputation as a destination of choice for residents, visitors and businesses.”
Adrian Watson, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Inspired, hopes that the initiative will build on the city’s “prestigious” Purple Flag status, an award given to towns and cities for excellence in their evening and night-time economy. Aberdeen, the only city in Scotland to currently hold the accreditation, has retained it for an “unprecedented” 12 years.
A law student at the University of Aberdeen told The Gaudie: “It’s good to know they will be promoting safety and positive use of public spaces. It sounds like it could bring big improvements to nightlife.”
He also expressed concern for cleanliness: “Waste and litter are noticeable problems, and a cleaner city would create a better tone for visitors and residents.”
However, he questioned the scale of the role: “If they met their principles it would make a big difference, but these are goals that would suit a big team, not two people.”
“Aberdeen Ambassadors are not a replacement for City Wardens but are intended as an additional presence in the city centre. The scheme will run as a 12-month trial, after which its impact on the city centre will be assessed.”
