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Tim Hortons submits plans for first Aberdeen drive-thru at site of former office block

Tim Hortons could open its first branch in Aberdeen
Tim Hortons could open its first branch in Aberdeen

Plans have been unveiled for two new drive-thrus in the south of Aberdeen – with the potential to bring a world-famous Canadian brand to the north-east for the first time.

Proposals have been put forward for a Tim Hortons restaurant and McDonald’s at the site of the former Craigshaw House in Tullos.

If successful, it would be the Canadian coffee chain’s first premises in the north-east.

The brand currently has a growing presence across Scotland but it yet to come north of Fife.

Each unit would offer sit-in, takeaway and drive-thru food and drink, with room for 97 customers in McDonald’s and 85 in Tim Hortons.

Aurora Planning, hired by CTL Estates to steer the project through the planning process, said the restaurants would primarily serve existing businesses in the area, Kincorth and Torry residents and passing trade from motorists on Wellington Road.

The firm is headed by former city council planning chief, Maggie Bochel.

McDonald’s has opened several new chains recently, including this one in Westhill and another at Kittybrewster

Queues at McDonalds, Bridge of Don, show the popularity of drive-thru restaurant which experts claim is growing in the city.It is thought McDonald’s opening would create 65 jobs and Tim Hortons could hire another 40 people.

Demolition of Craigshaw House began last year after lying empty since the last tenants, Amec, left in 2015.

The owners struggled to find new occupants and elected to demolish the 10-year-old building due to a “significant oversupply” of office space in the city “coupled with a lack of demand”, which made it no longer viable.

Office block demolished due to ‘over supply’ in Aberdeen

Aberdeen City Council is being asked to allow a change from office use to allow the food and drink ventures to move forward.

Aurora Planning, in a statement, said: “It is clear that a currently vacant site, with no prospect of being developed for its allocated purpose, is providing no economic benefit to the city.

“Conversely, if the development proposed by way of this application were to be approved, there would clearly be a net economic benefit, both in terms of the direct jobs that would be created within the proposed units, and in terms of supporting the sustainability of the wider business and industrial area.”

Charted surveyors, AB Robb, estimate there is a five-and-a-half-year supply of office space in Aberdeen.

A letter from managing director Alexander Robb to Ms Bochel is included in the application, which reads: “As a result of the oversupply (of office space), lack of demand and the exorbitant holding costs of particularly vacant rates, buildings such as Craigshaw House are no longer financially viable.

“Nationally there has been an expansion of drive-thru facilities which is obviously driven by demand from the public and recent developments around Aberdeen include Blackburn, Wellington Park, Denmore Road and Abbotswell Road; all of which appear to be busy and serving an alternative market to traditional restaurant and coffee shop operations of the city centre.”

Fifteen office blocks were marked for demolition last year in Aberdeen – compared with only nine in 2019.

There is an abundance of office space available across the Granite City, with a number of office and retail space planned for demolition due to disuse.

This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.