The owner of a landmark Aberdeen building that was home to John Lewis until 2021 has submitted plans to transform the vacant five-storey premises into a new go-karting complex, featuring an arcade, bowling alley and party rooms.

EP Properties purchased Norco House in 2023, and has now unveiled a detailed floorplan for the proposed renovation, which will include 200,000 sq ft of entertainment space and a two-storey karting track.

“The list of activities and attractions on offer includes a go-karting track spanning two floors, taking up most of the building’s available space,” reported the Press and Journal. “According to detailed blueprints, the ground floor will include an arcade, party area and lounge.”

“The majority of the space, once home to clothing lines and haberdashery essentials, will be taken up by a bowling area with several lanes. Upstairs, spanning the second and third floors, a go-kart track would be created. Elevators will be torn out as new holes are created between the different upper levels, perhaps indicating that karts could zoom up and down ramps between the storeys.”

Reporting on rumours of the renovation in June, the Press and Journal stated that go-karting operator TeamSport was considering a move into Aberdeen “having enjoyed significant business from the city at its centre down in Dundee.”

However, TeamSport has not responded to requests for a comment.