The Abandoned Shopping Centre In Bonnie Scotland.

This Droneman Scotland video is looking at an abandoned shopping centre in Bonnie Scotland. We had to travel a wee bit from our Musselburgh base to bring you this one. The Freeport shopping centre was built halfway between Musselburgh and Glasgow and was only open for 8 years before its closure in 2004.
Hope you enjoy the video, and if not already done so, can you please like the video and subscribe to our channel. it is free, it costs nothing.
Thanks for watching.

[@Drone.vision]

What a huge waste of money and a place to be left abandoned! Great coverage of the building! Nice flying well Done 👌

[@DronemanScotland]

Agreed, total waste of money, thanks for your comment and watching. 👍

[@Drone.vision]

You’re welcome mate, thanks for sharing, have a great weekend! 👌🙏👏

[@DronemanScotland]

Thanks

[@mrennie5158]

What a shame! It was a great place to visit. I remember the butterfly house and the cafe, and knowing we were nearly there because you could see the bings. My mum drove us there a lot when it first opened but we didn’t mind because there was actually a lot for kids to do.

[@DronemanScotland]

Sounds like it was a fun place to visit as a kid, thanks for your comment. 👍

[@chiko1406]

Used to go there every Sunday with my mum and dad we loved it there the Versace shop was amazing,such a shame

[@DronemanScotland]

Been overtaken by shopping centres closer to towns now, great idea, just in the wrong place. Thanks for watching and commenting. 👍

[@Fuzzfooger]

I worked here as a teen in the 'Next to Nothing' Next outlet store in '96ish, it was an odd place. I remember one day Stefan Dennis of neighbours fame came in with his girlfreind to shop during his big Neighbours hiatus. It was hilarious the mutterings and excitement it caused. I was 16, so far too cool to be impressed.

[@DronemanScotland]

Was never a fan, but glad you were too cool to get excited. Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@stevenmcphillips3156]

Hi was this filmed this year 2024 I was a monthly visitor to Freeport & I can't believe it's still standing Keep up the great videos

[@DronemanScotland]

Hi Steven, this was filmed on the 18th of September this year. At the back on the R/H side there are grey units, these are rented out to local firms for storage, they are pretty secure as there is 24 hour security on the site. They have used the centre as a film location and for civil defence training. Thanks for watching. 👍

[@stevenmcphillips3156]

@@DronemanScotland cheers mate I can't believe how good the buildings looked

[@DronemanScotland]

Thanks for watching.

[@ladyintheskyuk]

Unbelievable 😮what a waste. Fantastic video my friend. 👌

[@DronemanScotland]

Many thanks, glad you enjoyed it. 👍

[@rblsr]

I remember taking my truck there well over 20 years ago, not to deliver goods but to collect goods. Always thought it was a bit out of the way to be as busy as it needed to be, a shame.

[@DronemanScotland]

It was the middle of nowhere, I am surprised it got any customers. Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@cannyscott]

Really enjoyed this video thanks. Im racking my memories trying to see if i ever visited this place when i was a bairn living in Leith

[@DronemanScotland]

Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for your comment. 👍

[@andrewcrone2767]

This place was amazing for airsoft. I'd love to see it as an active site again.

[@DronemanScotland]

Such a waste, thanks for your comment. 👍

[@billyhenderson730]

Perfect spot for motor home park reopen centre and they will come.🚍🚍🚍

[@DronemanScotland]

Your probably right, thanks for the comment. 👍

[@silverhearttribe]

Shopped there a few times. Then they built huge shopping centre in Livingston!

[@DronemanScotland]

Hi Alex, thanks for watching. I see you are trying to grow your KZbin channel, so I have just subscribed. Good luck. 👍👍

[@royshields510]

Was up there about 5 months ago as they were filming something about the Lockerbie plane crash. Had a mock up village and bits of aircraft lying around.

[@DronemanScotland]

Hi Roy, would have loved to have got the drone up when that was being filmed. Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@royshields510]

@@DronemanScotland got a few pics of it myself

[@OddBawZ]

I played Airsoft here 15 years ago or so more. I found out later that it was operated without the owners consent. There was also signs of vandalism but it doesn't look like the condition has changed, so security must have been more of a priority since then. My Mum was also an extra in Anna and the Apocalypse. It's a very interesting layout and definitely more pleasant to be in than the Designer Outlet in Livingston. A real shame.

