About us > The Cults Hotel Aberdeen History

Looking back to the 1880’s the hotel was only two storeys high and was documented as a shop. Occupied by a William Ferries, it was a family grocer that was also licensed to sell wines and ales. Adjoining cottages at the time may have been used as stables, however these were eventually demolished to make way for the bar and function room of the present Cults Hotel.

In 1904, a tram service from Mannofield, Aberdeen through Cults to Bieldside was introduced. On account of the sharpness of the bend outside the Cults Hotel, trams had to curtail their normal speed of 12 mph to something more modest. The old turnpike road of 1798 still survives today and can be seen as the lay-by in front of the hotel.

At one time, the only shop in Cults was the Grocers at the Hotel, but during the late nineteenth century the village had expanded to the west along the North Deeside Road and more shops gradually opened for business.