Aberdeenshire

Aberdeenshire – one of the 32 counties in Scotland. With the introduction of the Scottish Parliament of a new system of self-government, Aberdeenshire.

Aberdeenshire and Moray

Aberdeenshire and Moray will move to level 1 on Saturday.

Aberdeenshire and Moray will move to level 1, Glasgow to move to Level 2 and Scotland remains on the right track.

The First Minister outlined the next steps to Parliament and confirmed that Glasgow will move to Level 2 from 00:01 on Saturday 5 June 2021.

The following mainland local authority areas will also remain at Level 2, while the situation with the virus is monitored closely:

East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire
East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, and South Ayrshire
North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire
Edinburgh and Midlothian
Stirling and Clackmannanshire
Dundee

At the same time, from 00:01 on Saturday 5 June 2021, these 15 mainland local authorities will move to Level 1:

Highland and Argyll & Bute
Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray
Angus and Perth & Kinross
Inverclyde and West Dunbartonshire
Falkirk
Fife
West Lothian and East Lothian
The Scottish Borders
Dumfries & Galloway

All islands currently in Level 1 will move to Level 0 at the same time due to sustained low numbers of cases. Everyone is encouraged to get tested to help stop the spread of COVID-19 by finding cases that might be missed, as around 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 don’t have symptoms.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

“I appreciate that today’s decisions will feel like a mixed bag. That reflects the fact that we are in a transition phase. No part of the country is going backwards today. Before the vaccines, that would have been impossible on case numbers like this. But the vaccines are changing the game. And that means we can still be optimistic about our chances of much more normality over the summer and beyond.

“As always, all of us have a part to play in beating this virus back. So please, stick with it, and each other.”

For local authority areas in Level 2, we will be providing support to soft play and other closed sectors that had expected to open, or operate in a different way from 7 June. Full details will be provided by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance tomorrow.

Aberdeenshire and Moray on Level 1: what you can do

you can meet socially in groups:
- of up to 6 people from 3 households in your home or theirs – and can stay overnight
- of up to 8 people from 3 households in an indoor public place like a café, pub or restaurant
- of up to 12 people from 12 households outdoors in your garden or a public place
under 12s do not count towards the total number of people or households meeting outside but do count towards the number of households indoors
you do not need to physically distance from family and friends in a private home
you can travel anywhere in Scotland in Levels 0, 1 or 2 but must not enter a Level 3 or 4 area unless for a permitted reason
you can travel anywhere in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands – before you travel you must check the travel rules in those countries
you can provide informal childcare, for example to look after a grandchild
up to 100 people can attend weddings and funerals
tradespeople can carry out any work and repairs in your home such as painting, decorating or repairing
you should work from home where possible

Aberdeenshire and Moray, What can open at Level 1

Places and business that can open at Level 1 include:

cafés, pubs and restaurants
all shops and stores
all close contact services including hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons
gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools
tourist accommodation
all visitor attractions
all public buildings like libraries and community centres
all entertainment (apart from nightclubs and adult entertainment)
stadiums and events – with maximum numbers

Aberdeenshire and Moray, What must close at Level 1

Places and business that must close at Level 1 include:

nightclubs and adult entertainment

the old streets

The Old Streets in Peterhead town

One of the old streets in Peterhead town used to be called Flying Gigs Wynd

One of the old streets in Peterhead town used to be called Flying Gigs Wynd.

Located between Broad Street and the Seagate, in the 18th century it was a narrow, twisty lane, largely populated by taverns, some of low repute!

The most infamous of these was aptly named The Flying Gig and was owned by one Michael Flanagan, an avid buyer and seller of smuggled goods, indeed Peterhead ’s most notorious smuggler, Alexander Elles, has a house which backed directly on to the lane.

Where does the name come from?

The most plausible suggestions are that it either refers to the small triangular pennant flag often seen at the top of sailing ships mast, this flag was often called a gig, or if could be that the name has become corrupted over time and was originally the Flying Jib Wynd.

No one knows for sure, The Wynd is gone now and only the entrance remains, but I often wonder what went on down that lane every time I pass.

Credit by Kenny Bruce

aberdeenshire active life

Aberdeenshire active life is back from 26 April

From next Monday April 26th will begin to re-open Aberdeenshire active

Aberdeenshire active will be back from next Monday (April 26th) Aberdeenshire active will begin to re-open Live Life Aberdeenshire’s leisure facilities. The facilities below will reopen on week commencing April 26th – May 2nd 2021.

For more information, including facility timetables and contact details, promotional offers and how to book your visit, see: https://bit.ly/LLAWBack

Huntly Nordic Ski Centre (1st May)
Peterhead Leisure & Community Centre
Huntly Pool and Fitness Centre Aboyne Pool,
Fitness Suite and Sports Facilities
Ellon Swimming Pool
Banff (Deveron Centre) Pool and Sports Facilities
Turriff Sports Centre
Macduff Marine Aquarium

If we can do so, some of our other leisure facilities may also open next week, however we plan for all our sites to re-open by the 16th May except for Turriff Swimming Pool which is undergoing essential maintenance and is expected to re-open in July.

Customers are asked to keep following their local Facebook pages for up-to-date information around their own reopening plans.

All customers are asked to book and pay for their chosen activity before attending via our online system. Bookings for the above facilities will go live 6 days in advance.

For more information, including facility timetables and contact details, promotional offers and how to book your visit, see: http://bit.ly/SPAbook While Live Life Aberdeenshire is operating on a reduced basis, membership options will not be available and participation will be on a Pay as You Go basis until further notice.

Customers who had purchased a festive promotional pass in December will be able to restart their pass, anyone wishing to do so should contact our membership team on 01467 532929 from Tuesday 20th April at 12 noon.

Meanwhile customers who wish to purchase a 30-day pass can do so, options for these can be found by visiting http://bit.ly/SPAbook

A spokesperson for Live Life Aberdeenshire commented ‘We are delighted to be reopening facilities to the public again over the next few weeks.

Customers can be reassured that our staff have been working hard to ensure your visit is a safe and enjoyable one and our staff are keen to see you back as soon as possible’ The alternative swimming lesson programme will re-start as soon as possible in each facility.

Customers who were signed up for the alternative programme will be contacted via email from Wednesday 21st April onwards with plans.

Follow Live Life Aberdeenshire and your local facility page on Facebook or Twitter for the latest updates.

BBC Scotland topical TV discussion programme is touring the country virtually, Wednesday 31 March.

BBC Scotland to give the people of Scotland the opportunity to have their say about the issues that matter most to you.

Debate Night are inviting people in Aberdeenshire to apply now for episode on Wednesday 31 March.

Members of the general public in Aberdeenshire are invited to apply to join live audience via Zoom and have your say in the evening’s programme. Maybe you are a parent, frontline worker, run a business, a student, have been self-isolating or your work has been affected by Coronavirus; whatever your situation, we want you to apply and be part of the discussion.

As a Debate Night audience member, it is YOUR questions which lead the discussion and the stories, experiences and opinions you share with us that matter most. It is the only TV programme of its kind in the country to allow you the chance to put your questions to Scotland’s key decision-makers and public figures each week.