[@DronemanScotland]

Thanks for your comment, hopefully you seen your mother in the movie. 👍

[@jerrygregor]

I climbed up the bings more than 10 years ago and looked down on it. My OS map stated what it was but I didn't know anything about it. Mystery solved with bonus zombies!

[@DronemanScotland]

Hi Jerry, glad I solved the mystery. I flew the drone round the Bings and was going to include this in the video, but the low sun had a very bad glare on the footage that I decided against it. Might cover this in a future video. 👍

[@arealscotsman]

I remember sledging down the five sisters as a kid. The steep side 😮

[@DronemanScotland]

You were brave.

[@arealscotsman]

@@DronemanScotland No just daft especially when I hit the fence at the bottom.

[@jameswhyte5429]

I had my camera with me up the 5 sisters and got carried away taking photos of zombie props I found and get ambushed by cows 🤣 was stuck inside Freeport for a good hour or so until someone on the hills were whistling to their Kestrel which distracted the coo's 🤣

[@gordonblack5414]

Worked on the shop fitting when this was at the build stage…….once worked 36 hours straight, was younger and fitter😂

[@DronemanScotland]

Hi Gordon. Yes, I remember doing a 36 hour shift once, I was an engineer, now retired, you would be lucky if I could do an 8 hour shift now 😂🤣😂 Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@jamesrowe3606]

Places like that killed off our town centres, so my sympathy for them being crushed by online shopping is somewhat limited.

[@DronemanScotland]

Hi James. I also believe the shopping centres on the outskirts of the towns also put a nail in the coffin for this place, it was just too remote. Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@jamesrowe3606]

@@DronemanScotland Agreed. Out of town shopping at its peak was inaccessible to at least a third of the population who had no access to a car, and obviously that third included the most disadvantaged people.

[@DronemanScotland]

True 👍🏻

[@Chopperdriver]

No sympathy at all. Brick and mortar were being warned in the late 90’s that unless they brought something substantial to the table, online would crush them. A few rose to the challenge but not many.

[@jamesrowe3606]

@@Chopperdriver Quite right. Market forces are fine when it suits them, but what goes around comes around.

[@salzburg18]

Im amazed that Taylor Wimpey havent snapped the site up for another soulless bedroom community.

[@DronemanScotland]

I believe the council have limited the amount of houses that can be built on the site which is not attractive to builders. Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@FATBOY692011]

Did Police riot training there prior to G8 in 2005. The one and only time I was there. I remember the ads on the telly though.

[@DronemanScotland]

I believe the site has been used for civil defence training many times over the years, you can see why. Between being used as a film location, civil defence training and storage for local businesses, you can see why the place has never been demolished, they must still be making money from the site. Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@TheJpf79]

Not the only big shopping mall idea built around then that's sitting empty now, or even being knocked down.

[@DronemanScotland]

Sign of the times, thanks for your comment. 👍

[@redmuttly75]

jeez im surprised it had any customers at all ,its in the middle of nowhere.quite a random place to build a shopping centre.ive certainly never heard of this place.

[@DronemanScotland]

I do remember the ads for the place, but as I hate shopping, no chance of me ever going there, until now of course. 😂🤣

[@jameswhyte5429]

There used to be busses going but it got shut down when the shopping centre in Livi was built

[@DronemanScotland]

It was bound to fail, middle of nowhere, must have been freezing in the winter.

[@GrahamMacdonald-w9o]

I am presuming that the people behind Freeport didn't expect a nearby New Town - Livingston in this case - to be the sort of place that would ever have a Designer Outlet Centre. (I have lived most of my life in a New Town, by the way.) When New Towns are being developed and as they mature, almost inevitably there will be mistakes made or improvements that make earlier investments unviable. As the video explained, the writing was on the wall immediately the centre in Livingston was opened. While Freeport wasn't a million miles from the M8 motorway, the access was along country roads; I am guessing that someone not familiar with the area found out about the Five Sisters, which are interestingly-shaped artificial hills made from the waste from shale mining and are a well-known local landmark that can be seen when using the Queensferry Crossing across the Firth of Forth and thought: 'Why not build a small shopping centre there?'

[@DronemanScotland]

I believe one of the reasons for choosing the site was massive grants from West Lothian council to bring employment and prosperity to the area, only then to grant permission for other shopping centres a few years later in Livingston which seen the very quick demise of the Freeport complex. Thanks for your comments, and thanks for watching. 👍

[@BESTOFTHEBEST123]

I like the music nice

[@DronemanScotland]

Thank You. I thought it was appropriate for the video. Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@RustyPetterson]

@@DronemanScotland I liked the video, but since we're talking about the music, it's TOO LOUD! Or should I say the volume difference between the music and the narration was too much! Apart from that, very good!

