True North unveils results of most detailed North East poll ever

A record number of people across the North East have shared their views on a broad range of key issues and topics shaping the region’s economic, cultural and energy future.

True North Advisors commissioned respected polling firm Diffley Partnership to survey over 1,300 people across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, capturing their thoughts on topics spanning Aberdeen Football Club to the Granite City’s energy capital crown.

The result is the most detailed and comprehensive snapshot of public opinion ever produced for North East Scotland, providing a clear, evidence-based view of where public opinion stands today.

For businesses, policymakers and investors, it offers a critical insight into the priorities, concerns and expectations of the people who live and work in the region.

Among the headline findings from the report are:

• 61% support a multi-sport Community Stadium and Leisure Complex at Aberdeen’s beachfront

• 47% believe Aberdeen has lost its status as an energy capital of Europe, while 44% think it is at risk

• 65% would support hosting the Tall Ships Race again as early as 2030

• 62% back plans for a Green Data Centre, Industrial and Energy Park at Blackdog

• 73% think restrictions on taxis at key transport hubs should be eased

Click here to download the polling highlights.

Findings from the survey were exclusively revealed at a What the North East Thinks breakfast briefing hosted by True North Advisors in Aberdeen last week, in partnership with Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce (AGCC) and the Press & Journal (P&J) Newspaper.

Well over 100 attendees heard live reactions from business leaders to the poll, with True North’s Founding Partner, Geoff Aberdein, moderating a panel of Alan Burrows (CEO of Aberdeen Football Club), Jennifer Craw (CEO of Opportunity North East), Russell Borthwick (CEO of AGCC) and Maggie McGinlay (CEO of ETZ Ltd).

That was followed by a debate between local candidates in the upcoming Scottish election. Jack Middleton (SNP candidate for Aberdeen Central), Douglas Lumsden (Conservative candidate for Aberdeenshire East), Jenny Laing (Labour candidate for Aberdeen Central), Duncan Massey (Reform candidate for Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine) and Yi-Pei Chou Turvey (Liberal Democrat candidate for Aberdeen Central) were questioned by Geoff on their proposals, if elected in next month’s Scottish Election, for making the priorities of those in the North East a reality.

Across the course of the next few days, What the North Thinks’ fascinating insights were published exclusively by the P&J, generating discussion and debate across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Scotland more broadly – a roundup of which you can find below.

Strong support for multi-sport community stadium

Coverage in the P&J began with a deep dive into public support for the development of a multi-sports Community Stadium and Leisure Complex at Aberdeen’s beachfront.

Diffley’s polling shows a clear majority (61%) back proposals to fund the facility, at a cost of approximately £80 million of public funding, as part of the ongoing regeneration of the promenade area – just 20% opposed.

Under the proposal, Aberdeen Football Club would become an anchor tenant of the Community Stadium and contribute £1 million per year in rent, adding new revenues to the Council over a guaranteed period of no less than 99 years.

On AFC itself, 57% of people view the club as having a positive impact on the North East of Scotland, compared to only 7% who believe it has a negative impact.

Click here to read the full P&J coverage.

Concern around the North-east's energy future

One of the more sobering statistics to emerge from What the North East Thinks related, perhaps unsurprisingly, to the region’s energy sector, more specifically Aberdeen’s status as an energy capital.

Almost half (47%) of those surveyed think that the Granite City has lost its standing, with a further 44% believing it to be at risk.

The data reflects strong sentiment that this is being driven from the top, with only 5% believing the UK Government has the right policies in place to support the energy industry, and just 15% saying the same of the Scottish Government.

However, despite these concerns the survey indicates clear support for a balanced approach to energy.

Around 77% believe the region should strive to lead in both oil and gas as well as renewable energy, while 92% think the UK should meet as much of its energy demand as possible using North Sea resources.

Additionally, 41% reported that they or someone close to them had been impacted by job losses in the sector since 2022.

Click here to read the full coverage in the P&J.

Backing for re-opening rail links to Peterhead, Ellon and Fraserburgh

As the region with the two largest towns anywhere in the UK with no rail connections – Peterhead and Fraserburgh – the data reflects strong support for new railway stations across Aberdeenshire.

Campaigners say extending the trainlines would deliver a wide range of potential benefits, with the North East coast poised to play a crucial role in the transition from oil and gas to renewable energy, something the public clearly agree with.

An overwhelming majority of respondents to Diffley’s survey support replicating successes that have been seen in the Scottish Borders and restoring the rail lines to Peterhead (78%), Fraserburgh (76%) and Ellon (78%), connecting tens of thousands of people across Aberdeenshire.

Sticking with transport, Diffley’s poll found more than a third (36%) of people would visit Aberdeen city centre more often if there were more taxis or private hire cars available at key points.

Click here to read the full coverage in the P&J.

Huge support for bringing Tall Ships back to the region

With almost half a million people visiting Aberdeen across the course of the four days, Tall Ships 2025 was unquestionably one of the North East’s biggest success stories of recent years.

And the vast majority of people in the City and Shire would be in favour of the spectacle returning to the Granite City in the coming years.

Almost 90% (86%) across the region would support Aberdeen City Council in moving to bring the Tall Ships Races back to Aberdeen as early as 2030, with just 3% opposing.

The festival, which was the most attended free event in Scotland last year with 496,000 visits over its four days, generated a reported £32.2 million for the local economy.

Click here to read the full coverage in the P&J.

Overwhelming support for green data centre at Blackdog

Overwhelming North East support was revealed for multi-billion-pound plans to develop one of the UK's most significant AI and data centre campuses just outside of Aberdeen.

The survey found 62% of people across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire are in favour of a proposed Green Data Centre, Industrial and Energy Park at Blackdog - just 7% of people oppose the planned development.

Around 1,000 roles would be supported during its construction, as well as around 100 highly skilled permanent positions and as many as 2,000 indirect jobs, helping to deliver a just transition for the region’s oil and gas workforce.

Backed by property developer Ashfield Land and data centre specialist TechRE, the Blackdog campus plans to have a direct connection to Scotland’s next generation of offshore wind farms - thereby giving projects a route to market and much needed impetus.

Click here to read the full coverage in the P&J.

Methodology

The survey was designed by Diffley Partnership and invitations were issued online using the ScotPulse panel.

Results are based on a survey of 1,303 adults (16+) from Aberdeen City (506) and Aberdeenshire (797) local authority areas.

• Fieldwork was conducted between 23rd – 26th March 2026.

• All base sizes presented are unweighted figures.

• Results are weighted to Scottish mid-year adult population estimates 2024 for relevant areas.

Click here to view all tables and datasets.