The company, known for its high-quality global wine selection, plans to utilise the new venue for its second wine bar. This establishment, christened ‘SugarBird in the Gardens’, is set to debut later this year, broadening the company’s footprint in the city centre.

The forthcoming venue will feature outside table seating on a viewing platform, taking advantage of the high point of the newly-revamped gardens. Moreover, the wine bar will host in-demand wine tasting events, mirroring the popular weekly tastings at the firm’s Union Grove location.

This development comes as a significant vote of confidence in Aberdeen’s local economy and the rejuvenated Union Terrace Gardens.

Aberdeen City Council finance and resources convener Councillor Alex McLellan said: “It is positive news that SugarBird Wines will be expanding into the Burns Pavilion, adding to their extremely successful Union Grove premises, which will provide a boost to the local economy as well as attracting people to the rejuvenated Union Terrace Gardens.”

Aberdeen City Council co-Leader Cllr Ian Yuill said: “Sugarbird Wines already has significant experience in running popular and award-winning premises and restaurants. I am sure this new wine bar and event space will be a real boost for our city centre.”

SugarBird Wines will be continuing its popular premises in Union Grove which operates as a wine bar and retail space, hosting weekly wine tastings. The owners, Alex and Ruth Grahame, also have a successful restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa, and were previously the owners and proprietors of the award-winning Hornblowers restaurant and take-away in Gourdon.

Mr Grahame, co-founder of SugarBird Wines, said: “This is an extremely exciting next step in the SugarBird story. We’d been looking around at various premises for a while, but The Burns Pavilion at UTG offered something different and felt special – we could truly picture our brand evolving at this beautiful city centre location.

“Our mission and ethos is to always put customers and their experience at the heart of what we do and the loyalty we have received since first opening in 2021 is a huge driving force behind this growth.”

The Burns Pavilion is one of three similar buildings looking over Union Terrace Gardens, which has reopened after a £28 million refurbishment. All three of the Pavilions are now let – Common Sense coffee house and bar opened last summer in the Rosemount Pavilion, and the Our Union Street project at The Union Street Pavilion.