[@DronemanScotland]

Sorry about that, thanks for the comment.

[@PIXscotland]

I can confirm the keyring is gone. I didn't get to it quickly enough! 😅

[@DronemanScotland]

Need to get there quicker next time, thanks for your comment. 👍

[@OneManTagTeam]

I worked there in a shop called Madhouse when was in college back in 2002

[@DronemanScotland]

Thanks for your comment and hopefully the content brought back happy memories. 👍

[@andygray7478]

They filmed a tv programme there years ago, after it was abandoned, can’t remember the name but it was a kind of post-apocalyptic setting

[@DronemanScotland]

Hi Andy, the info about the programs filmed at the shopping centre are covered in the video.

[@andygray7478]

@@DronemanScotland sorry, watched video on mute, as wife was watching film 😂😂😂 thanks though 👍

[@DronemanScotland]

I know the feeling, but thanks for the comments and watching.

[@gfg890]

Those structures and roofs look better than a large percentage of industrial estate roofs and business premises. We have this thing in this country of trying to preserve old listed buildings or being caught up in the listed status of a building which becomes derelict, useless and dangerous but these buildings don't look like those. They look functional and useable. I'm all for preserving old beautiful buildings but some of them look crap, like that ugly red sandstone building outside Crown Point and others which we're fighting a losing battle to preserve the listed frontage etc. These buildings in West Lothian lying unused is a total waste and I agree with the comment below, they could be used for housing the homeless or creating cheap affordable homes or the option of relocation for some businesses with roof issues etc.

[@DronemanScotland]

Seems a waste that the complex has been left empty for all these years. I know that several of the businesses in the nearby business park use some of the units for storage, but not sure to what extent. I do find it unusual that it still has a 24/7 security presence, must be costing a fortune. Thanks for your comment and hopefully you enjoyed the content. 👍

[@europa2000man]

Has a similar look to Kildare Village Outlet Centre in Ireland

[@DronemanScotland]

I believe there were a few modelled on the same idea in the 1990's. Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@johnjonisa5022]

More of these out of town shopping centres should close down they are all owned by big cooperations you when I was a teenager Alltwen high street were a great place to visit these big shopping centres were built for one reason AND IT F KING WORKED AND THE NAIL IN THE COFFING WAS THE P L A N D E M I C NOW IT THE BIG COOPERATIONS THAT RUN RETAIL WAKE UP AND WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER NO SUCH THING AS YELLOW LINES YOU COULD PARK ANY WERE MORE SO THE HIGH STREET AND THE TWATS EVENVTOOK THAT FROM US INJOY YOUR FREE PARKING WHEN YOU SUPPORT THESE BIG COMPANIES

[@DronemanScotland]

I do agree on what you say. My local town was once full of wee independent traders, now all you get is nail bars, charity shops and hairdressers. Thanks for the comment John. 👍

[@JOHNTHEWHISK]

Hilarious that it closed after such a short time

[@DronemanScotland]

I think it was so sad, all those folk who lost their jobs. Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@Azureecosse]

I liked Freeport it was a great place easy parking ,I liked the Mexx store and the Thorntons shop, you could buy reject sweets. I am stunned nothing has ever come of it in all this time, I never liked McArthur glen in Livingston when it opened and I still don't like it , the parking is a nightmare and its expensive and it full of perverts & wee neds hanging about making the place look scruffy my elderly Mother was mugged there in 2016 it really took away her confidence and she never returned, so not so safe either. Its a bit of blott on the landscape now. I have fond memories of the previous Almondvale shopping centre, was there to the east it was great place, picture house and Woolco ( huge employer) ,Presto supermarket, Coda music , Menzies store , Fosters and the Fads diy shop and at Christmas it was magical it was very 70s/80s and the inter connected bus station to the south was great now demolished and another expensive to park open two storey carpark replaces it now.

[@DronemanScotland]

Nothing ever seems to be the same. They call it progress, but things were simpler 20-30 years ago, bring back the good old days. Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@cmcc3721]

Remember this. Looking at the sum total and where it was situated leaves me wondering.....who tf ever thought THAT was a good idea hahaha

[@DronemanScotland]

Agreed. 👍

[@johnnymac26]

Big like and sub ..the last of us has taken this place lol...but what a shame really eh?

