Finnies 'doesn't need as much staff' as boss claims Aberdeen bus gates leave shop 'quieter than ever'
'This is the quietest the shop has ever been,' Dominique Dawson tells me as she gestures at the handful of customers browsing the shiny jewels on display.
There was a time when the showroom at Finnies would have been bustling with shoppers, each perusing the glossy cabinets in search of that perfect present.
The family-owned business has been a George Street staple for more than 65 years, and is known for its collections of luxury items – from engagement rings to classy silverware.
But this hasn't really been the case in the last two years…
As a manager – and now director of Finnies – Dominique spends most of her days behind the counter and has seen the change firsthand.
She recalls the busy spell they had after the pandemic, later boosted by the expansion of the store in March 2023, which aimed to offer shoppers a 'truly luxurious experience' .
All of this, however, took a turn when the bus gates were installed in August that year.
Two years on, she says Finnies continues to bear the brunt of the traffic system, blamed for deterring potential customers from the city centre and surrounding areas.
'Our biggest challenge has been getting people through the door,' Dominique says.
'There are obviously a lot of factors involved in that – post-Covid recovery, the move to online shopping, the LEZ, the main thoroughfare being closed, the cost-of-living crisis…
'But then you throw in the bus gates and the uncertainty of how to get into town.
'We lost six staff members last year – some retired, some moved country – and I haven't replaced them. I just don't need to with the footfall that's coming in.'
Dominique and her family were among the first to back The Press and Journal's Common Sense Compromise campaign last summer.
Along with dozens of other city traders, she called for the local authority to 'listen to exacerbated business owners' cry for help' and tweak the bus priority route.
Their pleas fell on deaf ears, however, and they are now – led by veteran retailer Norman Esslemont – on the verge of suing the council over the traffic measures.
Dominique says the issue has only got worse in the past year as more and more people ended up being slapped with a fine after being caught up in a bus gate.
And she argues that people are still as confused driving in the city centre as they were the day the bus gates were first put in place.
'The council might say that we'll get used to it but what if outsiders can't get used to it?' Dominique fumes.
'You wouldn't believe the number of account managers I have that have come to see us and have been fined – it's a nightmare, and it just leaves a nasty taste in your mouth.
'People are not coming in daily, so they still don't have the confidence to navigate them.
'Would I risk it? Would I give it a go or would I just go around that area?…These are still questions we hear every day.'
The Finnies team has now pledged an extra £2,000 to the crowdfunder, launched in January to raise the thousands needed for the looming court battle.
Hundreds of business owners and residents have since donated, raising more than £55,000 towards the cause.
Dominique says the most frustrating part has been the ignorance city leaders have shown to their concerns and 'their refusal to listen to them'.
She adds: 'At no point did the council stop to think: 'The city is on its knees. Should we really do this right now? Or maybe at least wait until we are in a better place?
'It's just disappointing that they still haven't come back to the table to find a compromise and listen to us and our cry for help.
'There are some great businesses in Aberdeen, and we are all keen – and desperate – to support and grow the commercial success of the city.
'And this wouldn't be so difficult if we were all moving in the same direction. The businesses are, the people are – but the council is just going the opposite way.'
And despite all the setbacks they have experienced, Dominique is confident traders will prevail in their fight against the condemned city centre restrictions.
Traders have put their faith into lawyer Alasdair Sutherland, who forced Highland Council into a humiliating climbdown on traffic bans in Inverness a few years ago.
And Dominique believes his expertise combined with the support from the business community in Aberdeen will get their battle over the line.
She adds: 'We've now created enough noise for the council to understand that we're not just moaning – this is a genuine concern that is affecting all of us.
'We are at a point where we are going to court and that's an achievement in itself.
'I'm very confident that we can win this.'
More details on the bus gate court battle can be found on the crowdfunder page.
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