Union Buildings

Image: © Colin Smith Taken: 9 Apr 2007

Grand granite building at the east end of Aberdeen's Union Street. It was designed by Archibald Simpson (1819) and is built in white ashlar granite, in classical style with ionic columns. Union Buildings used to house the Athenaeum (reading library) before becoming Jimmy Hay's Restaurant. Fire in 1973 burnt out the building which was since restored and now is occupied by the Athenaeum pub. The statue on the right is "The Mannie in the Green" - it was sited in The Green in earlier days. "Before it burnt down it was The Royal Athenaeum restaurant, catering for a select private clientele in the 1960s - civic functions and especially for the "Royals". The "top floor" today was not the top floor, it now does not have the attics which were used for changing rooms, kitchen staff tearooms, dry good store etc. as well as the access to rooftop. In picture, top left was main kitchen, centre window was pantry and the right window was Pastry". [Thanks - John Donaldson].

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