[@DronemanScotland]

Glad you enjoyed the content, and a big thank you for the sub 👍🏻

[@DennisHughes-h8b]

Similar to Cheshire Oaks in a lot of the shops.

[@DronemanScotland]

Just checked out the site, yes, I think it was very similar. Thanks for the comment. 👍

[@Tree90ohfishAL]

@@DronemanScotlandFleetwood had a free port, now renamed but still there, guess that was part of the same company that built this

[@thehitman1980]

Should of went really high end luxury brands it could of been scotlands version of Bicester shopping village

[@DronemanScotland]

Mostly seconds shops. Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@joany531]

Most of the shops have went online or businesses went bust

[@DronemanScotland]

I think all shops now have an online presence, if they don't, they will go out of business. Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@RobertYoung-i5h]

The place was shite, might have had designer names but the clothes they had were the ones they couldn't sell and nobody would wear

[@DronemanScotland]

Hi Robert, you are not the first person to say this, thanks for the comment and watching. 👍

[@nickmacdx]

The same as Sterling Mills ... at Tillicoultry ... near Stirling Overpriced, end of line, gash

[@DronemanScotland]

👍🏻

[@Bobby-xr4bo]

@@nickmacdxsterling mills used to be good before Livingston opened. Moss bros n shops like that. Quality gear. But I’m talking 25 years ago

[@DronemanScotland]

Forgot about Sterling Mills, remember going there many moons ago, thanks for your comment. 👍🏻

[@johngraham6181]

My first reaction. Livingston - covered and warm. Freeport - open, cold and wet half the year. Second thought - Luxury Goods? Discount shops was the way to go. Isolated? So what. House of Bruar is isolated and rammed! And that sells luxury items but not branded shops. Versace may sell near London but Scotland's central belt? It just attracted lookers not buyers.

[@DronemanScotland]

Hi John, well put and so true, thanks for your comment. 👍

[@Bobby-xr4bo]

Disagree with House of Bruar comparison. It’s not out of the way, it’s on the main Artery between Central Scotland and all roads North. The road where 95% of Scottish Tourists travel

[@DronemanScotland]

Yes, agreed, it is far more accessible and also a lot more upmarket. Thanks for your comment 👍🏻

[@felicityscarth3153]

Isn’t that sad? All the hope, and effort that must have gone into it……I’m not happy really about shopping malls plonked in the middle of beautiful countryside……but…..what a waste. Of everything.

[@DronemanScotland]

Totally agree, seems a very strangle play to have built it. Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@FATBOY692011]

Not really beautiful countryside around there. The land was industrial in use with a shale oil refinery at the other side of the bings. Under one of the bings lies the remains of a large country house. They simply buried it with waste from the retorts.

[@JoyceWaugh-xv2jy]

Great place for a zombie experience. I’ll bet it’s soooo creepy at night.

[@DronemanScotland]

I thinks it will be very creepy at night, especially with security guards dressed in black with big Alsatians. 👍

[@andrewcrone2767]

Night time airsoft zombie games were ace.

[@DronemanScotland]

👍🏻

[@limyrob1383]

All those zombies! No wonder no body wants to shop there😀

[@DronemanScotland]

That's one way of looking at it 😂🤣😂, thanks for your comment. 👍

[@pictyboy]

Been and gone. Never heard of it. Wot a waste!

[@DronemanScotland]

Been overtaken by shopping centres closer to towns now, great idea, just in the wrong place. Thanks for watching and commenting. 👍

[@conscienceaginBlackadder]

think it was off the buses, not easy travel if you used them

[@DronemanScotland]

There was a bus stop within the centre, but no idea how frequent they were. Thanks for the comment. 👍

[@DronemanScotland]

There was a bus stop within the centre, but no idea how frequent they were. Thanks for the comment. 👍

[@johndownie9385]

This is where T in the Park should’ve moved to after movin from Kinross

[@DronemanScotland]

That would have made sense, plenty room. Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@simongee8928]

That's market forces for you and an 'easy option' customer mentality. If something as good is closer, they'll go there instead. But after only six years trading, that's one heck of an investment loss.

[@DronemanScotland]

They must have lost a fortune, thanks for your comment. 👍

[@simongee8928]

​@@DronemanScotlandKnowing fly business folk, they probably wrote it off and had a massive refund of some description. 😐

[@scottmacpherson5174]

It was doomed to fall how wanted to walk around in the Scottish weather rain snow hail and in the middle of nowhere roads pot holes everywhere wasted money 🤬 layers should find out how it was.

