‘Hollywood-style’ sign installed in Aberdeen in a bid to boost tourism

The giant letters are intended to encourage visitors to the city centre and promote the city on social media.

5th May 2023

The Granite City has brought a touch of Hollywood glamour to the its centre after installing Tinsletown-style letter in a bid to draw people to the area.

Aberdeen now has its name in two-metre glowing lights and joins locations like Edinburgh, Toronto, and Amsterdam, which use similar focal points to drive higher footfall.

While the letters will be located at the Castlegate with Union Street as its backdrop, the £37,000 structure is moveable and will tour the city in the coming months.

The idea was drawn up by city business leaders to help encourage visitors to the city centre as well as positively promote the city on social media platforms such as Instagram.

The letters are designed to mimic the famous Hollywood sign in California. iStock

The letters are illuminated by 98,000 light bulbs, 750m of cables, and 69,850 microchips.

Manufactured in Aberdeen, they have in-built interactive technology to allow them to feature animated digital displays and change colour to celebrate holidays and events.

Roulè Wood from Aberdeen Inspired told STV News that the sight is hoped to create a focal point that would give visitors and residents alike a reason to come into the city centre.

“My two daughters go to school with 500 other pupils, and I know that parents will be interested to come down, as they do for New Art, as they do to see the Umbrella Project, to come and see something interesting and incredible in the city centre.”