[@DronemanScotland]

Agreed, total waste of Money. 👍

[@annking877]

Why was this closed

[@DronemanScotland]

It covers why it closed in the video 👍🏻

[@makingitthrough190]

Maybe the Zombies were the problem all along!

[@DronemanScotland]

Maybe they are still there 😂👍🏻

[@phillipecook3227]

Interesting video but change your music.

[@DronemanScotland]

The reason for this music was to make it sound like a shopping mall, agreed the music is not to my taste either. 👍🏻

[@bencook3430]

Can you walk about it?

[@DronemanScotland]

Hi Ben, no, gates are locked and there are security with guard dogs seemingly, although I never seen any when I was there. Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@bencook3430]

Ah that’s a shame. Love a wander around places like this. Thanks for reply.

[@DronemanScotland]

👍🏻

[@johngreen1972]

Used it for terror attack training years ago.

[@DronemanScotland]

Hi John, I believe they still do. Thanks for the comment. 👍

[@MrSpliffy3]

Well quell surprise. As a scot from Edinburgh. Ive barely heard of west calder. Imagine building it in the middle of nowhere. Chocolate for brains if you ask me. I mean livingstone is well known to be huge. My advice is fill it with mygronts & nook it. Lang may yer lum reek. Subbed 👍 nice to see gabby roslin ( blonde big breakfast) looking hot in the ads. She must have been there for a dollar

[@DronemanScotland]

I knew I recognised her, thanks for filling in the gap and thanks for subscribing. 👍

[@helendudden9638]

What a waste just left empty. Why not housing.

[@DronemanScotland]

I believe the council have limited how many houses can be built on the site, so perhaps developers are not interested. Thanks for watching. 👍

[@johnnybgood7812]

Gretna Outlet Village, now called Caledonia Park, is thriving and recently expanded significantly. It is right by the A74(M) though so that probably helps.

[@DronemanScotland]

Stopped there a few years back, it was a nice place to visit.

[@JohnJones-k9d]

Asylum accommodation

[@DronemanScotland]

Hi John, hope not, thanks for watching. 👍

[@Nojj-w7s]

Designer seconds

[@DronemanScotland]

Yep, and I think that was one of the problems. 👍🏻

[@oldfailedgamer]

Its Never HalfWay Between Those 2 Places

[@DronemanScotland]

Agreed, halfwayish 😂🤣😂 Thanks for watching. 👍

[@271chrissy]

That will get demolished...the place is to far gone.

[@DronemanScotland]

I believe they are still getting some income from the site as storage for local companies along with being used as a film location and civil defence training. Thanks for your comment and watching. 👍

[@271chrissy]

@@DronemanScotland Good video. thanks.

[@DronemanScotland]

👍🏻

[@allanstewart1822]

they could refurb and put the homeless people in there

[@DronemanScotland]

Hi Allan, that would be one thing it could be used for, just a pity it has lay empty for all these years. 👍

[@Paul-rp7uh]

Now you've highlighted it,it will be full of migrants before Christmas..👍

[@DronemanScotland]

Hope not, thanks for the comment.

[@stuartwigmore3738]

Zombie flicks being filmed there. Appropriate...

[@DronemanScotland]

Very appropriate. Thanks for your comment. 👍

[@stuartwigmore3738]

@@DronemanScotland I was there a few times when it was open. Always thought it was some sad sort of nothing. Fascinating to see it again. High quality footage too.

[@DronemanScotland]

Thanks again Stuart, glad you enjoyed the video. 👍🏻

[@filop]

The AI voice is HIDEOUS

[@DronemanScotland]

The AI voice is my wife, Mrs Droneman. But thanks for your comment, I am sure she will appreciate it.

[@TheZanshen]

Perfect housi😢for asylum seekers lol 😅

[@DronemanScotland]

Luckily we do not have a massive problem in Scotland with asylum speakers at the moment.

[@mcooper593]

Music and voice of narrator annoying

[@DronemanScotland]

The music was meant to resemble a shopping mall feel, which is annoying, but sad you do not like the narrators voice, but thanks for watching.

[@mcooper593]

So where is the “abandoned” shopping centre!! Clickbait rubbish

[@weecol1141]

It’s literally right there in the video, you see those buildings? That used to be a shopping centre, it’s now abandoned after closing its doors in 2004. Not sure if you’re terminally stupid or being deliberately obtuse?

[@DronemanScotland]

It tells you where it is in the video, sorry if you find this content not to your taste.